Clare Lake Fishing in LaPorte County, Indiana

• Overview

  Clare Lake sits within LaPorte County in Indiana. Height above sea level is 607 feet. Around 26 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Most waters listed here for LaPorte County are larger. For a base, Long Beach sits 0.4 miles out. Trail Creek is 2.9 miles and Michigan City 3.3 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Clare Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in LaPorte County include shortnose cisco, alewife, rainbow smelt and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Clare Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 73°F, while January sits near 24°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid March. In an average year the thaw lands around mid March and the freeze near late December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Clare Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data has parking about half a mile from the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Dingler Lake sits 4.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Clare Lake carry more weight than any list.