Clear Lake in Steuben County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Steuben County, Indiana, you have Clear Lake. Everything around it is mixed forest. At some 810 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. On our Steuben County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Fremont, 4.8 miles out. Reading follows at 8.5 miles, then Angola at 11 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Steuben County: bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and warmouth. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Clear Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 22°F in January up to 71°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Clear Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Clear Lake Public Access sits about 0.9 miles away and carries the launch. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Round Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Check the position at Clear Lake before loading the car.