Clarks Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Polk County in Iowa is where Clarks Lake sits. It stands 902 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Polk County list. Mitchellville at 0.7 miles is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Colfax at 5.2 miles and Bondurant at 6.2 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Clarks Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Records held for Polk County cover bluegill, green sunfish, channel catfish, common carp and black crappie. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Clarks Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 19°F to 75°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to Clarks Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Randleman Lake is 12 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Clarks Lake.