Clear Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Clear Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. The bank gives way to rolling bush. At some 569 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. You are looking at roughly 4.5 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Few waters listed in Aitkin County are bigger. Nearest town is Aitkin, 12 miles off. It is 101 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Aitkin County names northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch and black crappie. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Clear Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 6°F to 68°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Clear Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Sugar Lake is 1.6 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Clear Lake.