Fishing Clear Lake in Brown County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Clear Lake, in Brown County. The country here is rolling bush. Around 235 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. A shoreline of some 2.7 miles keeps the choices simple. It is among the larger waters listed here for Brown County. New Ulm lies 4.7 miles from the water. Minneapolis sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  The deepest measured water here is close to 8.5 feet. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Brown County include walleye, common carp, largemouth bass and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Clear Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 12°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. On average, early April opens the water and late November closes it again. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Expect Clear Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, School Lake is 2.3 miles off. Treat access at Clear Lake as something to verify.