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

• Overview

  You will find Clear Lake in Jackson County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,490 feet up. The water covers around 418 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. You are looking at roughly 3.5 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. The nearest town is Jackson, 4.8 miles away. Lakefield lies 5.6 miles off, Spirit Lake another 14 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Charted depth runs to roughly 11 feet at its lowest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Jackson County include common carp, walleye, black bullhead and black crappie. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Clear Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 13°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate figures give an open season running early April to late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan around that when you fish Clear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Boot Lake, 4 miles away. Where Clear Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.