Clear Lake Fishing near Elbow Lake, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Otter Tail County end of Minnesota holds Clear Lake. The ground around here is pine and birch. Roughly 369 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. You are looking at roughly 3.7 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is among the larger waters listed here for Otter Tail County. Elbow Lake lies 11 miles from the water. Fergus Falls is 13 miles away, with Parkers Prairie at 28 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Otter Tail County include largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Clear Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 7°F to 70°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Clear Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The water borders Finkelson WPA, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Hansel Lake is 1.1 miles off. Signs at Clear Lake carry more weight than any list.