Clear Lake Fishing near Mountain Iron, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Clear Lake in the Saint Louis County part of Minnesota. The bank is 1,394 feet above sea level. Roughly 131 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 2.3 miles on foot. Mountain Iron lies 9.6 miles from the water. Parkville is 11 miles away, with Chisholm at 12 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Saint Louis County records list yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. The near bank of Clear Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 5°F for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Clear Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Jutila Lake is 0.8 miles off. For Clear Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.