Fishing at Clear Lake, Jefferson County, Missouri

• Overview

  Within Jefferson County, Missouri, you have Clear Lake. Height above sea level is 735 feet. Nearest place of any size is De Soto, 6 miles away. The nearest city of size is St. Louis, 43 miles away. Other water nearby: Sunrise Lake about 0.3 miles, Small Lake just 0.7 miles, Big Lake about 1 mile, Valle Lake just 1.3 miles and Lembeck Lake about 4.5 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Across Jefferson County, recorded fish include orangethroat darter, longear sunfish, rainbow darter, bluegill and banded darter. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Clear Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 30°F in January up to 77°F in July. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Clear Lake. The week either side of a change of season often fishes hardest.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Sunrise Lake is 0.3 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Clear Lake for certain.