Clear Lake, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In North Dakota, Clear Lake falls inside Nelson County. It sits at 1,490 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 39 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.9 miles in total. Most waters listed here for Nelson County are larger. 26 miles away sits Devils Lake, the nearest town. Fargo sits 112 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Nelson County list largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Clear Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 3°F to 68°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Clear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Fiske Lake is 4.8 miles off. Nothing on Clear Lake should be assumed from this page alone.