Clear Lake Fishing near Alto, Texas

• Overview

  Clear Lake sits in Nacogdoches County, out in Texas. Height above sea level is 282 feet. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is a small entry by Nacogdoches County standards. The town to know is Alto, 7.5 miles out. Rusk is 13 miles and Nacogdoches 19 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover black bullhead, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, blacktail shiner and bullhead minnow. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. Fish Clear Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 82°F; the cold one sits at 46°F. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. That is the shape of the year on Clear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Horseshoe Lake is 1.4 miles off. Check the position at Clear Lake before loading the car.