Clara Lake in Windham County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Clara Lake is one of the Windham County waters in Vermont. Land around it is mixed forest. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Windham County. The nearest town is Dover, 11 miles away. Albany is the closest city, 45 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Clara Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Windham County include brook trout, white sucker and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Clara Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 66°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Clara Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Harriman Reservoir, 0.7 miles away. Rules at Clara Lake are worth checking on the day.