Fishing Clear Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Clear Lake lies in Oneida County, in Wisconsin. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. Around 40 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The nearest town is Rhinelander, 7.6 miles away. The big place round here is Green Bay, 110 miles distant. Round about: Maud Lake 0.7 miles, 0.8 miles away is Coon Lake, Hodag Lake 0.9 miles, 1.1 miles away is Elna Lake and Mildred Lake 1.1 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass and northern pike. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Clear Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 10°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Clear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Maud Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Clear Lake should be assumed from this page alone.