Minnesota · Meeker County
Clear Lake Fishing guide
Clear Lake sits in Meeker County, Minnesota, and covers 529 acres, reaching 18 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 19 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.1per gill net20"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2017Lengths measured · 53 fish
2013Lengths measured · 21 fish
2007No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few4.1per gill net25"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 37 fish
2021Lengths measured · 149 fish
2017Lengths measured · 26 fish
2013Lengths measured · 31 fish
2007BluegillPresent57.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1588 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 518 fish
2021Lengths measured · 1070 fish
2021Lengths measured · 935 fish
2017Lengths measured · 559 fish
2013CrappiePresent33.7per gill net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 417 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 302 fish
2021Lengths measured · 115 fish
2021Lengths measured · 272 fish
2017Lengths measured · 550 fish
2013Yellow perchExcellent numbers28.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 258 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 258 fish
2021Lengths measured · 325 fish
2017Lengths measured · 516 fish
2013Lengths measured · 31 fish
2007No recent survey rating.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Clear Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 91% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 3 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. With 91% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26" | 16" | 35" |
| 2017 | 24" | 17" | 35" |
| 2013 | 26" | 17" | 32" |
| 2007 | 22" | 16" | 36" |
| 2003 | 16" | 14" | 36" |
| 1997 | 24" | 17" | 34" |
| 1993 | 26" | 18" | 35" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Trolling
Planer Board Spread
4–6" crankbait or a 5–6 ft crawler harness run out to the side on an in-line planer board
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 241,357 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 239,379 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 239,660 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 16,331 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 6,920 fingerlings · 14 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
A fall nighttime electrofishing survey was conducted on Clear Lake on September 15th, 2023, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. No YOY were sampled. No YOY have been sampled in the nine total fall nighttime surveys. Walleye fry were stocked in 2023. No yearlings were sampled either. Only in 2021 have yearling Walleye been sampled (3.0 fish/hr). Electrofishing surveys do not seem to be effective at indexing YOY or yearling Walleye year class strength at Clear Lake; gill nets may be the best way to representatively sample walleye year classes when fish are large enough to be caught.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Clear Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Clear Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Clear Lake (trailer launch)
- Clear Lake, Watkins (trailer launch)
- Clear Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Clear Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Mud Lake · 37 ac · 1 mi
- Vails Lake · 161 ac · 5.9 mi
- Eden Lake · 278 ac · 6.5 mi
- Betty Lake · 154 ac · 8.1 mi
- Richardson Lake · 119 ac · 8.1 mi
- Dunns Lake · 152 ac · 8.4 mi
- Goodners Lake · 191 ac · 8.5 mi
- North Brown's Lake · 312 ac · 8.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Clear Lake?
Clear Lake reaches 18 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 91% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Clear Lake?
Clear Lake covers 529 acres with about 6.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Clear Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Clear Lake average 3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Clear Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Clear Lake have a public access?
Yes. Clear Lake has 3 public access sites, including Clear Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Clear Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Clear Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Clear Lake in 2023, the most recent of 19 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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