Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Clear Lake Fishing guide
Clear Lake covers 399 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 29 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers9per gill net15"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 9 fish
2024Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 72 fish
2023Lengths measured · 47 fish
2017Lengths measured · 108 fish
2012Largemouth bassPresent0.3per seine haul17"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2017Lengths measured · 4 fish
2012Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few3.5per gill net22"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 28 fish
2023Lengths measured · 24 fish
2017Lengths measured · 72 fish
2012BluegillJust a few2.8per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 25 fish
2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 452 fish
2017Lengths measured · 145 fish
2012Yellow perchOne of the best around41per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 330 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2024Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 327 fish
2023Lengths measured · 153 fish
2017Lengths measured · 463 fish
2012Rates 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.
- 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27" | 19" | 17" |
| 2023 | 27" | 5" | 19" |
| 2017 | 29" | 19" | 18" |
| 2012 | 28" | 20" | 5" |
| 2006 | 27" | 13" | 15" |
| 2001 | 26" | 15" | 7" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Clear Lake was conducted beginning on June 24, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sampling stations, and a 50-foot seine was used to sample 9 stations. Sampling was difficult at 1 station, which was not seined because site conditions prevented wading. Nearshore sampling captured 12 species of fish, including 3 species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner, and Iowa Darter) and 1 species that is tolerant of disturbance (Fathead Minnow).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured 10 species of fish, including 1 species that is intolerant of disturbance (Smallmouth Bass). Bluegill and Northern Pike comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a survey conducted in August of 2023 to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner, and Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Fathead Minnow and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Pomme de Terre River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Clear Lake supports several game fish species, especially Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Walleye. Additionally, the sunfish size structure in Clear Lake is impressive. However, the low numbers of shiners and darters collected in the nearshore survey are cause for concern. You can help conserve the fishery in Clear Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
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)
DNR bathymetry
Clear Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Tenmile Lake · 1,428 ac · 2.6 mi
- North Tenmile Lake · 654 ac · 3.2 mi
- Johnson Lake · 419 ac · 3.4 mi
- Sewell Lake · 369 ac · 4.2 mi
- Rose Lake · 108 ac · 4.9 mi
- Stalker Lake · 1,357 ac · 6 mi
- Long Lake · 395 ac · 6.2 mi
- Swan Lake · 749 ac · 7.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Clear Lake?
Clear Lake reaches 29 ft at its deepest point; about 38% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Clear Lake?
Clear Lake covers 399 acres with about 4.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Clear Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Clear Lake average 7.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Clear Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Clear Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Clear Lake have a public access?
Yes. Clear Lake has one public access site: Clear Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Clear Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Clear Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Clear Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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