Minnesota · Beltrami County
Clearwater Lake Fishing guide
Clearwater Lake covers 999 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 65 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers8.1per gill net15"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 98 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 98 fish
2023Lengths measured · 77 fish
2018Lengths measured · 164 fish
2013Lengths measured · 119 fish
2007Northern pikeFair numbers8.8per gill net20"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 113 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 113 fish
2023Lengths measured · 105 fish
2018Lengths measured · 117 fish
2013Lengths measured · 121 fish
2007BluegillJust a few10.6per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 169 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 169 fish
2023Lengths measured · 206 fish
2018Lengths measured · 83 fish
2013Lengths measured · 358 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers4per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 65 fish
2023Lengths measured · 225 fish
2018Lengths measured · 25 fish
2013Lengths measured · 264 fish
2007Rock bassExcellent numbers5.8per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 95 fish
2023Lengths measured · 116 fish
2018Lengths measured · 117 fish
2013Lengths measured · 69 fish
2007Rates 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 Clearwater 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. On a lake that drops to 65 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 65 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 29" | 40" | 17" |
| 2018 | 30" | 34" | 19" |
| 2013 | 29" | 37" | 19" |
| 2007 | 29" | 34" | 18" |
| 2002 | 31" | 35" | 16" |
| 1995 | 29" | 31" | 18" |
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 · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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
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 | 285 fingerlings · 1,879 yearlings · 391 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 880 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 6,484 fingerlings · 516 yearlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,884 fingerlings · 593 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 19,806 fingerlings · 140 yearlings · 4 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,050 fingerlings · 5,799 yearlings · 225 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Clearwater Lake on August 12th, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 71 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 84.4 (+/- 2.1) out of 100 possible. A score of 84.4 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Moderately High (80-84.9). There were significant differences between developed and undeveloped sites in terms of habitat quality. Approximately 32 percent of the sites were developed with a mean score of 69.4 (+/- 5.2) indicating shoreline habitat quality of developed sites is Moderately Poor (66-69.9), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 91.5 (+/- 0.7) with High (85-91.9) habitat quality.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Clearwater Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Clearwater 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
- Clearwater Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Clearwater Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bagley Lake · 97 ac · 2.8 mi
- Moose Lake · 132 ac · 4.5 mi
- Falk Lake · 73 ac · 5 mi
- Sandy Lake · 103 ac · 5.2 mi
- Balm Lake · 537 ac · 5.2 mi
- Dellwater Lake · 199 ac · 6.2 mi
- Johnson Lake · 63 ac · 6.5 mi
- Island Lake · 424 ac · 8.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Clearwater Lake?
Clearwater Lake reaches 65 ft at its deepest point; about 34% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Clearwater Lake?
Clearwater Lake covers 999 acres with about 8.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Clearwater Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Clearwater Lake average 5.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Clearwater Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Clearwater Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Clearwater Lake have a public access?
Yes. Clearwater Lake has one public access site: Clearwater Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Clearwater Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Clearwater Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Clearwater Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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