Minnesota · Itasca County
Clubhouse Lake Fishing guide
Clubhouse Lake is a 265-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 103 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 13.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2022, with largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers33.6per hr (electrofishing)7"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 104 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2022Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 98 fish
2021Lengths measured · 77 fish
2014Lengths measured · 103 fish
2004Northern pikeJust a few4.8per gill net19"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 5 fish
2022Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 35 fish
2021Lengths measured · 45 fish
2014Lengths measured · 73 fish
2004BluegillJust a few6.2per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 112 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 59 fish
2022Lengths measured · 53 fish
2021Lengths measured · 52 fish
2014Lengths measured · 316 fish
2004CrappieJust a few1.5per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2022Lengths measured · 4 fish
2021Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2004Rock bassOne of the best around1.5per seine haul6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2014Lengths measured · 20 fish
2004Rates 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 Clubhouse Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 13.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 103 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. At 13.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 103 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Largemouth bass | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14" | — | 19" |
| 2021 | 17" | 20" | 34" |
| 2014 | 18" | — | 30" |
| 2004 | 17" | 19" | 29" |
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:
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
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 2022 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore and littoral fish community in Clubhouse Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 18-20 July 2022. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sites. A 50-foot seine was used to sample five sites with two of these being boat-aided seines, a 15-foot seine was used at three sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at two sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 26 native species of fish including ten species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, Northern Sunfish, Pugnose Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and one species (Fathead Minnow) that is tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted on 18-20 July 2022 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Yellow Bullhead and Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was below the 25% quartile for similar Lake Class 23 lakes and the average length was 5.6 inches, with 23% over 7 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2021 survey 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., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). 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.
Results from this survey indicates Clubhouse Lake is in good health as indicated by an exceptionally high FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Big Fork River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Clubhouse Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Clubhouse 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
- Clubhouse Lake (trailer launch)
- Clubhouse Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Clubhouse Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Fox Lake · 263 ac · 1.2 mi
- East Lake · 192 ac · 1.4 mi
- Three Island Lake · 250 ac · 1.5 mi
- Big Dick Lake · 260 ac · 1.9 mi
- Burns Lake · 181 ac · 1.9 mi
- Crooked Lake · 135 ac · 2.4 mi
- Big Island Lake · 244 ac · 2.6 mi
- Gunn Lake · 382 ac · 2.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Clubhouse Lake?
Clubhouse Lake reaches 103 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 35 ft; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Clubhouse Lake?
Clubhouse Lake covers 265 acres with about 4.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Clubhouse Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Clubhouse Lake average 13.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Clubhouse Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Clubhouse Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Clubhouse Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Clubhouse Lake have a public access?
Yes. Clubhouse Lake has 2 public access sites, including Clubhouse Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Clubhouse Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2004.
When was Clubhouse Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Clubhouse Lake in 2022, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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