Clear Lake

How big is Clear Lake?

How deep is Clear Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Clear Lake?

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Are there boat launches on Clear Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Clear Lake?

Clear Lake is a 130 acre lake located six miles northwest of Cold Spring in central Stearns County. Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and water clarity is typically less than five feet. Oxygen was adequate for sport fish to a depth of 16 feet. Clear Lake has a moderate diversity of aquatic plants and grow to a depth of nine feet. The entire shoreline is undeveloped and surrounded by cattails. The Clear Lake watershed is 29,768 acres with land use consisting of 32% agriculture, 23% hay/pasture, 23% forest, 12% open water, 7% wetland, and 3% residential. A survey of curly leaf pondweed in late June 2015 only found scattered stalks of curly leaf pondweed, which covered < 1% of the lakes surface area. Compared to 2006, when curly leaf pondweed was found growing at or near the surface on 5% of the lakes surface area. There is one public access on the southwest shore of the lake and it is managed in cooperation with the Farming Sportsmen's Club.

Clear Lake was initially stocked with Walleye fingerlings in 1965 and since 2006 Walleye fingerlings have been stocked every other year. Clear Lake was initially surveyed in 1951 with other surveys conducted in 1980, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2006. Fish populations have varied greatly in Clear Lake and adjoining Mud Lake, likely due to winterkill events that occur in Mud Lake. The best way to characterize angling on Clear Lake might be, good for bass, sunfish, crappie, and Northern Pike with an occasional Walleye as a bonus.

Largemouth Bass were sampled during the day in 2015 and the electrofishing catch was one third the average value for Montrose Area lakes, and lower than the rate observed in 2006 when shocking was done at night. Largemouth Bass ranged in length from 4.7 to 19.5 inches with an average length of 13.0 inches. The size structure of the Largemouth Bass population in Clear Lake is well balanced and the fish are in good condition. Of the catchable size Largemouth Bass, 89% were greater than 12 inches and 28% were greater than 15 inches.

The Northern Pike gill net catch in 2015 was 4.5 times higher than in 2006, and was above the lake's long term average. Northern Pike ranged in length from 8.7 to 33.8 inches with an average length and weight of 21.5 inches and 2.3 pounds. Nineteen percent of Northern Pike sampled were longer than 24 inches. Anglers are encouraged to harvest Northern Pike under 22 inches and release the larger ones to help achieve a more balanced fish community and promote good growth rates. Lower pike numbers may also increase stocked Walleye fingerling survival and allow Yellow Perch numbers, which continue to be low, to increase. Higher perch populations are desirable as they can be important prey species for both Walleye and Northern Pike.

The Walleye catch remained low despite an increase in the frequency of stocking to every other year in 2006. Walleye sampled were all larger fish and ranged in length from 18 to 23 inches. The lack of smaller fish from recent stockings is likely the result of increases in the Northern Pike population and continued lack of suitable forage. An increase in the Walleye stocking rate to 2 pounds per littoral acre will be implemented in an attempt to increase Walleye catches to above the long term average for Clear Lake.

The Bluegill trap net catch decreased from 2006 but remained at the lake's long term average. Although catch rates may have declined since the last survey, the average size of Bluegill (7 inches) has increased and fish up to 9.4 inches were sampled. The size structure of Bluegill in Clear Lake was excellent for central Minnesota as 64% of the fish sampled were longer than 7 inches. The average replacement time for an eight inch sunfish in central Minnesota is 5 8 years. Therefore anglers are encouraged to limit their harvest of larger Bluegill especially adult males which are more susceptible to angling pressure during the spawning season. The larger male Bluegills are important to maintain a healthy balanced size structure as they limit the potential that the rest of the population can get to. Anglers can help to maintain good fishing for Bluegill on Clear Lake by selectively harvesting medium sized females and releasing the larger males.

The Black Crappie catch was above the long term average and the highest observed over the past four surveys. Black Crappie catches are known to fluctuate widely depending on the success of spawning which is largely dependent on environmental factors. Anglers should expect good fishing for Black Crappie in the next couple of years as fish ranged from 3.5 to 11.6 inches in length and averaged 8 inches. Forty three percent of Black Crappie sampled were greater than 9 inches in length.

No Common Carp were sampled during this survey, but Black Bullhead were relatively abundant with and average weight of only three quarter of a pound. Along with Black Bullhead, other species sampled during the survey included Bowfin, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.

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Are there any state parks near Clear Lake?