Clear Lake Iowa Fishing Reports

[bus33]

Maybe the yellow bass eat all the fry who knows.

You've got a real good point there. They are fun to catch and taste good but just imaging what they could do to a school of fry.

[JIvers]

Does the IDNR stock walleye fingerlings or fry in Clear Lake? I know there is no successful natural reproduction by walleye due to (lack of) water quality. Not that it matters much; yellow bass would have no trouble snacking on 3" walleye fingerlings.

[KabNam]

They stock walleye fry in the spring at Clear Lake and are going to stock 9" supersize fingerlings this fall.

[Rick]

Yellow bass fishing is still good but the fish are getting finicky. Try using small jigs tipped with bait. Channel Catfish - Good: A few catfish are being caught with night crawlers fished on the bottom at the Ventura grade and McIntosh State Park shoreline. Walleye - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few walleyes while fishing on the reefs for yellow bass using live bait. A few walleyes are also being caught on crankbaits trolling the north shore by the pump house and in the little lake. Yellow Bass - Good: Yellow bass fishing has been good. Try using small jigs tipped with a piece of night crawler or minnow or a jig and twister tail combo. Billy’s Reef, Dodges Point, the island, and the McIntosh sandbar have all been producing fish. Mornings and evenings are best but they will continue to bite throughout the day. The fishing club dock on the north side and the public docks on the east shoreline have also been good for yellow bass.

[Rick]

Yellow bass fishing is still good but the fish are getting finicky. Try using small jigs tipped with bait.

Channel Catfish - Good: A few catfish are being caught with night crawlers fished on the bottom at the Ventura Grade and McIntosh Woods State Park shoreline.

Walleye - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few walleyes while fishing on the reefs for yellow bass using live bait. A few walleyes are also being caught on crankbaits trolling the north shore by the pump house and in the little lake.

Yellow bass fishing continues to be good but the spawn is winding down. The best bite is in the early morning fishing the rocky areas.

[Rick]

Clear Lake

The yellow bass spawn is mostly over and fishing has slowed. The best bite is still in the early morning. Channel Catfish - Good: A few catfish are being caught with night crawlers or cut bait fished on the bottom at the Ventura grade and McIntosh State Park shoreline. Walleye - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few walleyes while fishing on the reefs using live bait. A few walleyes are also being caught on crankbaits trolling the north shore by the pump house and in the little lake.

[Rick]

Yellow bass fishing is slow, try drift fishing the reefs with live bait. Channel Catfish - Good: A few catfish are being caught with night crawlers or cut bait fished on the bottom at the Ventura grade and McIntosh State Park shoreline. Walleye - Fair: Walleyes (mostly sub-legal) are being caught off the jetty using minnows. Yellow Bass – Fair, try drift fishing the reefs with live bait until you find the fish.

[Been Rippin Lip]

any up to date reports on the yellows or eyes?

[JIvers]

I heard the yellow bass are bting well around the island.

[homeboy]

heading to clear lake to do a little fishing. first timer so any help would be appreciated.

thanks

[KabNam]

Fish the Farmer's Beach area on the west end of the lake in 8-12' of water. First and last hour of daylight has been the best. Yellow bass are biting along with an occasional small walleye.

[henresox]

clear lake the fishing is slow yellow bass is being caught in the little lake ventura!

[SHANTY]

fishing clear lake this year has been a waist of time.... so sad b/c it was a good walleye lake. Not anymore

[catchnothing]

Has anybody been out lately and hows the bite. Seems the fish are biting at dusk and dawn as posted are there any daytime bite? What can one expect out there for the first time? Any panfish?

THANKS FOR ANY INFO

[gr]

I was woundering if the ice is out and also if the early ice out is worth a try for walleyes. have an itch to get the boat out. any info is appreciated.

Thanks

[JIvers]

I heard second-hand that the ice is mostly gone from Clear Lake, but cannot confirm that.

I have heard there can be a good pre-spawn bite on Clear Lake as soon as the ice is off it, but again I have little experience with that lake first-hand.

[SHANTY]

No walleyes.... u still can catch a few yellows. Fishing overall has been very poor

[Andrew Erickson]

Me and a couple buddies are heading down there for a little muskie action, What have the fish been goin on? depths? baits? any help would be great

[fishinorfarmin]

Was down there 2 weeks ago, got one to go on on blades in the shallows. Water temps were in the mid to upper 50's. It was the first time ever down there for me so I was trying to figure out the lake setup. Sure was nice to get the big stuff wet in april though.

[KabNam]

There was a muskie tournament there 2 weeks ago and 12 fish were caught. The biggest was 47". The water clarity is 3-4' currently and both trolling and casting have been catching fish. There is a real good population of 30-40" fish in the lake right now.

[DuaneW]

Going camping at McIntosh state park on July 7th. Never been there before Would like to catch some fish crappies sunnies any help would be helpfull. Bringing the boat also. Thanks

[JIvers]

Not many bluegill, crappie, or perch in Clear Lake, Iowa--probably not enough to actually target them.

There are yellow bass--lots of them. Please consider keeping every yellow bass you legally can. They are fun to catch and aren't bad eating, and they are also a major pest in Iowa lakes, and part of the reason bluegill, crappie, largemouth, and perch are hard to come by in Clear Lake. (Carp and water quality being the other reasons.)

Trolling crankbaits will produce yellow bass and walleye in Clear Lake; so will anchoring up and using minnows. The rocky area right around the island is a good place to start. Aside from that there isn't a lot of structure, so trolling live bait rigs or cranks might help you locate fish along some of the contours. Also check out the water just outside the cattails when you see them.

[JIvers]

As an aside, I see you're from Preston--I'm from Harmony.

[DuaneW]

Never heard of yellow bass only white bass on the miss. Any special way to cook them with the white bass I make sure that red vain is removed. Thanks for the info I'm actually live in Greanleafton.

[JIvers]

Yellow bass are a curiosity in Minnesota, which is apparently the northern edge of their range. I have never caught a yellow bass in Minnesota.

In Iowa, especially southern Iowa, yellow bass are a scourge that are very good at taking over lakes and reservoirs. Several southwest Iowa lakes have had to be poisoned and drained to eliminate them. Clear Lake seems to be far enough north that the yellows can't quite do that, but they still keep the panfish population way down. Like I said, keep every yellow bass you can.

Yellows are better eating than their close relative the white bass, although they don't grow quite as large. Filet them out and prepare them like you would a bluegill.

I grew up about four miles from Greenleafton--I have land just south of Highway 44.