Clear Lake Iowa Fishing Reports

[JIvers]

So is the first wave of snow to hit Clear Lake this afternoon going to be heavy wet stuff, or light powder?

Hopefully northern Iowa and southern Minnesota don't get two or four inches of heavy snow on top of thin ice before the temperature drops tonight. The 40 MPH wind will blow light powder right off frozen lakes and ponds, but heavy stuff could cause problems for ice formation if it drops on top of thin ice.

[delmuts]

Don't know if it's heavy/wet or light snow, BUT it's certainly blowing!!

[Kevan Paul]

Pretty fluffy stuff.

[Kevan Paul]

Trucks all over the little lake and Clear is on fire. 11" of good ice.

[fisherman-andy]

Not a single ice fishing soul angling out in the open main lake? Is this due to poor or unknown ice conditions? We did not venture out due to this uncertainty on the main lake. Aside the lake levels seem way down from an apparent receding shorelines.

Not a single person fishing out of Farmer's Beach either. Everyone was crowded and huddled in the little lake over by McIntosh Park. Funny that all all hubs and houses seem to all move together to one spot through out the day.

Howling strong winds made for a grim outing this past Saturday as few fish was seen caught. Our group only manage a dozen yellow way too small 6"-7". Couple average crappies mixed in. The little lake is filled with thousands and thousands schools of tiny 3" yellows or perch which can quickly overwhelm your flasher as it picks them up on screen LOL. I cant even imagine what this would look like on a Vexilar, blob ID galore. Even our fine line target ID Marcums had trouble.

We saw few people angling along the north shore where the aerator is. I am taking an educated guess that this is where its gonna produce larger yellows or fish through out the day in the what seems the middle basin of the main lake. Again we did not attempt due to uncertainty of ice & wind conditions but it seem definitely walkable or by ATV.

All in all a disapointing first outing on Clear Lake.

[JIvers]

I don't know what ice conditions are/were like after the warmup on Clear Lake, so I don't know how much that had to do with everyone staying off the main lake.

I do know the wind was ferocious here in SE Iowa by yesterday (Saturday) evening, and it was probably worse in Clear Lake, which is in flatter, more open terrain than Iowa City.

I have not been to Clear Lake this winter, and probably won't make it, due to lack of time to go plus good ice down here. I know that if I had been planning a trip yesterday I would have called it off due to the wind. I am guessing the locals who would have been on the main lake went to the more sheltered "little lake" to avoid that wind, although I don't know what the fishing has been like off Farmer's or the Pumphouse, either.

[Kevan Paul]

Still good ice but I went to check on my wheel house and just happen to look down my hole and noticed a huge open spot about 3 ft around. The warm days and heat coming from the house opened up my holes. So watch out for spots where wheel houses may have been. My spot in on the north side and I stuck a piece of wood sticking up out of it.

[Kevan Paul]

Clear is still on fire come out and get some!

[tengy]

Just wondering how the ice is holding up on Clear? Especially little lake. How is vehicle travel? Planning to be down there in the a.m. Any advice or suggestions as the where to stay away from? Will be chasing yellows. Kids will be with so plan is to setup home base for the young guns while myself will be hopping around. Thanks!!

[Kevan Paul]

Sorry for the delay. The Ice is great and so is the fishing!!

5 guys 5 hours 720 fish!

This pic is from today. Mudbugs and spikes / cutbait

[fisherman-andy]

Kevan any tips on locating the bigger yellows? Seems most people are only getting into the small 6"-8" fish with few 9"-11" fish mix in. Or is it really just a hit and miss type of deal to run into this bigger schools?

[MidCoast]

Sorry for the delay. The Ice is great and so is the fishing!!

5 guys 5 hours 720 fish!

This pic is from today. Mudbugs and spikes / cutbait

Wow. Nice job. Was this from the Big Clear lake or the Little Clear lake?

[skocsuhs]

is there a reason to take 720 fish?

[Esox_Magnum]

is there a reason to take 720 fish?

They are an invasive, no limit take all you want....

[skocsuhs]

thanks for the answer didn't know that, good fertilizer =)

[Kevan Paul]

Fertilizer? Well we eat them and also make Yellow Jerky. We also take a lot to the good samaritans center. Yellows are a very good eating fish. I would put them up against a soft crappie any day. Now White Bass Yuck not a fan but yellows they rock.

[fisherman-andy]

Fertilizer? Well we eat them and also make Yellow Jerky. We also take a lot to the good samaritans center. Yellows are a very good eating fish. I would put them up against a soft crappie any day. Now White Bass Yuck not a fan but yellows they rock.

Temperate bass all taste similar anyhow depends on one's preference. Eating smaller white bass 12" or smaller fish is generally very good table fare compared to likes of yellows. As with any fish an older aged fish is not going to taste as good in most instance.

However Id put up a Devils Lake, ND white bass up against or over a yellow any day. If you ever had white bass from those waters you will notice a meat quality difference. Water quality and forage plays a big part in the taste test. White bass down in Iowa waters smell, taste fishy & muddy due to poorer water quality & forage such as gizzard shad. Think of it as eating the freshness and taste of a walleye from waters such as Northern Canada vs waters here in the metro, same concept.

But yellows from clear lake do taste very good and I would also put it up against a Crappie too, probably even better and less bony.

[tengy]

How much snow was dumped down there? What do u guys think the outlook for this weekend will be like as far as driving on the lake vs. walking?

[Kevan Paul]

we are still driving. 5 inches or so but things still look good.

[gloomiseye]

How's the walleye population looking this year?

[lispeej]

However Id put up a Devils Lake, ND white bass up against or over a yellow any day. If you ever had white bass from those waters you will notice a meat quality difference. Water quality and forage plays a big part in the taste test.

I totally agree with you on that! The size and quality devils lake produce are amazing.! That being said, I would not turn down any yellow bass.

[lispeej]

did you make it out last weekend?

How much snow was dumped down there? What do u guys think the outlook for this weekend will be like as far as driving on the lake vs. walking?

[Kevan Paul]

Not much snow on the lake this week. Things are looking good for this weekend. We are going to get some rain this weekend so that could make it very wet. The bite is crazy good. Keep on the move. Don't fish one spot just because you mark fish. If they don't bite in 30 sec. move. You will know when your on keepers. The walleyes should be ok this spring. They are on a come back.

[Kevan Paul]

The bite is still good on Clear Lake. The ice is 16" and we have been driving out at Macintosh state park. Keep on the move and you will catch fish.

[MidCoast]

Question: I see most people going out of Macintosh park only. Why doesn't people go through the other public launch on Little Clear lake as well? Is it because the ice down in that area have springs or thin ice?

I guess what I wanted to know is, is all of Little Clear lake safe to walk/drive on or are there some dangerous areas we should be careful off on Little Clear Lake?