Clear Lake Iowa Fishing Reports

[Kevan Paul]

Yeah most of the little lake is good by foot and the fish are biting very good.

[fisherman-andy]

Anyone got a late ice report for Clear this weekend?

[Kevan Paul]

The ice should be off by the 12th or so.

[lispeej]

Kevan, so you no longer recommend walking on the ice anymore?

[blindluck]

I made it up Saturday and Sunday and really crushed the walleyes. There were a lot 13 inchers but it was still fun. The bigger ones were harder to come by, but still got them. I was in 9-12 ft of water and fishing a jig and minnow. Best of luck to all.

[Kevan Paul]

Great report. Yes the bite has been great!!! We have also been catching lots of Yellows at the Island.

[fisherman-andy]

Anyone targeting Yellows can still find them in the little lake Morning and late afternoon-evening hours mostly; Ventura side. They are roaming shallow and will no longer hit a hair/plastic jigs, maybe a small ice jig w/meat. Hook and minnow is your best bet.

[Kevan Paul]

Thats good news. They should be shallow at first ice.

[Kevan Paul]

The Crappie have been in 22 to 26 ft and the yellows are running in 6 to 9 ft

[dale struck]

I was at Clear lake on little lake today and not much action at all, what I seen caught were all small .Maybe I was at the wrong area.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

The yellows are for the most part small. I haven't caught a walleye through the ice yet, but I do know that some are being caught. I talked to a DNR officer who said that the lake is going through a cycle and that it will take another 2 years before the yellows reach the 10-11 inch size with any consistency. Moving around and punching many holes is probably the way to do it. The fish that I caught yesterday (yellows) were all caught 45 minutes before the sun went down. They were below me all afternoon but wouldn't bite until dusk. Tried minnows and wax worms on a variety of presentations.

Mike

[sleepfishrepeat]

I'll be coming down from the twin cities tomorrow to try out the yellow bass. Was wondering how the snow is on the lake? I drag my gear on sleds since I have no 4 wheeler. Thank you.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

The snow won't be a problem for pulling a sled. It's been warm and a lot of the snow on the ice is gone where it has been travelled on. It's been an evening bite for me. The crappies are off of the bottom. The yellows have been small for me. Wax worms and small minnows.

[sleepfishrepeat]

The snow won't be a problem for pulling a sled. It's been warm and a lot of the snow on the ice is gone where it has been travelled on. It's been an evening bite for me. The crappies are off of the bottom. The yellows have been small for me. Wax worms and small minnows.

Thank you for the update capt. H. Guess I won't keep my expectations too high tomorrow than. I'm just hoping that I can move and drill enough holes to find some active fishes. I'll report how I do.

[sleepfishrepeat]

Update on clear lake Iowa. Just got back and it was fun despite the gusty weather. Fished all day from 7am to 6 pm out of mcintosh state park launch. A good amount of people on that little lake side. Ice measured at least 12-13". Caught lots of small yellow bass and lots of crappies. About a dozen in the 11-12" range. The fishing was better for us in the morning as we caught most of our fishes. The afternoon was slow and the evening had more smaller crappies and yellows. Did manage a few good size perch. Caught all fishes on larva and soft plastic wax tails.

[crappiebuster]

People need to spread out more and look in the main lake....Hit the old school spots and fish the hell outta them. Id be careful driving full sizes out in the next few days.....Stay safe yaal

[Kevan Paul]

The fishing has been good guys. Lots of yellows off farmers and a fair amount of crappie in the little lake. The Yellow Bass Bonanza is this weekend and there will be 600 out fishing so be safe people.

[trappingaddiction]

Is there a map anywhere that shows the different areas such as farmers? Not familiar with the lake at all and considering coming down on Thursday to try for a few yellow bass.

[JIvers]

In the last day or so I have heard enough reports of mostly/sort-of safe ice on Clear Lake, Iowa, to decide I am heading up there tomorrow morning to finally get on the ice this season.

I will report what I find in time for New Year's.

[JIvers]

I finally got out on the ice for this season on Clear Lake, Iowa.

I went on at Macintosh on the west end of the lake, as good fishing is available close to shore there. I found pretty much what I was told for ice: where the wind blew the snow off the ice, there was about 4" of pretty good clear ice.

Where the snow was drifted up, and that was most of the ice around me, things were sketchier. Under the crust there would be a couple inches of slush and water, and then some ice that did not look to be in good shape. I drilled one hole on the edge of a drift, and broke through the ice after two turns of my auger. I shuffled away pretty quickly from that hole.

The snow and slush made walking messy in spots. I bet I had three pounds of ice stuck to the cuffs on my coveralls when I left.

The bite was non-existent until about 4:00 PM, whether I fished deeper water in the dredge holes or shallower. I got an occasional looker, but no hits.

As the sun got lower there was a brief bite. My first fish of this ice season was a small yellow bass, and I caught a few more of them before it got dark. I got one small walleye that hit a Swedish Pimple tipped with a minnow head, and a couple of perch. I ended up with no fish for dinner, but I was just happy to finally get on some ice and catch anything at all.

[JIvers]

With the ice wiped out for the weekend in SE Iowa, I decided to bundle up and brave the sub-zero windchill on Clear Lake again today. Things worked out pretty well.

I went out of Macintosh on the north side of the "little lake" by Venture, and drilled a bunch of holes in various depths. Earlier in the afternoon I caught quite a few small perch out of the 15'+ water where I was looking for walleye and crappie. None of those perch were keepers, but hopefully Clear Lake will be a perch-fishing destination in a year or two.

After about 4:00 or so the yellow bass started hitting in shallower water. I caught probably twenty or so, and missed quite a few more strikes. I did not bring a shelter, and due to the wind and cold I was using heavier lures than I would otherwise use for yellow bass. I had a lot of fish marked and chasing my jigging spoon, but they did not always seem to be sure about hitting it. Still, I caught more than enough yellow bass to make Mexican fish soup tomorrow.

No walleye or crappie out of Clear Lake today, but along with all the yellow bass I got what I think is the largest white bass I have ever caught. Here is that 17" fish:

 

[Tullies]

What's the ice condition?  How many inch of ice?  Are people driving on the lake with half ton truck yet?  Any yellow bass action?  I'm thinking about hitting Clear lake soon.  Any information would be nice.  Thanks.

[JIvers]

My last ice trip of this past season ended up being to Clear Lake on March 5. The yellow bass were hitting well, and I got more than enough for a stir-fry or two. My last fish through the ice for 2015-16 ended up being one of the small walleye that were mixed in with the yellows.

[JIvers]

This forum lives! 

 

I only made it up to Clear Lake, Iowa, twice this winter, as he reports I heard were not great. I tried it twice anyway, and have to concur.

 

Plenty of 10" walleye both times I was up there, but the yellow bass were "finicky", as the Iowa DNR fishing reports put it more than once. I caught some yellows both trips, but did not bring home thirty or forty of them like I have in past years.

 

Now if all those little perch I caught grow up for next winter...