Clear Lake

[Tom Cunningham]

Hmmmm, Thinking about heading to Clear Lake, this weekend? I know that Jim at DomeBait could help me, but has anyone fished it lately. Dodges Point is always my first place I fish when I'm there. Whats the pattern and are the walleye in the weeds yet. How's the Northern bite going as well. Thanks in advance!
See You On The Water
Tom C.
only interested in walleye and northern

[B Jensen]

Weather has been really unstable in north Iowa. The walleyes in Clear Lake want to bite, but just when they get started another front rolls through.

If we can get some stable weather the fish will go. Two days of stable weather and I would want to be out there pulling cranks and/or spinners.

I have not heard much regarding northerns. In fact, I have caught more muskies than pike on Clear Lake. I didn't know that Clear Lake had a fishable pike population. Would like to hear more about it.

If you get the chance to go to Clear Lake, you should go. It is a very good walleye fishery just waiting to bust loose.

Let us know how you do.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen

[Smitty]

I'm with you Bob, can't recall catching a northern in several years although I do seem to catch a few muskie each year trolling for eyes..

I'd predict this weekend on Clear Lake you'll have a good walleye chop coming from at least 3 different directions all the time due to all the jet ski's and pleasure boaters. ;)

[Ashton]

According to DNR creel surveys there was an exceptional harvest of "keeper" walleyes this past winter and early spring. Not to say that the fish aren't there, but numbers of fish in that 14-18 inch range are down. Catch and release is the minority on Clear Lake. Team this up with an excellent natural food supply in the lake and you can see why fishing has been slow. Plus the pleasure boaters and jet skies don't help matters. Your best bet for walleyes this time of year is to fish at night.

As for the pike, more are caught by accident on Clear Lake rather than fishermen targeting them. You have a better chance of catching a muskie. Try trolling big crankbaits at night also.

[LUNDEYE]

WHEN WILL THE DNR PUT A OPENER DATE AND A CLOSING DATE ON CLEAR LAKE? TO KEEP THIS ONE OF THE BEST WALLEYE FISHERIES IN THE STATE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING! IT IS JUST A SLAUGHTER WHEN WE HAVE LATE ICE AND IT IS A BIGGER SLAUGHTER IN THE SPRING DURING THE WHOLE MONTH OF APRIL. THERE IS VERY LITTLE CATCH AND LEASE ON THIS LAKE DURING THE YEAR. I STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES THIS SPRING ON THE GRADE AND SAW MANY 20 INCH PLUS WALLEYES BEING TAKEN, MOST THE FISH WERE 22 TO 24. THIS TO ME IS VERY DISCOURAGING. ONE TIME THERE WAS ABOUT 50 FISHERMAN AND 1 DNR PERSON CHECKING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS LEGAL. TRUST ME THE FISH THAT COME TO THE GRADE IN THE SPRING ARE NOT THE 14 TO 16 IN MALES. THE MALES HANG IN THE MAIN LAKE WHERE THE ROCKS ARE. I'M JUST CONCERNED FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS LAKE. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ALOT OF OTHER LAKES IN THE STATE RELY ON CLEAR LAKE BEING A GREAT FISHERY(eggs). I SUGGEST THAT CLEAR LAKE NEEDS A SLOT TO KEEP THE BIGGER FISH IN THE LAKE OR HAVE AN OPENER. THANKS FOR LETTING ME VOICE MY OPINION. LUNDEYE

[Tom Cunningham]

Let me tell you guys this lake is awesome!
My arm is sore!!!!!
Lindy's,spinners,jigs,and trolling.
We caught 3 over 26" threw them back of course. The boat traffic was another story. You wouldn't believe the #'s of fish we caught.Everyone up there is so friendly. This lake truely needs a slot limit on it. I lived up in that are 9 years ago when you caught 100 fish a day any were only able to keep one that measured. All the bigger fish are shallow 4 to 10 ft. of water.
This fishery is the best one Iowa by far.
I definetly going back. Thanks for the info guys.
see you on the water!
Tom

[Ashton]

It would not hurt my feelings to see a closed season on Clear Lake in the spring either. However, Jim Wahl the fisheries biologist there knows what is best for the health of the lake and is doing a great job. Every year Clear Lake leads the state in numbers of quarts of eggs stripped from female walleyes. The number of 20-26 inch fish in this 3600 acre lake is impressive. Makes a guy frustrated when they don't bite more often. Like I mentioned in previous post there is plenty of food for those size of fish in the lake already.

There is nothing better than catching a nice 16 inch walleye and throwing it back into the lake. Surrounding fishermen look at you like you are crazy!

[BUTCHS]

Ok, I'll weigh in on this one. The current regs are 3 walleye over 14" of which only one may be over 22". IMO I don't beleive there is any pressing need to change the current regulations on CL. Clearly the current regs are working in regards to maintaining the brood stock in the lake. This year the nets were out for only about a week in order to collect all the eggs they needed which I think has to be some kind of record.
I'm not an ice fisherman but I wouldn't want to see a closed season on the lake. What I'd like to see is a heavy hand in enforcing the regs in the spring. I don't think it's too uncommon for certain individuals to catch multiple limits in a single day when the fish are up shallow.

[LUNDEYE]

THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT COMES UP EVERY YEAR AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. I JUST HAVE CONCERNS THAT THERE ARE A LARGE AMOUNT OF 20 INCH PLUS WALLEYES LEAVING THIS LAKE. THERE IS NO REASON TO FILLET A FISH OF THAT SIZE. ONCE THIS SPRING ON THE GRADE THERE WERE FIVE GUYS WITH A PAIL THAT WEIGHED OVER 32 POUNDS(THOSE AREN'T 14IN. MALES). TO HAVE A SLOT ON THIS LAKE WOULD NOT HURT AHYTHING AND KEEP THIS A GREAT FISHERY. EVERYONE WILL STILL GET TO EAT THE MALES AND THE DNR WOULD STILL HAVE THEIR FEMALES FOR THE EGGS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, ALOT OF LAKES IN IOWA DEPEND ON THIS FISHERY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

[BUTCHS]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the reg changes. When was the last time CL didn't make more than it's fair share of the quota for egg production? If anything, we need to fix the problem on the other lakes in the hatchery program so that we're not so dependent on CL for egg production in the event something happens to CL beyond the DNR's control. I personally don't keep anything over 20", but so what if someone wants to. A certain amount of those larger fish NEED to be taken from the lake each year to maintain a healthy forage base. I trust that should the need arise to change the regs to protect the fishery the DNR would do so. IMO Jim has done an excellent job managing the lake and will continue to do so in the future. In the meantime, if it aint broke don't fix it.

[Hey Lundeye]

What kinds of regs are you wanting? I don't understand what you want? The lake limit is only 3 eyes over 14" with only one over 22". This is much stricter than the rest of Iowa. How much more stricter can you get?

I think Jim with the DNR does an excellent job and is the man in the know on how to manage this lake.

I never keep an eye when I fish there and I don't see where the regs need to be any stricter. If someone wants to keep some eyes so be it. This is a put and take lake.

[B Jensen]

Some very thoughtful comments. It is good to see that many care about Clear Lake and the quality of fishing there.

I have had the good fortune to have fished lots of places in the past 20 years. My observations aren't based on population dynamics or test-netting or anything scientific. They are based strictly on results.

It is my observation that lakes with minimum size limits generally are average fisheries at best.

Lakes that have implemented slot-limits are generally better fisheries.

Lakes that are managed aggressively are usually better fisheries.

I don't like closed seasons because I like to see people fishing and catching fish as often as possible. However, I would like to see a one walleye limit in the spring, and it would need to be under about 17 inches.

We can manage our fisheries aggressively and have very, very good fisheries in the future, or we can manage them with minimum limits and "one-size-fits-all" management and have mediocre fisheries.

Lakes can be overfished. I have seen too many lakes ruined in just a couple of years due to over-harvest. Some of these lakes are small, some are large. Anglers today are very efficient and can damage a body of water quickly.

Looking forward to more comments.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen

[LUNDEYE]

I DIDN'T REPLY TO THIS FORUM TO ARGUE ABOUT SLOT LIMITS OR CLOSING THE LAKE FOR A MONTH, I JUST WANT TO HAVE QUALITY FISHING YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT AND FOR THE LITTLE FISHERMAN COMING UP THROUGH THE RANKS. I AGREE WITH WHAT BOB HAD TO SAY AND I TRUST HIS OPINION BECAUSE HE HAS SEEN MANY LAKES AND WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T. BE SAFE AND GOOD FISHING!