Clear lake iowa

[stebrichs]

Hi Bob, do you have any predictions for the up coming open water fishing season on Clear lake iowa. With the dredge being done how is this going to affect the fishing early in the spring. I know tons of walleyes get pulled out of the little lake by Ventura. Will the dredge effect this now. Thanks Todd.

[IAMUSKY]

I think the fish are still going to go there in the spring they will just go to the edges of the lake more instead of all over the the whole bay. It will still be the warmest water in the lake and current moving in there. I also think more fish will end up staying in the bay later in the year since there will be deep water in there.It may be tough to fish that area though this year with all the equipment in there and areas roped off that are not accessible. In the long run though it will make clear lake a better lake to fish once they are done. Now if they can only get a slot limit there it will make the future better yet. We seen what happened a few years ago when there was quality walleye fishing there they wiped it out. I would be interested in Bob's thoughts also.

Tracy Crail

[Bob Jensen]

Great question, and great response by Tracy. Tracy is a very knowledgable angler who has good insight as to what makes a fish do what they do.

I am sure the walleyes will still spawn, or attempt to spawn, in the small part of the lake. They are drawn to the current and the warmer water coming out of the marsh. I don't know if the machinery being used to clear the lake bottom will have an affect on them. I know that I've fished in some very noisy industrial areas where work was going on in the water, and we were catching fish right by the machinery.

I believe that at least some, and probably quite a few walleyes will become year 'round residents of the small part of the lake. They'll go in there to spawn and find living conditions acceptable to year 'round residency. As long as they have food in there, they'll stay.

The dredging project will enhance Clear Lake, but it will take time.

I also agree with Tracy on the slot limit issue. I sometimes get in trouble for being in favor of progressive regulations, but we simply can't keep doing things the way we've always done them if we want to improve the fishery. Keeping fish is fine, but we need to keep the right ones.

The reason some folks are opposed to slot limits is the over-used catch phrase "no biological reason". I've seen too many lakes ruined because of traditional catch and kill regulations, and too many lakes prosper because of slot limits.

In the case of the lakes that were overharvested, there were no progressive rules in place because there was no biological reason to do so. These lakes were fished down to the point where there was no reason to fish there anymore. When the fishing pressure want away, they bounced back, but it took several years to do so.

In the case of the lakes that prospered with progressive regulations, there was no biological reason to impose the progressive regs. These lakes now provide outstanding fishing for numbers of fish and big fish. You get eaters, and you get big ones. You just have to put most of the big ones back.

Too much of the time lakes are managed by folks who are looking at little fish symbols in computers and working with best case scenarios. Many lakes aren't best case scenarios. The guides and anglers who fish these lakes on a daily basis have probably the best feel for what's going on in a lake and should at least have some voice in suggested lake management.

The DNR folks have a tough job and can't please everyone. For the most part they do an outstanding job. I admire and support them greatly. I just don't agree with some of their fish management programs as they probably don't agree with my ideas on fish management.

Great question. I'm looking forward to getting on Clear Lake soon.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen