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Author Topic: Clear Lake  (Read 429280 times)

Offline Bryfish84

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Clear Lake
« Reply #2670 on: Dec 28, 2017, 07:00 PM »
Has anyone been out on Clear Lake? When do the yellows and walleye usually start hitting up there?

Offline cbducks78

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2671 on: Dec 28, 2017, 10:36 PM »
Yellow bass, pretty much all the time.   Walleyes eat yellow bass all winter long, so to catch one is a bonus.  never had much luck targeting only walleye.

Offline whip2

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2672 on: Dec 29, 2017, 04:21 AM »
Bryfish

Scroll down & on the 26th of December there is an 89 page posting all about Clear Lake. Click on the last page & view post backwards because it is a carry over from last year. Lots of info there.

whip2

Offline huntneiowa

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2673 on: Dec 29, 2017, 05:14 PM »
Any ice updates or  ATV snowmobile traffic on the little lake? Heading over Sunday for the take a vet fishing get together.

Offline Bryfish84

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2674 on: Dec 29, 2017, 08:46 PM »

Thanks!

Bryfish

Scroll down & on the 26th of December there is an 89 page posting all about Clear Lake. Click on the last page & view post backwards because it is a carry over from last year. Lots of info there.

whip2

Offline whip2

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2675 on: Dec 30, 2017, 05:11 AM »
huntneiowa

I suggest getting ahold of Clear Lake Bait & Tackle (641) 231-8028 or look them up on Face Book to get the latest info.

whip2

Offline Old Goat

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2676 on: Dec 30, 2017, 05:21 AM »
Any ice updates or  ATV snowmobile traffic on the little lake? Heading over Sunday for the take a vet fishing get together.

sounds like a neat thing           done a few fishing has no boundaries outings here

Offline TritleFishing

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2677 on: Jan 23, 2018, 09:50 AM »
Any updates on Clear Lake after this warm-up?  Thinking of making the trip this Sunday. Thanks!

Offline Wally Lindner

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2678 on: Jan 23, 2018, 11:18 AM »
ramps are a liitle messy with ice still 18 inches.  Was on lake sunday & monday with 3/4 ton and wheel house.  lots of small perch

Offline da_teacher

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2679 on: Jan 24, 2018, 12:04 PM »
Bryfish

Scroll down & on the 26th of December there is an 89 page posting all about Clear Lake. Click on the last page & view post backwards because it is a carry over from last year. Lots of info there.

whip2

Made the trek from Denver last year to visit the fam and friends in DSM during President's Day weekend. Fished the big lake for a day and a half -- killed the yellows, mixed decent perch and gills, and a few slab crappie.  Hit three eyes the first day towards dusk in the shallow weeds -- biologists were out and was surprised that I caught an eye, let alone three!!!  All were keepers and within slot which I guess is shocking.  After I hit my first one, I got surrounded by the locals! One dude fished in a hole that I drilled three feet away where I previously had a deadstick rod in.

Offline mjmeyer

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2680 on: Mar 06, 2018, 09:24 PM »
How's the ice looking on Clear Lake for Friday and Saturday? Is Macintosh landing usable?
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the ice looking like an idiot.

Offline SlabSultan

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2681 on: Mar 07, 2018, 10:27 AM »
Last sunday morning, McIntosh ramp seemed to be deteriorating fairly quickly. Lots of standing water in the tire ruts. I left mid-morning, so I'm not sure how it held up through the afternoon. People were still driving on it then and it's been pretty cold since. My guess is there is a good chance it will still be usable
Burlington, IA

Offline mjmeyer

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2682 on: Mar 07, 2018, 12:37 PM »
Thanks! If nothing else, I'll walk on. Done it before, can do it again.

How did you do?

Mike
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the ice looking like an idiot.

Offline SlabSultan

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2683 on: Mar 07, 2018, 02:56 PM »
Did pretty well. The wind was definitely a factor, but a buddy and I got into the yellows during the low light hours on little lake. I'd say we put 30 on the ice between the two of us in the 2-3 hours we fished. Not the best day for yellows, but worth the trip. If you're fishing yellows, try using plastics. I've had great luck with spikes and a jig this winter, but artificial were all they would take last weekend.
Burlington, IA

Offline mjmeyer

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2684 on: Mar 07, 2018, 03:00 PM »
Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely start with plastics, then. Any particular color?
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the ice looking like an idiot.

Offline SlabSultan

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2685 on: Mar 07, 2018, 03:17 PM »
Orange/Chartreuse TriggerX Waxtail
Burlington, IA

Offline mjmeyer

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2686 on: Mar 07, 2018, 03:33 PM »
Thanks!
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the ice looking like an idiot.

Offline whip2

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2687 on: Mar 08, 2018, 06:16 AM »
Clear Lake Bait & Tackle just reported on Facebook that they recommend Foot Traffic only or ATV if you know where the better ice is.

Whip2

Offline Lyontyl

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2688 on: Mar 08, 2018, 09:07 AM »
Did pretty well. The wind was definitely a factor, but a buddy and I got into the yellows during the low light hours on little lake. I'd say we put 30 on the ice between the two of us in the 2-3 hours we fished. Not the best day for yellows, but worth the trip. If you're fishing yellows, try using plastics. I've had great luck with spikes and a jig this winter, but artificial were all they would take last weekend.

It all depends where you are at.  If you are on the fish they will take anything you put down there.  I was in one of my two producing spots on Sunday one was on little lake and one was on big lake and they were so ravenous I wasn't even using bait and catching them.  Gold did seem to work best but it didn't ultimately stop them from eating if I had a different color, I typically don't use plastics because the yellow bass just tear the heck out of them.  I would rather have them destroy 2-3 spikes on a hook.  We ended the day on Sunday between 2 of us with 138 yellows.  third time up there for the year and third time we caught over a hundred.  I think the biggest key and what people don't do enough is move.  If you drop a flasher down a hole and you don't have a fish come to your jig in 60 seconds then they aren't in that hole.  When you drop a jig down and all of sudden your screens lights up with fish you know you are going to get a mother load of yellows.

Offline mjmeyer

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2689 on: Mar 08, 2018, 09:19 AM »
It all depends where you are at.  If you are on the fish they will take anything you put down there.  I was in one of my two producing spots on Sunday one was on little lake and one was on big lake and they were so ravenous I wasn't even using bait and catching them.  Gold did seem to work best but it didn't ultimately stop them from eating if I had a different color, I typically don't use plastics because the yellow bass just tear the heck out of them.  I would rather have them destroy 2-3 spikes on a hook.  We ended the day on Sunday between 2 of us with 138 yellows.  third time up there for the year and third time we caught over a hundred.  I think the biggest key and what people don't do enough is move.  If you drop a flasher down a hole and you don't have a fish come to your jig in 60 seconds then they are in that hole.  When you drop a jig down and all of sudden your screens lights up with fish you know you are going to get a mother load of yellows.

NOW I'm excited! Sounds like fun! Can't wait to get there!
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the ice looking like an idiot.

Offline Lyontyl

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2690 on: Mar 08, 2018, 11:09 AM »
I would start at 12 ft of water and work your way shallower if you don't find any.  We will also be there again this weekend, probably Sunday. 

Offline Mi!

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2691 on: Mar 08, 2018, 11:48 AM »
My dad, brother, and I are planning our first trip to Clear Lake this Saturday to try fishing for yellows.  Plan is to stay in the little lake as we aren't too familiar with the area.  I have the Navionics Boating App so will use that to find depths mentioned in the tips above.  Much appreciated.  From what I've read, you focus on flats at that depth and move often until you find them.

Offline Central Iowa

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2692 on: Mar 09, 2018, 09:38 PM »
Was there all day. Bite was tough this morning and picked up in the afternoon through evening. We had to keep moving to keep up with them all in 10-12 fow. 18” of hard ice on little lake.

Offline Bryfish84

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Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2693 on: Nov 15, 2018, 07:09 PM »
I just saw Clear Lake is iced over. Looks like some people even found some ice to fish on. 3” isn’t enough for me to feel comfortable out there.




Offline Bentbolt

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Re: Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2694 on: Nov 15, 2018, 07:15 PM »
I been the pic of the guy fishing inside the shack yesterday and been thinking I should run out there but with only 3” I will wait til 6” to feel safer.
´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((((º>                       l        
`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><(((º>                 l
´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><(((((((((º>     J

Offline Bryfish84

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Re: Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2695 on: Nov 15, 2018, 07:31 PM »
Yeah.. 3” to me is t enough.

Offline Gills-only

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Re: Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2696 on: Nov 15, 2018, 07:41 PM »
3” more than enough for me, but too far to drive!! Lol

Offline New User Name

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Re: Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2697 on: Nov 16, 2018, 09:18 AM »
It sounds like it is 3" at most in spots.

If I lived close to Clear Lake and knew it well I just might be out there today with a spud bar taking a look at things near shore.

As is, I am not going to drive 150 miles one way to just look at some ice that isn't safe yet.

Clear Lake is supposed to get a couple inches of snow tonight. If that stays on the ice, or worse still it is rain before changing to snow, forget about it. But if the snow misses CL or blows off the ice tonight I may just think about heading up that way on Sunday, what with the colder temps forecast for tomorrow.  ;)

There are supposedly warmer temps coming next week, so whatever safe ice there might be on Clear Lake by Tuesday or so may be it for a couple weeks.
The user formerly known as Midnight Rambler.

Offline Bryfish84

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Re: Clear Lake has ice!
« Reply #2698 on: Nov 16, 2018, 05:27 PM »
Doesn’t look like it got above freezing there today.

Offline Big Blue

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Re: Clear Lake
« Reply #2699 on: Nov 18, 2018, 06:54 AM »
We got 3" of snow in Clear Lake and it's 5º below zero now.  I'll drive around the lake today and check it out. Last Tuesday there was still open water at farmer's.

 



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