| Ice conditions are variable across northcentral Iowa lakes. Avoid areas around pressure cracks, points, and reefs. For additional information, contact the Clear Lake Fish Management Office at 641-357-3517. |
| Aeration systems are not operating, but watch for bad ice conditions in the Channel, from Dodge's Point to the Island, and the east shore south of the Outlet to Billy's Reef. Avoid any areas with pressure cracks due to unstable ice conditions. |
| Walleye - Good: Anglers are having success near sunset and after dark. Use jigging spoons tipped with a minnow or a live minnow below a bobber. |
| Black Crappie - Fair: Small jigs with insect larvae or small minnows are the best baits. Crappie are being caught near rush beds and across the western basin of the lake. |
| Yellow Bass - Fair: Yellow Bass are being caught on small spoons and jigs, especially near sunset. |
Clear Lake has a protected slot limit on Walleye. All fish 17-22 inches must be immediately released unharmed. Walleye angling has been excellent the past few seasons. There are good numbers of 15-17 inch Walleye for anglers to harvest. The Yellow Bass population has improved some, but still is much lower than the fishery supported a decade or so ago. The size quality of Yellow Bass is very good. Crappie are doing well in Clear Lake. Anglers consistently catch crappie during all seasons or angling. Muskellunge angling remains excellent. Channel Catfish is another species worth targeting on Clear Lake.(2024)
In nearly all cases, Iowa fish are safe to eat. Cleaning and/or preparing the meal causes most of the problems regarding taste or color of fish. Like all living creatures, fish are susceptible to diseases, parasites, and other naturally occurring conditions in the water. If you suspect your fish is affected by any of these conditions, do not eat it. Consider eating smaller and younger fish which usually have lower levels of contaminants than larger ones. Most contaminants accumulate in larger, older fish. For additional information, check out our resources for eating and cooking Iowa caught fish.
To learn more about fish tissue monitoring, visit our Fish Tissue Monitoring page .