Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 5, 2024
Species recorded at Clear Lake
12 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Clear Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
2 public boat landings are recorded on Clear Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 4.12 walleye per gill net at Clear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey).
24 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 61.24 | 4–11 in 2024-08-05 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 49.45 | 6–15 in 2024-08-05 | 0.95 lb |
| Bluegill | 41.77 | 4–8 in 2024-08-05 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.97 | 5–20 in 2024-08-05 | 1.63 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.91 | 6–7 in 2024-08-05 | 0.18 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.59 | 1.27 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Clear Lake is a 652-acre lake located within the town of Waseca in Waseca County. Two DNR-maintained public accesses are available. One is located off Clear Lake Drive on the north side and the other just off MN Highway 14 on the southeast side of the lake. The maximum depth is 34 feet with approximately 69% of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clear Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Clear Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 4.12 walleye per gill net at Clear Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 12 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Clear Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Clear Lake is dated August 5, 2024. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Clear Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Clear Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Clear Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Clear Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Clear Lake
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