Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 8, 2017
Species recorded at Cleary Lake
7 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 Cleary 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
1 public boat landing is recorded on Cleary 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 8, 2017 caught 8.50 largemouth bass per gill net at Cleary Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cleary 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-08-08 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2017-08-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 63.34 | 2–8 in 2017-08-08 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 55.50 | 4–6 in 2017-08-08 | 0.11 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 33.78 | 5–8 in 2017-08-08 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 33.73 | 6–9 in 2017-08-08 | 0.61 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 27.10 | 2 in 2012-09-24 | |
| Walleye | 8.71 | 10–16 in 1999-07-26 | 1.19 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.
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Golden Shiner
Black Bullhead
From the 2017-08-08 survey
Cleary Lake is a shallow, productive 149-acre lake located near Prior Lake, Scott County. The lake is located entirely within Cleary Lake Regional Park, operated by the Three Rivers Park District. There is a boat launch; however only electric motors are allowed. The lake is managed for Bluegill and for Largemouth…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cleary Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Cleary Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2017 caught 8.50 largemouth bass per gill net at Cleary Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 7 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 Cleary Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Cleary Lake is dated August 8, 2017. 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 Cleary Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Cleary 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 Cleary Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cleary 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 Cleary Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Cleary Lake
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