Clear

Clear Lake is located approximately two miles southeast of Gemmel, Minnesota. This class-13 lake has a surface area of 88 acres, with 70 percent being less than 15 feet deep and a maximum depth of 30 feet. Clear Lake was likely named for its water clarity and had a Secchi transparency reading of 15 feet during the 2025 survey. The surrounding watershed is mixed hardwood and conifer forest on gently rolling hills. Clear Lake has experienced periodic winterkills in the past, but there was no evidence of a winterkill occurring in recent years. Koochiching County owns and maintains a public access, which is located on the southeast shore off County Road 25. A standard survey was completed in 2025 which included gill nets, standard trap nets, and spring electrofishing targeting Largemouth Bass to evaluate Walleye stocking, assess the fish community, and to inform anglers. Fishing regulations follow statewide regulations for inland waters. Previous management plans have identified several long-range goals including providing a diverse fishery with Walleye as the primary management species and Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike as secondary management species. Clear Lake has had a long history of Walleye stocking. The population was established with fry stocking in the late 1940's and several stocking strategies have been attempted which included varying stocking rates and life stages of Walleye with mixed results. No Walleye were sampled in gill nets during the 2025 survey and the management goal was not met and hasn't been net in recent surveys. Similar lakes typically produce decent Walleye populations and there are likely several factors limiting the success of Walleye, including a high abundance of Northern Pike leading to increased predation, especially with the good water clarity that Clear Lake is known for. The stocking strategy was switched from fingerlings to fry in 2025. Fry stocking has the potential of creating a boom year-class which should help alleviate the predation pressure from pike and allow for recruitment to the fishery. Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 15.8 fish per net, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 13.7 to 33.7 inches, with an average length of 20.2 inches. Average weight was 2.0 pounds, which was average compared to similar lakes. A total of seven year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2 to 8 years. The majority of Northern Pike (71 percent) were from the 2021, 2022, and 2023 year-classes and it appears that a strong year-class was produced in 2019 accounting for an additional 16 percent of the sample. Average length at age-4 was 22.0 inches, which was below average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Sixty-seven percent of Northern Pike sampled were under 22 inches and 22 percent were within the 22-26 inch protected slot limit for the north central pike zone. With a high abundance of smaller Northern Pike, Clear Lake provides a great opportunity for anglers looking to take advantage of the liberal north central zone regulation and harvest is encouraged to reduce the abundance of Northern Pike to improve the size structure and increase the odds of successful Walleye stocking. Bluegill trap net catch rate was 27.6 fish per net, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.2 to 8.8 inches, with an average length of 6.7 inches. Sixty-two percent of the sample was 7.0 inches or greater. Average weight was 0.27 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. A total of nine year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2 to 10 years. The majority of the sample (73 percent) was comprised of fish from the 2018, 2019, and 2020 year-classes. Average length at age-6 was 7.2 inches, which was similar to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Clear Lake provides a great opportunity for Bluegills. Largemouth Bass electrofishing catch rate was 13.3 fish per hour of on-time. This is slightly above the Clear Lake historical average of 11.4 fish per hour of on-time and ranked 2nd out of five electrofishing surveys conducted between 1999 and 2025. Total length ranged from 2.6 to 17.2 inches, with an average length of 8.0 inches. A total of five year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 1 to 10 years. Several year-classes have been produced in recent years, but there is a lack of older individuals suggesting that recruitment is not frequent in Clear Lake. While average size of Largemouth Bass in Clear Lake is on the smaller side, larger individuals are present providing an opportunity for anglers. Interestingly, Black Crappie have started to show up in recent trap net surveys, with 2015 being the first survey to sample Black Crappie in Clear Lake. Abundance was low in the 2015 survey with abundance quickly increasing in the 2020 survey. Black Crappie trap net catch rate in the 2025 survey was 4.4 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 4.4 to 13.4 inches, with an average length of 7.6 inches. Average weight was 0.30 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Like Bluegills, Black Crappie provide an excellent opportunity for anglers. Yellow Perch gill net catch rate was 10.0 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 5.5 to 10.1 inches, with an average length of 7.0 inches. Average weight was 0.16 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Yellow Perch provide an additional opportunity for anglers and more importantly act as forage for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass.

A standard survey was completed on Clear Lake in 2020 as part of a scheduled investigation specified in the Clear Lake Management Plan. Clear Lake can be accessed from a public landing off of County Road 25, which runs between Clear and Dark lakes. Clear Lake is primarily managed for Walleye, with Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike being secondarily managed. Clear Lake has received biennial stocking of fingerlings since 2006, with fry stockings in 1996 and 2004. Walleye numbers were low in this assessment, and the fish that were sampled were large with an average weight of four pounds. Although our sample size was small, we didn't see any clear evidence of natural reproduction, with all aged fish coming from years that were stocked. The secondary management species could provide additional angling opportunities in Clear Lake. Catch rates for Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike are up from the previous survey, and higher than expected for this type of lake. The Bluegill particularly were somewhat small, averaging 5.3 inches and 0.1 pounds, with only a small proportion (1.3%) greater than 7 inches, while the Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike were within the expected range for this type of lake. Clear Lake has experienced an increase in Black Crappie since they were detected in the 2015 survey. They were sampled at rates expected for this class of lake, but like Bluegill, their size was generally small, with a single fish breaking the 10 inch mark. A majority of the aged fish were from 2017 and may provide quality angling opportunities in the next couple of years.

A standard survey was completed on Clear Lake in 2015 as part of a scheduled investigation specified in the Clear Lake management plan. Clear is an 88 acre lake about 1 mile southeast of Gemmell, Minnesota or 11 miles northeast of Northome. Clear can be accessed from a public landing off of County Road 25, which runs between Clear and Dark Lake. Management activities primarily focus on Walleye, but several other species of game fish are also present in Clear Lake. Bluegill numbers are up from the previous survey, and higher than expected for this type of lake. The average size is also good with Bluegill averaging 7.2 inches, and individuals over 9 inches sampled. Largemouth Bass numbers dropped dramatically from the 2009 survey. Standard electrofishing over two nights only captured a single bass, whereas the previous survey sampled 42 bass. Northern Pike are abundant and their size is within the expected range for this type of lake. They averaged 19 inches, and fish up to 31 inches were sampled. Walleye numbers are up, and within the expected range for Clear Lake. The average size of 2 pounds and 18 inches is larger than Walleye in similar lakes. Clear has been stocked with fingerlings on even-numbered years, and it appears as if some natural reproduction is also helping build this Walleye population. The largest Walleye sampled was a 24.5 inch fish. Yellow Perch numbers are up from the previous survey, and within the expected range for Clear Lake. They averaged 6 inches.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Walleye, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch in Clear. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Clear. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Clear has a maximum depth of 30 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Clear is from 2025.

No invasive species are on record for Clear in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.