Clear

Clear is a small lake (82 acres) located east of the Town of Cedar Mills in McLeod County. It has over two miles of shoreline, with a maximum depth of eight feet. There is no public boat access. Shore anglers often park along the north side of the lake along County Road 73. Clear occasionally suffers partial winterkills of fish during harsh winters, with the latest event occurring in 2023. Fish populations can fluctuate widely depending on severity and frequency of winterkill. Milder winters in recent decades, with decreased winterkill frequency and severity, have led to increased boom-and-bust angling opportunities at this lake. Clear was formerly managed as a Walleye rearing pond but was switched to a recreational fishing lake in 2024. Poor Walleye fingerling production occurred ,due to a lack of significant winterkills in recent years. Walleye are the primary management species and small quantities of extra fingerlings, yearlings and adults are stocked when available. Bluegill are listed as a secondary species in the 2024 lake management plan. Curlyleaf pondweed can form dense surface mats in May and June at Clear, making shore angling difficult. A targeted survey (June trap netting) was conducted at Clear Lake on June 5th, 2025, to monitor the fish population. Currently, the best options for anglers at Clear Lake are Walleye and Yellow Perch. Walleye were not overly abundant, but all fish were keeper sized. Walleye averaged 16 inches in length and maximum length was 17 inches. In addition, a solid number of Yellow Perch were sampled. An impressive 64% of the perch catch was 8 inches or longer with a maximum length of 10.9 inches. Black Bullhead dominated the catch, but average length was short (5.6 inches). Bluegill were not sampled in 2025 and are scheduled to be stocked in the spring of 2026. Additional fish species captured in the trap nets included Brown Bullhead, Common Carp and Green Sunfish. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Over harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Green Sunfish 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 8.1 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.