Clear Lake (Lake County)
Lake County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 38072200
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Clear Lake (Lake County) since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (250,000 fish).
- Clear Lake (Lake County) has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,275,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 17 ft; surface area 248 acres, 235 littoral acres, 6.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 5.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Lake County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 38072200.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 250,000 | 2.8 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 250,000 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 250,000 | 2.7 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 250,000 | 2.5 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.6 |
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PO | USF | 70 rod portage to South Kawishiwi River. |
| PO | USF | 144 rod portage to North Kawishiwi River. - UTM waypoints for N. Kawishiwi River end of portage are: UTM Easting: 0600796 UTM Northing: 5306821 |
| PO | USF | 70 rod portage to Eskwagama Lake. |
DNR fish survey, 2018
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 7.33 | 44 | 1.27 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 4.00 | 24 | 3.03 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.50 | 15 | 0.13 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 2.17 | 13 | 0.08 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 1.83 | 11 | 0.33 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard gill nets | 0.67 | 4 | 1.72 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 0.50 | 3 | 0.20 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Clear Lake is located approximately 8 miles E of Ely in the BWCAW. This scenic lake has several islands and is surrounded by picturesque hills of pines and other conifers. Clear is uniquely situated between the N and S branches of the Kawishiwi River and is popular with wilderness enthusiasts exploring the area. There is a 144 rod portage from the N Kawishiwi River and a 70 rod portage from the S Kawishiwi River that are the most commonly used accesses to Clear Lake. Another 70 rod portage from Eskwagama Lake can be found on the W side. There are 5 designated USFS campsites located on the lake for overnight use. Seven species of fish were sampled during the 2018 survey of Clear Lake. Walleye (39%) and northern pike (21%) were the most common species sampled. Low numbers of bluegill and black crappie were observed. Four smallmouth bass were also sampled in 2018. Walleye numbers in 2018 (7.3/gill net) were above the historic average (2.8/gill net) for this lake and above average (5.4/gill net) compared to other area lakes that are similar. The average walleye sampled measured 14.6 inches long and about 4 years old. Walleye fry are currently stocked during odd-numbered years in Clear Lake. Approximately 64% of the walleye aged in 2018 were from years where fry stocking occurred, indicating a fair amount of natural reproduction also exists. Approximately 73% of the walleye sampled were 12 inches or larger. The largest walleye sampled in 2018 was 22.4 inches in length. Northern pike numbers in 2018 (4.0/gill net) were similar to the historic average (4.3/gill net) for this lake and identical to the average when compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average pike sampled was 22.8 inches which is slightly larger than the historic average length of 21.7 inches. Approximately 33% of the pike sampled in 2018 were 24 inches or larger with a maximum length of 34.1 inches recorded.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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