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Went by there this morning and what a dissappointing site. That use to be such a clean and wonderful lake. Great weedlines, clear water, pound sunfish, large northerns and bass. Now it is nothing but a carp filled cess pool. Wonder if it has anything to do with the houses being built on it.

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I would think that the poor water quality has more to do with field runoff than the houses on the lake. According to recent DNR surveys the lake has a lot of panfish but I have not had much luck catching them either.

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I've only caught smaller sunfish on the lake. Sounds like it's gone the same route as many others in the area. Clear Lake in Lexington is the same way.

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I agree with ya. That lake used to be very nice. It now 100% screwed because of those houses and the fields are all dug up around it. Used to be nice slough and prairie there to help keep it clean.

What a shame. Money wrecks everything.

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It does have periodic winterkill that knocks it back. There's not much of a watershed around it, so I wouldn't be so quick to blame farmers or property owners. It's like a lot of lakes that are inherently green. Last time I fished it I found good weeds. It still has some nice pike, bass, and crappies, but I'm perfectly happy only seeing someone fish it once in a blue moon. It's not very big and doesn't need too much attention.

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Clear in Lexington is in pretty good shape. Got surveyed last week and showed some nice pike and about a 6.25" average on bluegills. Add in this growing season and there will be some nice fish for the masses this winter. Considering the fishing pressure that's pretty good for a little lake. Lexington Sportsmen's club is paying the freight on aeration and helping with northern pike stocking; kudos to them.

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Browndog,

I am sure the lake would benefit from a larger buffer zone from the farmland and I am equally sure that the residential development on some of the shoreline did nothing to improve water quality. This year there has been a lot more runoff than normal because of the heavy rain on saturated ground.

I do not think the lake is in the dire straits you claim however. As long as I can remember this lake has had diminished clarity in the summer months and as Scott mentioned it has been the victim of periodic winterkill for decades. Hopefully the panfish size will improve in a few years and the fishery will provide a few tasty meals for those who put some time in there.

Good Luck

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