Clearwater Lake, near Leonard

[Seeker of Clayface]

A gal that I've been dating has family near there. We're thinking of heading up sometime in Dec. What's the word on the walleyes? Not looking for specific spots, just generalizations. Worth the time? Other lake recommendations?

[zachp]

Two weeks ago I lost the biggest walleye i've ever seen in my life on that lake, the net man(I was alone so it was me) missed her and she took one more run and snapped the line...it wasn't a 28-30" walleye either, i got a good look at her on the surface and she was a beast...anyways the lake is pretty deep overall with a few sunken islands and humps, i've only fished it a few times in my life(all this summer) but i'm going to be spending some time on her this winter...it's a neat looking lake, lots of scenery, mostly walleye with some decent sized perch and also some big northerns, there may be more selection but that's all i caught. I'd start fishing either the shoreline breaks or around the sunken islands, the navionics chip has the lake and the islands are somewhat close, but you'll have to do some searching. I'm going to start at the area I lost buelah, she has haunted my dreams for the past two weeks.

Good luck,

Zach

[Seeker of Clayface]

Thanks for the info. Hopefully be up there in a couple of weeks or so to check things out.

Side note: We went boating on Clearwater last summer (no fishing) and came across a 31" eye floating on the water. It was barely alive and covered with some odd looking fungus or something.

[waska]

in the winter how deep do you guys typically fish walleyes after dark?

[zachp]

I'm not sure, next week sometime will be my first ice experience on Clearwater, hopefully i'll know more then.

[Fish Toys]

You guys should get a lake map being the lake is loaded with structure and it would help you out immensely. Yes there are wall hangers in there! I don’t know of any bait shops that could help you out either? Might be one in Gonvick?

[Lee the bonehead]

My family's from Clearbrook - near there. My uncle Oscar called it the dead sea. We have since learned that he was wrong, but finding biting fish takes some study/patience. If you have good electronics you'll love the lake - enough to consider committing to that relationship!