Clear

St. Louis County

Near Buhl

DOW: 69079900

PumpkinseedGood · 55BluegillGood · 54Rock BassGood · 54

A 139-acre lake near Buhl in St. Louis County — best known for panfish and bass. Last surveyed 1992.

Fish Species (10)

Pumpkinseed

Good · 55

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.16 lbs

Catch rate: 2.5 per trap net · typical 0.8–7.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	2.00	-	0.20 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 5, 1992	2.50	-	0.16 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 1, 1977	6.67	-	0.20 lbs	Standard gill nets

Bluegill

Good · 54

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.20 lbs

Catch rate: 5.5 per trap net · typical 0.6–17.9 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	5.50	-	0.20 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 5, 1992	1.75	-	0.14 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 1, 1977	9.50	-	0.31 lbs	Standard trap nets

Rock Bass

Good · 54

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1977

Last surveyed 1977 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.30 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per trap net · typical 0.3–1.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 1, 1977	0.25	-	0.30 lbs	Standard trap nets

Largemouth Bass

Good · 50

Average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

1.00 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per gill net · typical 0.3–2.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	0.25	-	1.00 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 1, 1977	0.25	-	0.80 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Crappie

Average · 48

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.40 lbs

Catch rate: 0.5 per gill net · typical 1–7.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	0.50	-	0.40 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 5, 1992	0.25	-	0.80 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 1, 1977	2.33	-	0.77 lbs	Standard gill nets

Northern Pike

Average · 44

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

1.24 lbs

Catch rate: 5.5 per gill net · typical 2–8.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	5.50	-	1.24 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 5, 1992	1.25	-	1.10 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 1, 1977	1.67	-	0.96 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Perch

Average · 33

Below-normal numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.10 lbs

Catch rate: 1.8 per gill net · typical 2.5–14.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	0.25	-	0.20 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 5, 1992	1.75	-	0.10 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 1, 1977	0.50	-	0.35 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (3)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

White Sucker

Good · 57

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

2.12 lbs

Catch rate: 3.0 per gill net · typical 1.6–8.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	3.00	-	2.12 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 5, 1992	1.00	-	1.98 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 1, 1977	2.00	-	2.28 lbs	Standard gill nets

Brown Bullhead

Good · 50

Large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1977

Last surveyed 1977 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.90 lbs

Catch rate: 0.67 per gill net · typical 1–32 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 1, 1977	0.67	-	0.90 lbs	Standard gill nets

Black Bullhead

Average · 42

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1992

Last surveyed 1992 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.65 lbs

Catch rate: 0.5 per trap net · typical 1.8–47.7 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 5, 1992	5.25	-	0.25 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 5, 1992	0.50	-	0.65 lbs	Standard trap nets

See the best pumpkinseed lakes in Minnesota

Fishing Regulations

Statewide limits

Standard statewide Minnesota limits for the species in this lake.

Northern Pike

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Angling: 10 (not more than 2 over 26". All from 22-26" must be immediatley released).

Largemouth Bass

Season: Mar 1, 2026 – May 22, 2026

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

Catch-and-release only

Largemouth Bass

Season: May 23, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth (when smallmouth season is open)

Crappie

10 combined total

Sunfish

20 combined total

Perch

20 daily and 40 in possession

More statewide rules (spearing, rough fish)

Northern Pike

Season: Nov 15, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Darkhouse spearing: 10 (only 1 between 22-26" and 1 over 26"; or, only 2 over 26").

Rock Bass

Bowfin, buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, freshwater drum, goldeneye, redhorse, and suckers

no limit

Bullhead

100

Biologist Notes

August 5, 1992Schupp's lake classification #13 was used for comparisons. Clear Lake has an above average population of small, slow growing northern pike. Black crap…

Schupp's lake classification #13 was used for comparisons. Clear Lake has an above average population of small, slow growing northern pike. Black crappie, largemouth bass, and yellow perch populations are below the state class medians and also slow growing. Bluegill and pumpkinseed numbers are above average but are mainly small fish. Smallmouth bass were caught in 1957 but haven't been caught in test nets since then. White sucker and black bullhead numbers are close to the lake class median.

August 1, 1977All fish populations appear to be within normal limits for this type of lake.

All fish populations appear to be within normal limits for this type of lake.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Clear?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie in Clear. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Clear?

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.

How deep is Clear?

Clear has a maximum depth of 24 feet and a mean depth of 9 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Clear last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Clear is from 1992. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Does Clear have any invasive species?

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.

Are there special fishing regulations on Clear?

No — Clear has no lake-specific regulations in the 2026 Minnesota DNR regulations, so statewide Minnesota limits apply. The statewide sunfish limit is: 20 combined total. Verify current rules with the Minnesota DNR before keeping fish.