Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
232-acre lake near Crow Wing County. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1960, a decades-old survey (a topographic-map survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 232 acres of water rimmed by 4.1 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 67% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1.2 mi, about 0.7 mi across. The water lies in Crow Wing County. For a second option, Grass lies 1 mi south.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 12 to 40 ft. Even in summer they hold at 12 to 40 ft; winter keeps them in 12 to 40 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 40 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Even in summer they hold at 12 to 40 ft; winter keeps them in 12 to 40 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 40 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Clamshell also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 40 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Clamshell specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Clamshell is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1960, a decades-old survey (a topographic-map survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Clamshell.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake whitefish, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Clamshell is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Grass 1 mi · Bertha 1 mi · Clear 2 mi · Kimball 2 mi · Whitefish Lake (Whitefish Chain) 2 mi · Strawberry 2 mi · Bass 2 mi · Pig 2 mi · Ossawinnamakee 2 mi · Lower Hay 3 mi · Island 3 mi · Star 3 mi
See how Clamshell stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Crow Wing County fishing maps (202 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.