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72-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Clara Lake runs 72 acres with 2.4 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — 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 0.7 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in Nipissing District. For a second option, Cashel Lake lies 1 mi north.
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (17 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (17 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (17 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (17 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring pumpkinseed on Clara Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (14 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring brown bullhead. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 30 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ontario waters are set by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary) — and special regulations can apply to Clara Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Clara Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target brook trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Clara Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Clara Lake is regulated by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary). Check the official Ontario regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cashel Lake 1 mi · McCraney Lake 2 mi · Tern Lake 2 mi · Norah Lake 3 mi · West Harry Lake 3 mi · Mossy Lake 3 mi · Oak Lake 3 mi · Weed Lake 3 mi · North Oak Lake 3 mi · Whitespruce Lake 4 mi · Brown Lake 4 mi · Marion Lake 4 mi
See how Clara Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario 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.