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133-acre lake near Jackson County. The lake tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 137 acres wrapped in 2 miles of bank. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 73% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.7 mi end to end and 0.5 mi across at its widest. Jackson County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, no name Lake, is 1 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cisco (lake herring) in 9 to 34 ft. The depth story barely changes: 10 to 34 ft through summer, 10 to 34 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 34 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (33 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft | dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 34 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 34 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 (15 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 34 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 20 ft before dropping to 12 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in fall. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Clear Lake also holds 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), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 33 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Clear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Clear Lake is about 34 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, common carp, longnose gar on Clear Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the region, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Clear Lake is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
no name Lake 1 mi · Pond Lily Lake 1 mi · Mud Lake 1 mi · Crooked Lake 2 mi · Sugarloaf Lake 2 mi · Cavanaugh Lake 3 mi · Little Portage Lake 4 mi · Markla Lake 4 mi · Long Lake 4 mi · Green Lake 5 mi · Portage Lake 5 mi · Tims Lake 5 mi
See how Clear Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Jackson County fishing maps (29 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.