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223-acre lake near Goodhue County. The lake tops out around 7 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 223 acres wrapped in 4.3 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 1.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.5 mi at the beam. It sits in Goodhue County. If the bite dies, U.S. Lock & Dam #3 is 1 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 3 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: sauger sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | dusk | Deep basin (6 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 2 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Vermillion River - Clear hold shallow, usually 2 to 7 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 7 ft in summer, 2 to 7 ft once it turns cold. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 1 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 7 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 1 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for white bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Vermillion River - Clear also holds crappie (2 to 7 ft in summer), bluegill (2 to 7 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (1 to 7 ft in summer), brown bullhead (2 to 7 ft in summer), channel catfish (2 to 7 ft in summer), freshwater drum (2 to 7 ft in summer), common carp (1 to 7 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 Main-lake point at roughly 7 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Vermillion River - Clear specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Vermillion River - Clear is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp on Vermillion River - Clear.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Vermillion River - Clear 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.
U.S. Lock & Dam #3 1 mi · Mississippi River Pool 3 (Hastings to Red Wing) 3 mi, MN/WI · Mississippi River - Goose 4 mi · Gantenbein Lake 6 mi, WI · Vermillion River 8 mi, MN/WI · Rebecca 10 mi · Mississippi River Pool 4 (Red Wing) 11 mi, MN/WI · Unnamed Lake (Washington County) 14 mi · Kinnickinnic Pond, Upper 15 mi, WI · Mississippi River - Spring 15 mi · Lake Byllesby 16 mi · St. Croix River 18 mi
See how Vermillion River - Clear stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best white bass lakes in Minnesota · best sauger lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Goodhue County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.