Clear Lake

Jackson County, Minnesota · MN DNR bathymetric survey

8ft Max
depth

434 acres 4 contours Public access

Paddling Index41Modest

Get directions

Depth scale

02468

The lake

Survey readout

Clear Lake is mapped to a depth of 8 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 434 acres in Jackson County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 2010.

Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 8 ft
Survey year: 2010
Surface area: 434 acres
Shoreline: 3.57 mi · lobed
Aquatic vegetation: 0% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Trailer Launch · Clear Lake (N) Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site · 2 more

Additional depth details4 contours

Contour depths: 0–8 ft
Recorded point soundings: 8 ft, 6 ft

Compare with another lake

Location

Jackson County, Minnesota · all 9 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

⚠ Not for navigation

Spot an error? Send a correction

Map details & sources4 sources

All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.

Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 43.62660, -95.08391
MN DNR lake ID: 32002200
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 1.9 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25

41 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Clear Lake has a substantially developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, some nearby classified roads.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Modest	4.4 of 35	18% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (8% forest, 5% wetland; 13% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Good	13.3 of 29	mean fetch 1,504 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch
Motor & speed rules	Not modeled	—	Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out.
Public access	Good	15.0 of 18	3 DNR public access sites · boat ramp · fishing pier
Road isolation	Good	8.4 of 18	some nearby classified roads · 6 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 7,628 vehicles/day

Additional paddling considerations

These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.

Wake sensitivity: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Low — approximately 0% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
Observed motorized activity: Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
Wildlife habitat potential: Limited — 8% forest and 5% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public land-cover, access and traffic-count data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights for Minnesota lakes: natural setting 35%, geometric wind exposure 29%, public access 18%, road isolation 18%. Motor, speed and no-wake rules are not modeled for Minnesota, and traffic counts cover state, county and some city roads but not township roads. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Minnesota scores are relative to other Minnesota lakes and are not directly comparable with Paddling Index scores on our sister sites, which use different data sources, some with a watercraft-rules component. Sources: MN DNR lake bathymetry outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MN DNR Water Access Sites and Fishing Piers & Shore Fishing Sites (2026-09) and MnDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (counts 2008–2025). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from DNR surveys & active stocking

12 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Northern Pike

Common Carp

Bigmouth Buffalo

Channel Catfish

Walleye

Freshwater Drum

Bass

Yellow Perchstocked

About these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide

Compiled from Minnesota DNR fishery surveys and Minnesota DNR stockings within the last 10 years. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Fishery

surveyed 2023

179Fish sampled

11Species

Gamefish Northern Pike 26 · Channel Catfish 23 · Walleye 9

Panfish Black Crappie 7 · Bluegill 4

All survey species11 species

Gamefish

Northern Pike26 caught · to 25″

Channel Catfish23 caught · to 28″

Walleye9 caught · to 24″

Panfish

Black Crappie7 caught · to 13″

Bluegill4 caught · to 8″

Bullhead & catfish

Black Bullhead1 caught · to 11″

Yellow Bullhead1 caught · to 11″

Forage & nongame

Freshwater Drum59 caught · to 18″

Bass31 caught · to 10″

Bigmouth Buffalo9 caught · to 30″

Common Carp9 caught · to 27″

Length is the largest fish netted in the survey, not an angler record. Source: Minnesota DNR lake survey (LakeFinder).

DNR stocking

state stocking record · 2016–2025

Fish the Minnesota DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.

Walleye1,450,941 stocked · 2016–2025 · 7 plantings

Black Crappie2,000 stocked · 2025

Yellow Perch2,000 stocked · 2025

Northern Pike2,123 stocked · 2017–2023 · 3 plantings

Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking report. LakeFinder lists the last 10 years of stocking only.

Infested waters listing

listed via connection

Fish

Bighead CarpListed in 2012 because this water is connected water. The species has not necessarily been found in this lake.
Silver CarpListed in 2012 because this water is connected water. The species has not necessarily been found in this lake.

What does the infested waters list mean?

The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html

Quick answers

Clear Lake — common questions

How deep is Clear Lake?

The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Clear Lake is 8 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.

How big is Clear Lake?

Clear Lake covers about 434 acres in Jackson County, Minnesota.

What fish are in Clear Lake?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, northern pike, walleye, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill. The page lists all 12 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Clear Lake?

Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists 3 public access sites on Clear Lake: Clear Lake (N) Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Clear Lake (S) Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Loon Lake Fishing Pier (public fishing pier).

More lakes in Jackson County