Clam Lake
Size
1,339ac
Boat Launch
Yes
Carry-in Launch
No
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
No
Species in Clam Lake
Bluegill
Bluegill
Crappie
Crappie
Smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Northern pike
Walleye
Walleye
Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
Perch
Perch
Brown trout
Brown trout
Channel catfish
Channel catfish
Rock bass
Rock bass
Striped Bass
Striped Bass

Overview

These shallow lakes warm quickly in spring and provide excellent northern pike and largemouth bass fishing. Panfish are plentiful and there's trophy potential for catfish!

Clam Lake Map

Fishing Regulations

Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.

Special Waterbody Regulations

  • Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.

Special Species Regulations

  • Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
  • Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length is 15”, but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20” to 24” may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24” is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3
  • Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
  • Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
  • Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
  • Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
  • Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1
  • Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
  • Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
  • Largemouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
  • Smallmouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
  • Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
  • Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
  • Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
  • Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
  • Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
  • Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
  • Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
  • White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
  • Bluegill: See Panfish.
  • Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
  • Channel catfish: See Catfish.
  • Crappies: See Panfish.
  • Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
  • Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
  • Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
  • Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
  • Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
  • Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
  • Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.

Forage

White sucker, juvenile panfish, and minnows.
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Fish Species

Bluegill
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
High
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
690
0Statewide Range849.0614

Clam Lake Bluegill abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2024
Apr
2024
May
Trophy Potential
This lake has a history of supporting trophy sized bluegill based on past surveys.
Survey YearLargest Fish (in)
20249
201710
Brown trout
fish
5-6 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2017
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2017
Surveyed
NA
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2017
Jun
Channel catfish
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2024
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2024
Apr
2024
May
Crappie
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
High
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
43.3333
0Statewide Range84.8403

Clam Lake Crappie abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2024
Apr
2024
May
Largemouth bass
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Below Avg.
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
22.8571
0Statewide Range111.1888

Clam Lake Largemouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2017
Jun
2024
May
Northern pike
fish
9-35 in
Length Range
18 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Outlier
2024
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
0.5593
0Statewide Range0.3447

Clam Lake Northern pike abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2011
Apr
2017
Apr
2024
Apr
Perch
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Low
2024
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
0.0177
0Statewide Range0.7271

Clam Lake Perch abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2024
Apr
2024
May
Pumpkinseed
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
High
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
45
0Statewide Range84.67115

Clam Lake Pumpkinseed abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2011
May
2017
Apr
2024
May
Rock bass
fish
5-9 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2017
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2017
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2011
May
2017
Apr
Smallmouth bass
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Above Avg.
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
3.2653
0Statewide Range80.5292

Clam Lake Smallmouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2017
Jun
2024
May
Trophy Potential
This lake has a history of supporting trophy sized smallmouth-bass based on past surveys.
Survey YearLargest Fish (in)
202418
Striped Bass
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No abundance data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
No Survey Data
Walleye
fish
3-9 in
Length Range
6 in
Length Range
2024
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Low
2024
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
0.8569
0Statewide Range75.60845

Clam Lake Walleye abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2024
Apr
2024
May
Trophy Potential
This lake has a history of supporting trophy sized walleye based on past surveys.
Survey YearLargest Fish (in)
202428
201728