Texas Fishing Forum

Clear Lake in Grasslands Report

Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 03/30/15 01:56 AM

Went camping this weekend. As expected, the grasslands were crowded. Our preferred spot was taken but got our backup spot. We tried to find a new one that we thought might be good that we saw on a map, but there were tents setup every hundred feet or so.

We camped on the east side of Clear Lake. The water level is good. I caught seven very small bass yesterday, all on a soft jerk bait, from the bank. I caught a decent blue gill, too. It was pretty windy yesterday and I didn't feel like battling it in my kayak. Today, I took it out since I had hauled it all the way up there. I fished for about an hour and had one bite around the timber and some grass on a chatter bait and that was it. The wind made it tough today and it wasn't as bad as Saturday. Beautiful weather, though.

Around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, a forest service employee came to our camp and said we would need to move them closer to the water because they were going to do a controlled burn. We moved them to be safe but he said it should be safe to move them back later and the flames/smoke should be gone by 7. They didn't even show up until six but the winds cooperated and it was kind of cool to watch. That is until around midnight when the winds shifted and the fire started coming from an area they did not light and had not be previously burned. It was a little touch and go for a while, but everything worked out. Good time with good friends and fishing was decent. Here are some pictures:





Posted By: ETBA

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 03/30/15 05:11 AM

That's wild. I fished at amon Carter Saturday and could see the smoke, wondered what and where it was coming from. Glad it all turned out alright and you caught some fish!

Thanks for sharing the report and pics. fish
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 03/30/15 05:33 PM

Thanks!
Posted By: pyledriver

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 03/31/15 01:35 PM

Never fished there but keep wanting to! I'd like to ask one of those guys why they choose the youth weekend for turkey to do a controlled burn...SMH.
Posted By: Carver

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 03/31/15 07:31 PM

What's a camping trip without a little pucker anyway :-)

Good report, Thanks

I heard rumors that crappie had gone to spawn there. ANy guess if it is true?
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/01/15 02:30 AM

Pyledriver, thats a good point. I asked the guy if there was a website we could check ahead of time to see when they were planning these things and he said it would be nice but no. They wait for the perfect conditions. Not sure if they tried to avoid the turkey hunting areas, but we saw some turkeys.

Carver, no idea. I don't crappie fish but I didn't see any spawning activity for any fish.
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/07/15 01:17 AM

Interesting. Father and I fished a pond near Cowan Crossing out in the grasslands that day and saw the smoke as well. I guessed it was around Clear Lake or Hopewell. Fishing out in the grasslands is picking up again with rising temps AND rising water levels. Cant beat that. I predict this year may be one of the best for us grasslands gurus smile oh and Carver, its true that Clear Lake has some monster crappie in it. We just need to keep our eyes open. Late snow and frost this year kinda put the grasslands fish on hold, some spawned before. They were spawning on Rhodes as early as Feb since we had a warm winter before that ice hit.
Posted By: The Thorpedo

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/07/15 06:54 AM

How high is the water? I can't remember the last time that dock was sitting in a natural amount of water
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/07/15 07:41 PM

I've only been out there twice. Once on Labor Day and the trip I mentioned above. Both times, the water seemed to be the same. Seems like a decent level, but I agree, when I looked at the dock, I laughed, because it seems so absurd that it's that low still. I can't even imagine it at full pool if that is any indicator of what full pool is. Where we camped, if you looked towards the dock, it would have been on our right. Seems if the lake was full, we wouldn't be able to camp there at all, and the water would have been in the woods.
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/15/15 06:10 AM

A pretty good indicator of Clear being at full is to look at the ramp. If the part of the concrete that has the rivets in it are out of water, its low. You should have seen it last summer. There is a submerged tree off to the left of the dock. It was out of water completely. The creek feeding into the lake at the dock was bone dry, and the spillway was out of water. I went out there one day and kids were playing ON the spillway...unbelievable. Its still got a good three feet to go at least before it reaches full pool. But its def seen worse days.
Posted By: Nathan_Fisher

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/15/15 11:38 PM

I hear some big fish r still there. That true?
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/16/15 02:16 AM

Somebody on here last year responded to one of my posts and said they caught a nine pounder there. I believe it. Even when it's extremely low, there are still some pretty deep parts.
Posted By: SpiderJig

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/16/15 02:23 AM

Yes there are big fish in Clear Lake. I've caught several 8+ and so has my wife. One guy last year caught 2 10lbers on the same day on 10XD's.
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/20/15 02:59 AM

If you can manage to get out on Clear lake on a boat, its not hard at all to catch 5's and 6's all day out there with big cranks and mega worms. Just find the channel swing, fish its outer bend, and hold on. Once you reach the north creek there is a particular point out there that has produced some big bass for myself and others as mentioned.My PB came from Rhodes Lake, just up the road from Clear lake, but my second biggest was a 7 out of Clear lake. I wish that guy who caught those two 10's would post his pics for us again. He really proved some people wrong who were bashing the lake for not having any big fish lol
Posted By: SpiderJig

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/20/15 03:24 AM

Originally Posted By: davidsonbasser
If you can manage to get out on Clear lake on a boat, its not hard at all to catch 5's and 6's all day out there with big cranks and mega worms. Just find the channel swing, fish its outer bend, and hold on. Once you reach the north creek there is a particular point out there that has produced some big bass for myself and others as mentioned.My PB came from Rhodes Lake, just up the road from Clear lake, but my second biggest was a 7 out of Clear lake. I wish that guy who caught those two 10's would post his pics for us again. He really proved some people wrong who were bashing the lake for not having any big fish lol
I remembered wrong. He didn't catch 2 10's in one day. He caught a big one and said he lost a 10. I'll post some of my wife's big fish from Clear Lake. Seeing this thread got me excited. Me and the wife are gonna go this next weekend.
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/20/15 03:41 AM

I remember his post as well, and I too thought he had caught two 10's lol oh well still some good fish to be caught in there! If you go post a report for us smile maybe you will catch a DD. I have been fishing out in the grasslands a lot lately but havent been able to take my boat out due to muddy shores. As good as this rain is I wish we would have about a week of sun so the ground will dry enough for my truck to not sink or slide into the lake (already done that once, doh! ) lol
Posted By: SpiderJig

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/20/15 03:44 AM

I also think his look a lot bigger because he's holding it right up to the camera, lol. I'll post some of my wife's and my big ones
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/20/15 03:45 AM

Thanks, man! Love seeing big fish from small waters smile
Posted By: davidsonbasser

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/25/15 01:15 AM

Just an update on the grasslands. All main lakes and ponds are now full and are dumping into their spillways as i write this. Not sure how fast the water will retreat again but as long as we keep on getting good rain it looks like the lakes out here will stay full for awhile. Last time I personally remember this happening was early 2010! laugh
Posted By: 3rdGEN Slab Bandit

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/25/15 01:26 AM

Glad to hear this!! banana
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Clear Lake in Grasslands Report - 04/25/15 06:27 PM

Awesome. I'm also glad to hear this.
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