Natural lake

Clear Lake

Lake County, California

Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California, in Lake County north of Napa. It is known as a top western largemouth bass lake, with many fish in the 3 to 7 pound range.

Air temp in Lucerne, CA Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Clear Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area43,785 acres

Max depth60 ft

Shoreline100 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●●

Big bass relate to tules, docks, rock, and hydrilla beds all year.

Crappie●●●○○

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

Bluegill●●●○○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Largemouth Bass
Crappie
Channel Catfish
Bluegill

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Clear Lake State Park Boat RampPublic
State park ramp near KelseyvilleDirections ↗
Clear Lake Lakeside County ParkPublic
County park launch in LakeportDirections ↗
Lucerne Harbor County ParkPublic
County park launch in LucerneDirections ↗
H.V. Keeling County ParkPublic
County park launch in NiceDirections ↗
Clearlake Oaks Boat LaunchPublic
Public launch in Clearlake OaksDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See California Fish & Wildlife or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Clear Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: California Department of Fish and Wildlife ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Limit Out Bait & Tackle ↗Nearby
12607 E Hwy 20, Clearlake Oaks, CA(707) 998-1006 Directions ↗
Clearlake Bait & TackleNearby
14699 Lakeshore Dr, Clearlake, CA(707) 994-4399 Directions ↗
Clearlake OutdoorsNearby
96 Soda Bay Rd, Lakeport, CA(707) 262-5852 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Clear Lake ↗

Local tips

Fish the tule lines and the many docks and pilings along the 100 miles of shoreline.
Crayfish are a key forage, so crawdad-colored jigs and crankbaits make sense.
Rock riprap and submerged brush also hold bass when the grass is thin.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Clear Lake.

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View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.