Fish - Lake Clear Property Owners Association

Fish of Lake Clear

Lake Clear is a wonderful lake for fishing. Many of the fish in the lake are highlighted below.

Lake Trout are taken in the spring and late fall on light bait casting equipment near the surface, around shoals and along the shoreline. In summer they are fished by trolling deeper waters with wire lines. Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass favour the shallower, weedy areas and are taken with equal success with both lures and live bait.

Fishing Regulations
2015 Fishing Ontario

mnr-fishing-eng-rev-tagged-working-2.pdf
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Ice Fishing Hut Removal Dates

We are reminded by the Province that all ice fishing huts on Ontario waterways must be removed before ice breakup, or at the latest by the dates listed here, by Fisheries Management Zone:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ice-fishing#section-4

Springtime Pike Catch

Walleye (Pickerel)

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Large, elongated fish
Back is olive-green to brown; sides paler with yellow flecks
No distinct blotches or bands on adults
White tip on lower tail fin
Spiny and soft dorsal fins separated
Large mouth extends below back edge of eye
Large teeth

Distribution/Habitat:

Walleye (also known as pickerel) are found throughout Ontario and is particularly common in the Great Lakes basin and throughout northern Ontario.
Walleye thrive in a range of river and lake conditions from cold, clear water to warm, weedy and stained water. Preferred cover includes weed, wood and rock. Bottom types can be anything from soft mud to flooded timber, rubble or bedrock.

Important:
Walleye must be at least 50 cm (19.7 in) to keep on Lake Clear. There is a two fish limit.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walleye

Northern Pike

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Very large, elongated fish
Light, yellowish or white spots on dark green background
Background colour varies from green to brown and is dark on the back fading to creamy white on the belly
Fully scaled cheek and partially scaled gill cover
Tips of tail fin more rounded than muskellunge
Know the difference between northern pike and muskellunge. Visit the Muskies Canada website to view their "Know How to Tell the Difference" sign.

Distribution/Habitat:

In lakes, pike prefer vegetated bays, creek mouths and shoals where they can ambush prey. In the summer, large pike move to deeper water to avoid higher water temperatures.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pike

Smallmouth Bass

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Medium sized, deep bodied fish
Back and sides green to olive, belly is yellow to white
Body often has dark vertical broken bars
Nine to eleven dorsal fin spines
Shallow notch between dorsal fins
Upper jaw does not extend beyond eye

Distribution/Habitat:

Smallmouth bass are found in lakes and rivers that are clear and rocky. Bass concentrate around shoreline rocks and points as well as offshore shoals, often in deep water. Smallmouth bass are often found in habitat that is suitable for trout, but throughout a wider range of temperatures.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallmouth_bass

Rock Bass

Key Identifying Characteristics

Small, very deep bodied fish
Back and upper sides are brown to olive, with golden tints, and there are often dark saddles
Large, red eye
Regular rows of spots on the side in adults
Dorsal fin has 10-13 spines
Six anal fin spines
Mouth is large and extends backwards to below the middle of the eye

Distribution/Habitat

Rock bass prefer the cool waters of lakes and slow-moving streams, and are often found over rocky bottoms. They are often found in groups with other sunfishes and basses, including smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_bass

Lake Trout

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Back is green, grey, brown, or almost black; sides are lighter; belly is white
Light wormlike markings and spots on dark background, none red
White leading edge on lower fins, but no black line
Deeply forked tail

Distribution/Habitat:

Lake trout, like other members of the char family, are typically northern in distribution. In Ontario they occur in Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and across the deep, cold lakes of the Canadian Shield.

Important:
On Lake Clear, you cannot keep Lake Trout between 40 and 55 cm (15.7-21.7 in.). Season open from 3rd Saturday in May to end of September. There is a two fish limit.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_trout

Largemouth Bass

Key identifying characteristics:

Medium sized, deep bodied fish
Back and sides green to olive, belly is yellow to white
Body often with a broken horizontal stripe
Nine to eleven dorsal fin spines
Deep notch between dorsal fins
Upper jaw extends beyond eye

Distribution/Habitat:

Largemouth bass are adapted to a variety of habitats, from clear, rocky lakes to shallow muddy ponds and slow-moving rivers. Largemouth bass prefer warm water with abundant aquatic vegetation.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largemouth_bass

Lake Whitefish

Length: 30 - 65 cm (12 - 26 in.).

Distribution: Great Lakes and deep, cold, inland lakes across Ontario.

Similar fish: Cisco, round whitefish.

Key Characteristics: Mouth overhung by snout (see below); body oval in cross-section

Favourite Baits: Small jigs, small spoons, small minnows

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_whitefish

Yellow Perch

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Light yellow background with 6 to 8 dark, vertical bands on sides
Two separate dorsal fins
Mouth large, extending to below the middle of the eye

Distribution/Habitat:

Yellow perch are commonly found in the Great Lakes drainage and have been introduced to waters beyond their original range. They tolerate a variety of temperatures and habitats and are widely distributed throughout the province.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_perch

Brown Bullhead

Length: 20 - 36 cm (8 - 14 in.)

Distribution: Warmer, slow waters throughout southern Ontario and generally south of highways 11 & 17 in the north.

Similar Fish: Channel catfish

Key Characteristic: Square tail

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_bullhead

Sun Fish (Bluegill)

Key identifying characteristics:

Small, very deep bodied fish
Back and sides green to brown with faint dark bars, belly is silver to yellow
Ear flap is entirely black without a pale edge
Black spot at rear end of dorsal fin
Dorsal fin has 10-11 spines and there is no notch
3 anal fin spines
Mouth is small and does not extend to below the middle of the eye.

Distribution/Habitat:

Bluegills are generally found in warmer lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams that are vegetated. Clear waters with moderate weed growth support the best bluegill populations.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill

Cray Fish

Not really a fish....but lots in the lake.

Freshwater crayfish are globally common and diverse crustaceans. They are more than 540 species of crayfish in the world, of which 11 are found in Canada.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayfish

Cat Fish (Burbot)

Key Identifying Characteristics:

Large, elongated fish
4 pairs of dark barbels around the mouth
Back is pale blue, pale olive, or grey. Sides are lighter, often with black spots, and belly is grey to yellow to silver white
Body lacks scales
Tail forked, compared to the square tail of bullhead species

Distribution/Habitat:

Channel catfish are found in a wide variety of warmwater habitats in both lakes and streams, and are not as closely associated with the bottom as bullheads and madtoms. Channel catfish inhabit cooler and swifter water than most of Ontario's other catfish. They often occur downstream from power dams where they find the fast water they favour.

More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_catfish

White Sucker

Length: 30 - 50 cm (12 - 20 in.)

Distribution: Warm, shallow lakes and tributary rivers across Ontario.

Similar Fish: other suckers (e.g., redhorse)

Key Characteristics: Torpedo-shaped; round in cross-section; scales smaller than redhorse sucker

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_sucker

Common Shiner

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_shiner

Freshwater Clams

Not really a fish....but lots in the lake.

More information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_clams

Freshwater Snails

Not really a fish....but lots in the lake.

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_snails

Thanks to the following information source:

Ministry of Natural Resources - Fish Ontario
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/index.html