Clearwater Lake’s crappie are notable for being slow growing. And right now that’s a good thing. You see, they also live a long time.
Paul Cieslowizc, Conservation Department fishery biologist, says crappie reproduction hasn’t set any records recently, but the fish that are produced linger in the lake to old age, reaching rather nice sizes.
A survey of the lake in 2007 revealed crappie numbers to be up some, but the real news is the size ranges. Some 64 percent of Clearwater’s crappie are over 9 inches long, and 52 per cent are over 10 inches. If “slab” begins at 12 inches, Clearwater is a good place to go for a bragging size stringer.
This is a step up from 2006 when 52 per cent were over 9 and 40 per cent were only 10.
The survey did not find a large year-class of crappie coming on, but neither did it find any major gaps. Young fish are coming along to replace the older fish as they are caught or finally die of some natural cause. A big boost in crappie numbers often follows a well-timed spring rise in lake level such as we experienced this spring.
This is in contrast to many other lakes in the Midwest where there is almost always strong crappie reproduction and rapid growth. But the fish tend to winter-kill and don’t live long enough to produce large numbers of nice sized fish.
CATCHING THEM
The brush pile program has being helping fishermen connect with crappie. The brushy cover definitely concentrates the fish. Once fishermen learn how to fish the cedar and hardwood tops, catching nice crappie can be pretty consistant.
Another “sure” way to catch crappie in Clearwater is to troll along the edges of submerged creek and river channels. Some fishermen drift with the wind, staying over the channel margins with the aid of an electric motor. Live bait works well.
Others troll crankbaits at slow speeds with gasoline or electric motors.
Either way, a good depth finder is essential.
BASS
More than one in five largemouth bass captured by biologists when they surveyed the lake last year were over 18 inches long. That’s slightly better than the previous year, and a figure most lakes would be proud of.
Because Clearwater is a deep steep-sided lake for the most part, it can be hard to find the bass. One approach is to fish very early and very late - or up into the night when bass come up into the shallows.
Bass are also drawn to the brush piles. Tough line and weedless lures are in order.
Clearwater also has spotted bass, and like most places, they do not grow fast or very large. Paul’s survey found a quarter of spotted bass are over 11 inches. They’ll be “keepers” this year for your fish fry. Only about five per cent of spotted bass make it past 14 inches in Clearwater.
Spots look similar to largemouth bass, but have several distingishing marks. They have lines below the lateral line, they usually have a black tooth patch on their tongue and the jaw doesn’t extend back behind the eye.
Smallmouth bass are brown. They’re common in Black River above and below the lake and some find their way into the lake. They turn up in the creel mostly in cool weather.
Clearwater is also noted for its white bass run. This relative of the sea bass family makes a spawning run up Black River each spring. Paul says there should be some fish in the 18 inch range this spring. That’s pretty big for a white bass.
As in many parts of the Midwest, there is a mercury advisory concerning big white bass. Pregnant women and children should limit consumption to one meal a week.
CATFISH
There are few surveys conducted on catfish in Missouri reservoirs. What is collected is the satisfaction expressed by anglers regarding the catfish they find. And on this score, Clearwater ranks high among lakes in the state.
Above and below the lake is good catfishing too. A surprisingly good channel catfish population lives above the lake in the air-clear water of Black River. Below the dam, you can add flathead catfish to the mix.
There is also a good walleye fishery below the dam, and in the spring, huge paddlefish move up into the river below the dam. They’re filter feeders and rarely caught on bait. But snaggers can hook into fish up to 60 pounds.
OTHER
A few anglers have learned the fun you can have catching big carp. They’re fried, mostly, but some can them and eat them like canned salmon.
Clearwater is not noted as a bluegill lake, but there are enough to introduce the small fry to the joys of fishing. And a few anlgers find goodly numbers and sizes in locations they tend to keep secret.
There are no length limits on fish in the lake and few anglers request them.
“The size structures of fish populations in Clearewater are a lot like biologists wish for when length limits are placed on other lakes.”