It’s a fishing day

Clear Lake fishing conditions · California

Today 8 am to tomorrow 11 amLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 68. Wind builds to 18 mph out of the west by today at 5:00 am.

Log a trip here
Right now: 63 for largemouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 63Mon
  2. 63
  3. 55
  4. 553 am
  5. 60
  6. 45
  7. 456 am
  8. 45
  9. 68
  10. 689 am
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 6812 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 683 pm
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 686 pm
  20. 68
  21. 68
  22. 689 pm
  23. 68
  24. 68
  25. 68Tue
  26. 68
  27. 68
  28. 683 am
  29. 68
  30. 68
  31. 686 am
  32. 68
  33. 68
  34. 689 am
  35. 68
  36. 58
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
14 mph

From the west

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:31 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
54°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalToday 8 am to tomorrow 11 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday 8 am to tomorrow 11 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 25 sunfish and crappie a day combined, no size limit. Hodges and El Capitan have a 10" crappie minimum; Barrett and Upper Otay are catch and release.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Oct–Jun, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalToday 8 am to tomorrow 11 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No catfish limit in most of California. The Southern and Colorado River districts are 10 a day, and some listed county and park lakes are 5.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Apr–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday 8 am to tomorrow 11 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California sets no bag or size limit for common carp, since only species named in the regulations are limited. Grass carp are protected: none may be taken or possessed, so release any you hook at once.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · California

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.10 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:31 am
  • Sunset today6:17 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:50 am–8:50 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The largest natural lake wholly in California and one of the best bass lakes in the country — a nutrient-rich “bass factory” north of the Bay Area, with giant largemouth, crappie, and catfish.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Clear Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Clear Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Clear Lake?

Clear Lake is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Clear Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Clear Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Clear Lake have?

Clear Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Clear Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Clear Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Clear Lake tidal water?

No. Clear Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.