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Clearwater Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A spring-fed Ocala National Forest gem where clear water and cypress edges make bass fishing feel like sight-fishing school.

3/5
Fair. Fish early or late.Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.
Water temp
~84 F est.
Air / High
89 / 90 F
Wind
SSE 7 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish early or late.Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.

Clearwater Lake locks in another hot, bright day: the fish know the drill and so should you. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSE around 7 mph, steady pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 90. Water sits around 84 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: plan around them and beat the heat.

The plan, species by species

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

Largemouth bassFair

Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

White bassFair

Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

CrappieSlow

Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Tomorrow: Similar at 87 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp89 F
High / Low90 / 75 F
WindSSE 7-9 mph
Pressure1013.2 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain89% cloud, 64%
Sunrise / Sunset07:07 / 19:45
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~84 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 90/75 F, wind 10 mph, rain 64%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Clearwater Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: spring and fall

The headline act on most American reservoirs. Relates to cover: docks, brush, grass edges and points. Topwater at first light on points and seawalls, then slide out to 12-25 ft brush and points with a Carolina rig, deep crank or drop shot. The bite is dawn, dusk or deep.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Straight down on bridge pilings and deep brush at 15-25 ft. Minnows outfish jigs in hot water; move until the graph shows them stacked.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Anchor on 20-30 ft baited holes with punch bait or cut shad. They keep biting through the heat when everything else quits.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. Early schooling action over humps; slabs and small spinners under the birds.

When to come: the Clearwater Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Largemouth bass
Crappie
Catfish (blue, channel)
White bass
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 84 F (estimated, not a reading).

5060708090JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~84 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Clearwater Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 86 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 86 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows. Catfish (blue, channel) led the card at good. High of 86 F, wind to 15 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Florida requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Standard Florida freshwater rules: black bass 5 per day with only one over 16 inches. Confirm current limits with FWC.

Access

Clearwater Lake Recreation Area (US Forest Service) on the west shore: launch, beach and campground. Day-use fee.

About this water

A spring-influenced natural lake of roughly 55 acres in Lake County, Florida, inside the Ocala National Forest near Paisley.

Fishing Clearwater Lake: the full guide

The forest lake that stayed honest

Clearwater Lake sits at the southern edge of the Ocala National Forest near Paisley, a small, genuinely clear Florida lake ringed by cypress and sand bottom instead of the usual bowl of stained water. The recreation area on its west shore keeps access simple, and the forest setting keeps development off the banks. It fishes small, which is the charm: a canoe or a pair of waders covers most of it, and on calm mornings you can watch bass cruise the sand before you ever cast.

Working clear water

Clarity sets the rules here. Long casts, light line and natural colors out-fish everything else, especially on bluebird days. Work the cypress knees and dollar-pad edges early with a weightless stick worm or a small walking bait, then slide to the deeper sand holes mid-morning as fish retreat from the light. Bluegill and shellcracker bed on the sand flats from spring into summer, and a cricket under a float around those beds is the surest bite in the lake.

Timing a small lake

Small clear lakes swing harder with weather than the big stained ones: a cold front that barely dents Rodman can shut Clearwater down for a day. Fish the warm windows in winter, the first and last light in summer, and watch the wind: a light ripple is your friend, breaking up the surface and letting fish feed shallow longer. After a summer rain the lake often turns on as the pressure drops and the light softens.

Beyond the ramp

The recreation area has a swimming beach, campground and a gentle launch better suited to paddle craft and small tillers than big bass rigs. The Florida Trail passes nearby, and neighboring forest ponds (Sellers Lake, Lake Dorr) make an easy multi-stop day if the bite is slow. Pack in what you need: Paisley has basics, but the forest is the point here.

Common questions

Is Clearwater Lake good for bass?

Yes, for quality over quantity. The clear water grows wary but healthy largemouth, and sight-fishing them on the sand edges is as fun as Florida bass fishing gets on light tackle.

Can I use a gas motor?

The lake is small and paddle-friendly: check current Forest Service rules at the recreation area, as restrictions favor electric motors and paddle craft.

When is the best bite?

November through April for bass, with the spawn peaking February to March on the sand flats. Summer fishes early and late around the pads.

Is fishing good at Clearwater Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish early or late. Heat pins the bite to the dawn and dusk windows.

Nearby waters

Lake Harris5 miSt. Johns River39 miSaint Johns River40 miLake Tohopekaliga48 miHomosassa52 miOrange Lake53 mi
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