Annandale area

I’ve been open water fishing Clearwater all my life. Never ice fished it. Heard it can be a tough nut to Crack in the winter. Any of the other area lakes provide good hardware panfishing??

Talked to a guy who fishes CW a lot says it is a puzzling lake, patterns, spots change every year.
Good Luck

i fished clearwater lake once. frustrating as all get out. i had my underwater camera with and there was every fish species in the lake down there…ya think they’d bite!!!! and i threw the kitchen sink at them!!!!!!

Annandale has a TON of lakes within 10 or so miles of it. I know in Winter that Clearwater would not be anywhere the top of my list. Not saying its not a Good lake, Just saying that the reputation it has as a hard winter lake is well earned. Sugar, Sylvia, and Pleasant can all be good for panfish and much easier to figure out and stay on the fish.

I agree worst lake to figure out also can be dangerous if you don’t know where the spots are. Used to go there just because they would plow and you could get a pass. A long long time ago went through a 1/2 tank of auger gas moving around never got a fish. Drove me nuts.

Easiest lakes to fish for pannies are lakes with a basin pattern, those are usually dark water lakes, Sugar and Sylvia are very clear, with all due respect to Mr. Thumper who knows that area well, I would focus on something else. Lots of fish in both & the size is there too but you would want to find spots & mark stuff in the open water first on lakes that large, my 2 cents.

There is no etiquette out this way. Find another house and make him your neighbor.

Thanks for all the replies. I love Clearwater open fishing and have made a lot of friends in the area. Most don’t ice fish. Appreciate the help. Tight Lines everyone!