Clark Lake Fishing
A 102-acre Ohio lake in Clark County, 10 HP limit.
Pick for steelheadPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Madison Lake: John Howard, CC BY-SA 4.0
What an Ohio trip to Clark Lake offers
Division of Wildlife mapping gives Clark Lake a surface of 102 acres, all within Clark County. About 3.3 miles of shoreline give bank anglers room to spread out. South Vienna sits roughly 3 miles from the water, the shortest hop to a town. Field work here falls to ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
ODNR lists 10 HP limit for boats here. ODNR counts 1 public launch here.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Species on record at Clark Lake
This list for Clark Lake draws on ODNR hot spots, stocking files and Ohio records together.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
For the steelhead herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Boat access around Clark Lake
- Clark Lake State Wildlife Areaconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 15 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Wildlife-District Five
Other launches a short tow from Clark Lake
- Buck Creek State Park – Marina Ramp on C.J. Brown ReservoirC.J. Brown Reservoir, 3 miles west
- Army Corps/Park on C.J. Brown ReservoirC.J. Brown Reservoir, 4 miles northwest
- Buck Creek State Park – Main Ramp on C.J. Brown ReservoirC.J. Brown Reservoir, 4 miles west
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Limits and seasons at Clark Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (under 35 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (35 inches or larger) | 1 of each (statewide); minimum 35 inches | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (under 28 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (28 inches or larger) | 1 (statewide); minimum 28 inches | Open year-round |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches | Open year-round |
| Muskellunge | 1 | Open year-round |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | 30 (singly or in combination); minimum No more than 4 over 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Trout | 5 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Yellow Perch | 30 | Open year-round |
Inland limits from the booklet apply on Clark Lake, adjusted by any entry printed for it.
Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.
Years of ODNR stocking at Clark Lake
ODNR crews stocked Clark Lake on 60 recorded occasions from 1970 to 2022; by count the top species are 66,754 rainbow trout, 37,886 channel catfish, 26,619 largemouth bass.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Channel Catfish | 4,898 | adv. fingerlings |
| 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 2,427 | catchable |
| 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 2,435 | catchable |
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 4,867 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 2,127 | catchable |
| 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 854 | catchable |
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 2,501 | catchable |
| 2018 | Channel Catfish | 2,019 | yearling |
| 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 2,751 | catchable |
| 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 2,513 | catchable |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | 2,462 | yearling |
| 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 2,505 | catchable |
ODNR Division of Wildlife Ohio Fish Stocking Records (public copy of the DataOhio dataset, current as of May 31, 2022; numbers by water, year, species and life stage); retrieved October 26, 2026.
Clark Lake beside the closest Ohio lakes
The biggest neighbor in this table is C.J. Brown Reservoir, with 1,969 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Lake | 102 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 0 | |
| C.J. Brown Reservoir | 5 miles west | 1,969 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Madison Lake | 16 miles east | 98 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Kiser Lake | 23 miles northwest | 394 | 9 | No Motors | 4 |
| Eastwood Lake | 28 miles southwest | 189 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Griggs Reservoir | 30 miles east | 387 | 0 | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
In the orbit of Clark Lake
Ohio lakes one county over from Clark Lake
- C.J. Brown Reservoir5 miles west
- Madison Lake16 miles east
- Kiser Lake23 miles northwest
- Eastwood Lake28 miles southwest
- Griggs Reservoir30 miles east
Shops that stock up Clark Lake trips
- Jakes Marine Services & Powermarina, Springfield, 5 miles
- The Boat Housemarina, Springfield, 5 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 1690 N Bechtle Avebait and tackle shop, Springfield, 9 miles
- Forest Lake Fishing and Campingbait and tackle shop, Springfield, 10 miles
- Jim's Marinemarina, Urbana, 13 miles
- Xenia Tackle And Rack Shackbait and tackle shop, Xenia, 24 miles
Who takes paying anglers onto Clark Lake
- Reel Fly Rodfly fishing guide, Dayton, (937) 434-8472
Ohio towns handy to Clark Lake
- Northridge7 miles
- Springfield7 miles
- South Charleston9 miles
Where Clark Lake falls, county by Ohio county
- Clark Countyseat: Springfield
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting gear for Clark Lake
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Photo ID for the fish of Clark Lake
Photo: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento, US, Public domain
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Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Clark Lake: what Buckeye anglers keep asking
Which Ohio county holds Clark Lake?
Head for Clark County, ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office), about 3 miles from South Vienna.
How large is Clark Lake on ODNR maps?
Close to 102 acres, with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How many launches serve Clark Lake?
1 public launch, with Clark Lake State Wildlife Area first by parking.
Does Clark Lake hold saugeye or bass?
On file: steelhead, channel catfish, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill.
Which booklet rules govern Clark Lake?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round.
How much does a visitor from out of state pay for Clark Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need an Ohio fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $76.96 for nonresidents and $10.00 for residents 65 and older.
What horsepower is allowed on Clark Lake?
Boats run under 10 HP limit.
Which listed Ohio tackle store is nearest Clark Lake?
Jakes Marine Services & Power sits about 5 miles from the water.
Does ODNR stock Clark Lake?
The ledger shows 60 plantings, 1970 to 2022, mainly rainbow trout.
Hook up the trailer and tow it to Clark Lake
Every Ohio fee and statewide limit is a click away.