History of Clear Lake

[buoy37]

Here is a small write up by Alecya Gallaway giving a quick time line of Clear Lake and its fish:

Fishing
Early fishing reports from the 1920s and early 1930s indicate Clear Lake as an almost fresh water habitat some of the time, and fish caught there were mostly fresh water catfish, bass, perch, bream, and alligator gar. Blue crabs and bait shrimp were caught in the marshes just inside the channel to Taylor Lake. The only oyster reef was located just inside the lake where the Clear Creek Channel made its snake-like route to Galveston Bay. According to Tony Muecke, in the 1939 Gar Rodeo held by Muecke’s bait camp an alligator gar was caught in Clear Lake that “was as big around as a nail keg and over 8-feet long”. It took a boat davit to lift it out of the water. Men who regularly fished the area thought the salinity in the lake increased during the late 1940s after the straight channel was cut to the bay.

Before the 1940s, the small shrimp in Clear Lake were only used as bait and were caught with seines and cast nets. By the 1950s, markets had opened up for small shrimp and Clear Lake was considered a major shrimp nursery grounds. The fish listed by the National Marine Fishery Service at the Houston, Lighting and Power Company generating plant on Clear Creek at Webster were brackish and saltwater species. During the 1950s Tarpon were caught in Clear Lake all the way to Clear Creek at Webster.

[fathernson]

Really cool! Very intresting!!

[kenny]

I the 50's we cast netted ice chests full of nice shrimp in Clear Lake and caught plenty of trout, and there was grass on Kemah & Seabrook flats.

[gsb]

My, how things change. Anybody else feeling kinda crowded?

[FlatoutFishin]

I the 50's we cast netted ice chests full of nice shrimp in Clear Lake and caught plenty of trout, and there was grass on Kemah & Seabrook flats.

Tell them the story about the time the Karankawas chased you into the marsh and you had to cover yourself in gator poo to get away...

[FP10]

Tell them the story about the time the Karankawas chased you into the marsh and you had to cover yourself in gator poo to get away...

In the 50's Kenny was in his 50's.

[Keller]

I remember tons a people gathering up tons of trout, reds and flounder when they pumped the canals along 146 building the bridge. Just cause you don't catch them don't mean their not there.

[Hogie70]

FOF that was some funny chit... I needed a good laugh thanks...!

[Tidalguide]

very cool info. I was lucky enough to grow up in a house right on the lake. All history about the area is cool. My great grandfather worked at Dow in the 50's and 60's and fished the area religously. His last name was Hardgrove. My grandma would tell me stories about the lake being clear water more often then not.

[2112]

Rudy Greiger in his book mentions that the lake was clear with a grass bottom, hence the name "Clear Lake".

[Ibtsoom]

Tell them the story about the time the Karankawas chased you into the marsh and you had to cover yourself in gator poo to get away...

LMFAO!!

[reeltime]

It ain't so clear any more unless the conditions are right.

[2112]

It ain't so clear any more unless the conditions are right.

This is what I like about you, Chris. You freaking insight and bluntness.

[TTU Wader]

When I hear about how things use to be it makes me wish I had a time machine. It's a shame that hurricane killed all the grass in Kemah. I bet fishing use to be nuts over there.