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Indiana · Fishing
Angola sits in the middle of Indiana's lake country, where the glaciers left behind dozens of kettle lakes packed into a surprisingly small area.
13 spotsUpdated dailyFree to access
View on mapFishing · 13 spots
Angola sits in the middle of Indiana's lake country, where the glaciers left behind dozens of kettle lakes packed into a surprisingly small area. Within a short drive of downtown, you have access to more than a dozen fishable lakes, including Crooked Lake, Lake Gage, Silver Lake, Hogback Lake, and smaller spots like Mink Lake, Perch Lake, and Crockett Lake. Most of these are natural glacial lakes, which means irregular shorelines, varying depths, and the kind of structure that holds fish year-round. Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and yellow perch are the bread-and-butter species across these waters, and most lakes also hold northern pike. The fishing here rewards people who take time to learn a specific lake rather than hopping around — each one has its own personality. Grass Lake and Failing Lake tend to get less pressure than the larger, more well-known spots, which can make them worth the extra effort to find access. Whether you're fishing from a kayak, a small aluminum boat, or the bank, Angola's lake district offers enough variety to keep you busy across multiple trips without ever leaving Steuben County.
Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and yellow perch are common across most of the lakes listed here, including Lake Gage, Crooked Lake, and Silver Lake. Northern pike are also present in a number of these glacial lakes. Perch Lake, true to its name, is a reasonable bet for yellow perch specifically.
Yes, Indiana requires a valid fishing license for anyone 18 or older. You can purchase one online through the Indiana DNR website, at a local bait shop, or at most sporting goods retailers in the Angola area. Make sure to check whether the lake you're targeting has any special regulations before you go, as some Indiana lakes have size or bag limits that differ from statewide defaults.
Crooked Lake
~1 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area
~21 min drive
Moderate
Crooked Lake
~1 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Grass Lake
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Buck Lake
~4 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Silver Lake
~4 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Hogback Lake
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Crockett Lake
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Lake Syl-Van
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Lake Gage
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Lake Charles East
~7 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Mink Lake
~7 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Also worth it near here
Early morning and the last two hours before sunset are consistently the most productive windows, particularly for bass and crappie. Midday fishing in summer can slow down on the shallower lakes like Grass Lake and Mink Lake as water temperatures rise, but deeper lakes like Lake Gage tend to hold fish at fishable depths throughout the day.
A medium-light spinning setup handles most situations well across these lakes, covering everything from panfish to bass. For northern pike, bring a heavier rod and wire leaders. Soft plastics, small jigs, and live bait like nightcrawlers and minnows all produce consistently. A kayak or small motorized boat opens up a lot more water on larger lakes like Lake Gage and Crooked Lake, but bank access exists on several of the smaller lakes.
Late spring through early summer is prime time, when bass and panfish move shallow to spawn and are easier to locate. Fall is also strong, especially September and October, when cooler water temperatures push fish into feeding mode before winter. Ice fishing is popular here in winter when conditions allow, and lakes like Silver Lake and Hogback Lake see decent ice fishing pressure for perch and crappie.
