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Indiana · Fishing
Indiana has 263 fishing spots indexed on Roamze, and the variety is wider than most people expect. The bulk of the action happens on lakes — from small community impoundments like Dollar Lake near Columbia City and Coyote Lake near Birdseye
200 spots9 townsUpdated dailyFree to access
View on mapFishing · 200 spots
Indiana has 263 fishing spots indexed on Roamze, and the variety is wider than most people expect. The bulk of the action happens on lakes — from small community impoundments like Dollar Lake near Columbia City and Coyote Lake near Birdseye to larger reservoirs like Summit Lake Reservoir near Mooreland and Brookville Lake, which also offers tailwater fishing below the dam at spots like Tailwater Shelter 2. The northern part of the state leans heavily on glacial lakes: Diamond Lake near Ligonier, Twin Lakes near South Bend, Lake Eliza near Hebron, and Case Lake near Wolcottville are all within a reasonable drive of each other and tend to hold largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie. Central and southern Indiana fills in with spots like Scales Lake near Boonville, Rockville Lake near Rockville, and the White River Oxbow near Indianapolis, which fishes differently from a standard reservoir and rewards anglers who know how to read slower, connected water. Indiana does not have a long list of designated wild trout or gold medal waters, so warmwater species — bass, catfish, crappie, and panfish — are the realistic target for most trips. Licensing is handled through the Indiana DNR, and non-residents will need to pick that up before they hit the water.
Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and channel catfish are the most consistent targets across Indiana's lake fisheries, including spots like Scales Lake, Diamond Lake, and Summit Lake Reservoir. Larger impoundments like Brookville Lake also hold white bass and saugeye. Tailwater areas below dams, such as Tailwater Shelter 2 at Brookville Lake, can produce different species than the main lake, so it's worth checking DNR stocking and survey reports for the specific water you're targeting.
Late April through June is the most productive window for bass and panfish, as water temperatures rise and fish move shallow to spawn. Crappie fishing on lakes like Twin Lakes near South Bend and Banning Lake near Leesburg tends to peak in May when fish stack up near structure. Fall — September through October — is a strong second season for bass and catfish before water temps drop. Ice fishing is viable on northern Indiana lakes like Indian Lake near Corunna and Lake Eliza near Hebron in a typical winter, though ice conditions vary year to year.
Howard Co. Conservation Club Pond
~4 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Mississinewa Lake
~36 min drive
Easy
Tippecanoe River at Winamac
~1h 21m drive
Moderate
Miami
~32 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Morse Reservoir
~43 min drive
Easy
Brookhaven Addition Lake
~47 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Salamonie Lake
~58 min drive
Easy
Hominy Ridge Lake
~57 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Geist Reservoir
~1h 7m drive
Easy
Shadyside Lake
~58 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Celina Lake
~1h 18m drive
Easy
Lost Bridge West
~58 min drive
A worthwhile stop near IN.
Also worth it near here
reservoirLake fishing
Reelsville, IN
largemouth bass, crappie
lakeLake fishing
Huntington, IN
largemouth bass, bluegill
reservoirLake fishing
Indianapolis, IN
largemouth bass, crappie
reservoirLake fishing
Commiskey, IN
largemouth bass, crappie
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Wabash, IN
walleye, muskellunge
Lake fishing
Linton, IN
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Spencer, IN
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Rome City, IN
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Leesburg, IN
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Sullivan, IN
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Albion, IN
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Albion, IN
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Claypool, IN
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Nineveh, IN
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Pierceton, IN
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Gravel Beach, IN
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Syracuse, IN
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Syracuse, IN
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Gary, IN
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Elkhart, IN
Lake fishing
Elkhart, IN
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Albion, IN
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Georgetown, IN
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Middlebury, IN
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Marion, IN
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Connersville, IN
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Columbia City, IN
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Angola, IN
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Shelbyville, IN
Yes, anyone 18 or older needs a valid Indiana fishing license. Residents and non-residents can purchase licenses through the Indiana DNR's online portal, at license agents around the state, or at many sporting goods retailers. Make sure you have it on your person while fishing — digital copies on your phone are accepted.
A medium-action spinning rod in the 6- to 7-foot range handles the majority of situations you'll encounter on Indiana lakes, from pitching soft plastics for bass to bobber fishing for crappie and bluegill. For catfish on larger waters like Brookville Lake or Scales Lake near Boonville, a heavier medium-heavy rod with 15- to 20-pound monofilament and cut bait or chicken liver is the standard approach. If you're fishing the White River Oxbow near Indianapolis, weedless rigs are worth having since oxbow water tends to carry more vegetation and debris than open reservoirs.
Many of Indiana's smaller lakes — including Shadyside Lake near Anderson, Massey Lake near Oakland City, and Schori Lake near Plymouth — have bank fishing access and are manageable on foot. Larger reservoirs like Brookville Lake are much better fished from a boat, though designated bank access points like the tailwater shelter areas exist. Check the Indiana DNR's public fishing areas map before you go, since parking and access points vary significantly from one lake to the next.