Fishing in Indiana

Fishing in Indiana

PiscaMaps covers 843 public fishing venues across Indiana in 4 regions — 694 lakes and reservoirs and 133 rivers. The largest is Lake Michigan, at 14,296,859 acres. White River is the longest mapped river, running 546 km. Northern Lakes & Michigan Shore has the most venues on file, with 382. 36 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across Indiana's public waters are Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Channel Catfish, Redear Sunfish and Smallmouth Bass — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 178 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 119 have nearby camping, and 316 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in Indiana

Indiana's public fishing venues are spread across 4 regions on PiscaMaps:

Species Recorded in Indiana

The most frequently recorded species across Indiana's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Fishing Licence in Indiana

Anyone 18-64 needs an Indiana Department of Natural Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $23, non-resident annual about $60, and short-term (1-day / 7-day) licences are sold. A trout/salmon stamp (about $12) is required to fish for or possess trout or salmon anywhere in the state; on Lake Michigan and its tributaries that stamp also covers the salmon. Indiana residents 64 and older, and anyone under 18, do not need a licence; a resident 'Lifetime' and a low-cost senior licence are available. A single licence covers the DNR reservoirs (no separate lake permit). Buy from the DNR at on.IN.gov/INHuntFish. An Indiana fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on an Indiana or Kentucky licence within the marked reciprocal zone; the Wabash below Terre Haute is an Indiana-Illinois boundary water fished on either state's licence. A trout/salmon stamp is required on the Lake Michigan tributary streams.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many public fishing venues are there in Indiana?+
  PiscaMaps covers 843 public fishing venues across Indiana in 4 regions — 694 lakes and reservoirs and 133 rivers. The largest is Lake Michigan, at 14,296,859 acres. White River is the longest mapped river, running 546 km. Northern Lakes & Michigan Shore has the most venues on file, with 382. 36 venues are documented trout waters.
• Do I need a fishing licence in Indiana?+
  Anyone 18-64 needs an Indiana Department of Natural Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $23, non-resident annual about $60, and short-term (1-day / 7-day) licences are sold. A trout/salmon stamp (about $12) is required to fish for or possess trout or salmon anywhere in the state; on Lake Michigan and its tributaries that stamp also covers the salmon. Indiana residents 64 and older, and anyone under 18, do not need a licence; a resident 'Lifetime' and a low-cost senior licence are available. A single licence covers the DNR reservoirs (no separate lake permit). Buy from the DNR at on.IN.gov/INHuntFish. An Indiana fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on an Indiana or Kentucky licence within the marked reciprocal zone; the Wabash below Terre Haute is an Indiana-Illinois boundary water fished on either state's licence. A trout/salmon stamp is required on the Lake Michigan tributary streams.
• Are there boat ramps and camping near Indiana's fishing lakes?+
  178 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 119 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.

Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Indiana

Rivers in Indiana

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