Fishing in Brown County, Indiana
County seat: Nashville. Population 15,475 (2020 Census).
- 14lake pages
- 4DNR boat ramps
- 1river pages
Pick for redear sunfishPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Monroe: Bart Everson, CC BY 2.0
A Hoosier angler's read on Brown County
Brown County runs its government from Nashville and had 15,475 residents in the 2020 Census. County lakes are numbered DNR fisheries district 5 by the DNR.
14 lakes here have a guide, and Monroe Lake covers the most ground. Count 4 boat ramps in the county on the DNR access layer. The DNR layer adds 8 piers and shore sites for fishing from shore. The stocking dashboard shows 276 stocking rows tied to county water.
Census 2020 population; Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
A pin for each Brown County launch and lake
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026. Lake points from the Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Lakes worth a launch in Brown County
| Lake | Area | Max depth | Kind | Ramps | Fish the DNR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Lake | 10,750 acres | reservoir | 9 | bluegill, redear sunfish, common carp | |
| Lake Lemon | 1,454 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | catfish, largemouth bass, white bass | |
| Yellowwood Lake | 123 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| Ogle Lake | 22 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| Crooked Creek Lake | 12 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | bluegill, largemouth bass, catfish | |
| Bear Lake (Brown County) | 8 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | channel catfish | |
| Strahl Lake | 7 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| Pine Ridge Pond | 1 acres (NHD outline area) | pond | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| Harris Pond | 1 acres (NHD outline area) | pond | 0 | largemouth bass, channel catfish | |
| Mountain Tea Ridge | lake | 0 | bluegill, largemouth bass | ||
| Slippery Elm Shoot East Pond | pond | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish | ||
| Slippery Elm Shoot North Pond | pond | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish | ||
| Slippery Elm Shoot South Pond | pond | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish | ||
| Sundance Lake | lake | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish |
Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset via IndianaMap), not a DNR survey figure. Maximum depths from DNR Status & Trends surveys with the survey year. Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026.
For the redear sunfish herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Fish the DNR names on lakes near Brown County
Count the nearby lake pages (up to 50 miles from Nashville) by fish and largemouth bass is on top.
Species the DNR names on lakes and access sites, the DNR stocking dashboard and record list, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Listed-only lakes and pits of Brown County
3 more lakes, ponds and pits in Brown County appear only in this list for now.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater Lake | lake | 279 acres (NHD outline area) | Prince's Lakes |
| Cordry Lake | lake | 167 acres (NHD outline area) | Prince's Lakes |
| Meyer Pond | pond | 2 acres (NHD outline area) | Nashville |
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026. Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset via IndianaMap), not a DNR survey figure.
Brown County river and creek guides
- North Fork Salt Creek1 USGS gauge
Creeks of Brown County listed only here (1)
- Beanblossom Creek44.6 mi of mapped NHD line in Indiana
Live discharge in Brown County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Salt Creek At Nashville, In | 8 cfs, 5.24 ft gage height | Nov 11 10:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 11:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
NHD named flowlines (mapped length in Indiana), DNR Outstanding River, put-and-take and salmonid stream lists, DNR access sites and USGS gauges (live readings); read November 5, 2026.
Pool elevations on Brown County Corps lakes
| Lake | Pool | Datum | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Lake | 537.58 ft | feet as published by NWS for the pool gauge (datum not printed in the API) | 2026-11-05 19:25:00 UTC |
Snapshot pools only, each with the time it was read.
USACE Louisville District pool as reported through the NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge MONI3, read November 5, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
NWPS gauges logged near Brown County
| Gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Salt Creek (IN) at Nashville | 5.21 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
| Driftwood River near Edinburgh | 1.96 ft | 0.245 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
| Sugar Creek (central) near Edinburgh | 3.83 ft | 0.0801 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:00:00 UTC |
| East Fork White River at Columbus | -3.41 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:00:00 UTC |
| Flatrock River at Columbus | 2.93 ft | 0.101 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
Every line is one timed reading taken at build time, not a live gauge.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
Ramps and landings of Brown County
- Bear Lake boat ramp (south)Bear Lake, gravel ramp, Electric only
- Crooked Creek Lake boat rampCrooked Creek Lake, gravel ramp, Electric only
- Crooked Creek boat ramp on Monroe LakeMonroe Lake, concrete ramp, restrooms, lights, fee: Lake Permit Required
- Yellowwood Lake boat rampYellowwood Lake, boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms, Electric only
Pier and bank sites in Brown County
- Deer Run Park on Salt Creek (Porter County)Salt Creek (Porter County), shore access, restrooms
- Mt Tea State Forest Lake shore access on Mountain Tea RidgeMountain Tea Ridge, fishing pier, no fee recorded
- Ogle Lake shore accessOgle Lake, shore access, restrooms, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Strahl Lake shore accessStrahl Lake, shore access, restrooms, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Sundance Lake shore accessSundance Lake, shore access, ADA access, no fee recorded, Electric only
- Pine Ridge Pond shore accessPine Ridge Pond, shore access, no fee recorded, Electric only
- Slippery Elm Shoot Pond North shore accessSlippery Elm Shoot North Pond, shore access, Electric only
- Slippery Elm Shoot Pond South shore accessSlippery Elm Shoot South Pond, shore access, Electric only
Car-top launches in Brown County
- Slippery Elm Shoot Pond East carry-down accessSlippery Elm Shoot East Pond
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026.
Brown County on the stocking dashboard
| Year | Month | Water | Species (as listed) | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | October | Crooked Creek Lake | Channel Catfish | 95 | 7.9 |
| 2026 | October | Ogle Lake | Channel Catfish | 505 | 7.9 |
| 2026 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot East Pond | Channel Catfish | 75 | 10.6 |
| 2026 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot North Pond | Channel Catfish | 125 | 10.6 |
| 2026 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot South Pond | Channel Catfish | 75 | 10.6 |
| 2026 | October | Strahl Lake | Channel Catfish | 300 | 7.9 |
| 2026 | October | Yellowwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 846 | 7.9 |
| 2026 | June | Monroe Lake | Hybrid Striped Bass | 34,227 | 1.21 |
| 2026 | Multiple | Monroe Lake | Walleye | 5,622,856 | 0.24 |
| 2025 | November | Slippery Elm Shoot East Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 8.5 |
| 2025 | November | Slippery Elm Shoot North Pond | Channel Catfish | 125 | 8.5 |
| 2025 | November | Slippery Elm Shoot South Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 8.5 |
| 2025 | November | Yellowwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 2,096 | 8.5 |
| 2025 | October | Crooked Creek Lake | Channel Catfish | 250 | 7.8 |
| 2025 | October | Sundance Lake | Channel Catfish | 233 | 7.8 |
| 2025 | June | Monroe Lake | Hybrid Striped Bass | 53,750 | 1.11 |
| 2025 | Multiple | Monroe Lake | Walleye | 1,573,606 | 0.24 |
| 2024 | October | Ogle Lake | Channel Catfish | 253 | 8.0 |
| 2024 | October | Strahl Lake | Channel Catfish | 300 | 8.0 |
| 2024 | September | Slippery Elm Shoot East Pond | Largemouth Bass | 480 | 3.5 |
| 2024 | June | Monroe Lake | Hybrid Striped Bass | 53,750 | 1.09 |
| 2024 | April | Monroe Lake | Walleye | 6,471,900 | 0.2 |
| 2024 | Multiple | Monroe Lake | Largemouth Bass | 279,885 | |
| 2023 | October | Pine Ridge Pond | Channel Catfish | 55 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot East Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot North Pond | Channel Catfish | 125 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | October | Slippery Elm Shoot South Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | October | Sundance Lake | Channel Catfish | 233 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | October | Yellowwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 2,096 | 8.44 |
| 2023 | June | Monroe Lake | Hybrid Striped Bass | 53,750 | 1.11 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026; rows reach the county through the water they name.
Keeper rules across Brown County
For Brown County, the statewide rows apply first and special water entries override them. The DNR fee table sets the yearly license at $23 for Indiana residents and $60 for everyone else.
| Species | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Unlimited | no size limit |
| Redear Sunfish | 25 | no size limit |
| Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in lakes) | 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 14 inches |
| Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in rivers and streams) | 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | No fish 12 to 15 inches may be kept, and no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept |
| Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in Lake Michigan) | 3, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 14 inches |
| Yellow Bass | Unlimited | no size limit |
| White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass | 12, any combination of white bass or hybrid striped bass | No more than two fish may exceed 17 inches |
| Striped Bass | 2 | no size limit |
| Rock Bass | 25 | no size limit |
| Crappie | 25 | no size limit |
| Walleye, Walleye-Sauger Hybrid (Saugeye), Sauger | 6, any combination of walleye, walleye-sauger hybrid, and sauger | For walleye: 14 inches south of SR 26; 16 inches north of SR 26 For sauger and saugeye: No size limit |
| Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge | 1 muskellunge or 1 tiger muskellunge | 36 inches |
| Northern Pike | 3 | 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer |
| Yellow Perch | Unlimited (15 only on Lake Michigan) | no size limit |
| Catfish: Channel, Blue, Flathead (in rivers and streams) | Unlimited | 13 inches; not more than one blue catfish that’s at least 35 inches, one flathead catfish at least 35 inches, and one channel catfish at least 28 inches or longer may be kept |
| Catfish: Channel, Blue, Flathead (in lakes) | 10 | None; not more than one blue catfish that’s at least 35 inches, one flathead catfish at least 35 inches, and one channel catfish at least 28 inches or longer may be kept |
| Bullhead | Unlimited | no size limit |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon | Unlimited | 25 inches (fork length) |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR license fees (license year April 1 to March 31), read November 5, 2026.
The biggest Hoosier fish near Brown County
| Species | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redear Sunfish | 3 lb. 10 oz. | Pond | Brown County | 1974 |
Indiana DNR Indiana Record Fish Program list (keeper: Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (Indiana Record Fish Program); angler names left off here), read November 5, 2026.
Tournament launches around Brown County
Of 8 posted club and trail events in Brown County, 2 remain.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2027 | Phoenix BFL Team/Solo Lake Monroe (April 2027) | Monroe Lake | Major League Fishing |
| June 19, 2027 | Phoenix BFL Team/Solo Lake Monroe (June 2027) | Monroe Lake | Major League Fishing |
| Sept. 20, 2026 | IBF Trail 2026 #6 Monroe | Monroe Lake | Indiana Bass Federation |
| May 2, 2026 | IBF 2026 Zone 2 Regional Championship | Monroe Lake | Indiana Bass Federation |
| April 19, 2026 | IBF Trail 2026 #1 Monroe | Monroe Lake | Indiana Bass Federation |
| Sept. 28, 2025 | IBF Trail 2025 #6 Monroe | Monroe Lake | Indiana Bass Federation |
| May 4, 2025 | IBF Trail 2025 #2 Monroe | Monroe Lake | Indiana Bass Federation |
| date not printed | Phoenix BFL Hoosier Division Lake Monroe 2026 | Monroe Lake | Major League Fishing |
Organizer schedule and results pages (the DNR publishes no tournament calendar); most listings are Indiana Bass Federation member club events; checked November 2026.
Tackle and guides for Brown County
Brown County tackle counters
- Bailey's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Nashville
Brown County guide listings
- Good Time Charter, LLCfishing guide, (812) 821-3368
- Isaacs Guiding Servicefishing guide, (765) 265-5317
- Nick Leisure Guide Servicefishing guide, (765) 432-1088
- White River Guide Servicefishing guide, (317) 691-7388
Yellow Pages, chain store and DNR property listings; the DNR licensed fishing guide list and tourism bureau charter listings (matched by the waters they list or their county), read November 5, 2026.
Beyond Brown County
Places to stay in Brown County
- Nashvillepop. 1,256
Close counties to Brown County
- Monroe County16 miles west
- Bartholomew County18 miles east
- Jackson County22 miles southeast
- Johnson County22 miles north
Piscifun gear a Hoosier angler might bring to Brown County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish to know on sight at Brown County
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Heath Alseike, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Fishing Brown County: what people ask
How many DNR boat ramps does Brown County have?
DNR access data has 4 boat ramps, such as Bear Lake boat ramp (south).
Which Brown County lake stretches widest on the map?
Monroe Lake, at 10,750 acres.
Which species top the DNR lists around Brown County?
Largemouth bass leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish; the DNR names them on lake and access records.
Where do I find live bait inside Brown County?
The county has 1 listed, Bailey's Bait & Tackle among them.
Which town keeps the Brown County courthouse square?
County offices are in Nashville.
What license covers fishing Brown County water?
The DNR fee table sets the yearly license at $23 for Indiana residents and $60 for everyone else.
Which counties ring Brown County on the map?
The nearest county pages are Monroe County, Bartholomew County and Jackson County.
Is Brown County in a DNR fisheries district?
The DNR lake layer gives the county's own lakes the number for DNR fisheries district 5.
Which Brown County spots suit bank fishing?
The DNR layer lists 8 piers and shore sites, such as Deer Run Park on Salt Creek (Porter County).
Do bass clubs fish tournaments on Brown County water?
8 events on file; the next is Phoenix BFL Team/Solo Lake Monroe (April 2027) on Monroe Lake, April 24, 2027.
Does the DNR stock fish in Brown County?
The DNR dashboard carries 276 rows; the newest lists 5,622,856 Walleye, 0.24 in average (Multiple 2026) in Monroe Lake.
Did an Indiana record fish come out of Brown County?
Redear Sunfish, 3 lb. 10 oz., 1974, from Pond.
Hitch the boat and point it at Brown County
Open a lake for its ramps and special rules.