Fishing in Parke County, Indiana
County seat: Rockville. Population 16,156 (2020 Census).
- 3lake pages
- 8DNR boat ramps
- 4river pages
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A Hoosier angler's read on Parke County
Parke County runs its government from Rockville and had 16,156 residents in the 2020 Census. County lakes are numbered DNR fisheries district 4 by the DNR. Wabash River doubles as a state boundary, so the guide's reciprocity text applies.
3 lakes here have a guide, and Cecil M Harden Lake covers the most ground. Count 8 boat ramps in the county on the DNR access layer. The DNR layer adds 2 piers and shore sites for fishing from shore. The stocking dashboard shows 81 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 Parke 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 Parke County
| Lake | Area | Max depth | Kind | Ramps | Fish the DNR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil M Harden Lake | 1,674 acres (NHD outline area) | reservoir | 5 | bluegill, redear sunfish, common carp | |
| Lake Waveland | 337 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| Rockville Lake | lake | 1 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish |
Beyond the Parke County line, these lake guides are the shortest drives from Rockville.
| Lake | From Rockville | Area | Max depth | Kind | Ramps | Fish the DNR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shades State Park Pond | 14 miles northeast | 3 acres (NHD outline area) | pond | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish | |
| Glenn Flint Lake | 16 miles east | 360 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| West Brazil Lake | 18 miles south | 8 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | |
| East Brazil Lake | 18 miles south | lake | 0 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | ||
| J.I. Case Marsh | 20 miles south | lake | 1 | bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish | ||
| Burns Lake | 20 miles south | 19 acres (NHD outline area) | lake | 1 | 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.
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Count the nearby lake pages (up to 50 miles from Rockville) by fish and bluegill 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.
Parke County river and creek guides
- Wabash RiverNRC Outstanding River (2013 list), 30 DNR access sites, 18 USGS gauges, shared with Illinois
- Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)NRC Outstanding River (2013 list), 1 DNR access site, 2 USGS gauges
- Sugar Mill CreekNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- Big Raccoon Creek3 USGS gauges
Creeks of Parke County listed only here (2)
- Little Vermilion River17.7 mi of mapped NHD line in Indiana
- Roaring CreekNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
Live discharge in Parke County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Wabash River At Montezuma, In | 3,540 cfs, 4.69 ft gage height | Nov 12 11:45 pm |
| Big Raccoon Creek At Coxville, In | 457 cfs, 6.82 ft gage height | Nov 12 11:45 pm |
| Big Raccoon Creek At Ferndale, In | 24 cfs, 7.68 ft gage height | Feb 13 10:00 am Not updated since Feb 13, 2018. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 12:34 am 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 Parke County Corps lakes
| Lake | Pool | Datum | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil M Harden Lake | 652.56 ft | feet as published by NWS for the pool gauge (datum not printed in the API) | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 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 CHLI3, read November 5, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
NWPS gauges logged near Parke County
| Gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash River at Montezuma | 5.14 ft | 4.24 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
| Big Raccoon Creek at Coxville | 6.95 ft | 0.531 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
| Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake | 652.56 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 UTC |
| Big Raccoon Creek at Ferndale | 7.8 ft | 0.59 kcfs | not defined | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
| Big Raccoon Creek near Fincastle | 2.26 ft | 0.031 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 Parke County
- Hollandsburg boat ramp on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, concrete ramp, fishing pier, ADA access, restrooms, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Mansfield Ramp on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, concrete ramp, fishing pier, ADA access, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Montezuma boat ramp on Wabash RiverWabash River, concrete ramp, restrooms, no fee recorded
- Portland Mills boat ramp on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, concrete ramp, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Raccoon Ramp on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, concrete ramp, fishing pier, courtesy dock, ADA access, restrooms, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Rockville Lake boat rampRockville Lake, concrete ramp, fishing pier, courtesy dock, restrooms, lights, fee: Entry Fee, Electric only
- Walker Ramp on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, concrete ramp, fishing pier, ADA access, restrooms, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req
- Waterman boat ramp on Wabash RiverWabash River, concrete ramp, no fee recorded
Pier and bank sites in Parke County
- Cecil M Hardin Tailwaters shore access on Big Raccoon CreekBig Raccoon Creek, shore access, restrooms, lights, no fee recorded
- Lake Racoon SRA Fishing Pier on Cecil M Harden LakeCecil M Harden Lake, fishing pier, ADA access, restrooms, lights, fee
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.
Parke County on the stocking dashboard
| Year | Month | Water | Species (as listed) | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April | Cecil M Harden Lake | Saugeye | 594,118 | |
| 2025 | October | Cecil M Harden Lake | Largemouth Bass | 5,874 | 3.66 |
| 2025 | October | Rockville Lake | Black Crappie | 9,417 | 2.02 |
| 2025 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,600 | 1.49 |
| 2024 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,600 | 1.33 |
| 2023 | July | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 44,428 | 1.5 |
| 2022 | November | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,664 | 8.4 |
| 2022 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 15,299 | 1.7 |
| 2021 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 40,599 | 1.44 |
| 2021 | May | Cecil M Harden Lake | Largemouth Bass | 249,975 | 0.02 |
| 2020 | October | Cecil M Harden Lake | Largemouth Bass | 17,974 | 3.49 |
| 2020 | Multiple | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,664 | 8.3 |
| 2019 | Multiple | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,600 | 1.58 |
| 2018 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,664 | 8.4 |
| 2018 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 17,693 | 1.65 |
| 2017 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 13,492 | 1.35 |
| 2016 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,664 | 8.2 |
| 2016 | August | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 21,525 | 1.5 |
| 2015 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 25,834 | 1.61 |
| 2014 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,670 | 8.7 |
| 2013 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 25,750 | 1.15 |
| 2012 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,670 | 8.7 |
| 2012 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 15,450 | 1.2 |
| 2011 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,581 | 1.47 |
| 2010 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,670 | 8.0 |
| 2010 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,600 | 1.38 |
| 2009 | July | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 5,834 | 1.8 |
| 2008 | October | Rockville Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,670 | 9.86 |
| 2008 | Multiple | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,628 | 2.21 |
| 2007 | June | Cecil M Harden Lake | Striped Bass | 20,600 | 1.0 |
Put-and-take trout listed for Parke County
| Season | Water as printed | Location | Planned number | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening day streams, south | Harden Reservoir Tailwater | 750 | Rainbow Trout |
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. Indiana DNR 2026 trout stocking plan (updated March 20, 2026; planned targets, DNR notes actual numbers may vary), read November 5, 2026.
Crawler stops in counties by Parke County
- Morton Hook & Sinker Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Greencastle, 16 miles
- Jack's Bait Tackle & Morebait and tackle shop, Brazil, 17 miles
- Beautiful Bud's Sports and Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Crawfordsville, 25 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Terre Haute, 3500 S. Us Hwy 41sporting goods store, Terre Haute, 26 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Terre Hautesporting goods store, Terre Haute, 26 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Rockville.
Keeper rules across Parke County
For Parke 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) |
Rule changes by water in Parke County (2)
| Water (counties) | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Cecil M. Harden Lake (Parke) | Largemouth Bass | 16-inch minimum size limit |
| Sugar Creek (Montgomery, Parke, Boone, Clinton, Tipton) | Black Bass | 20-inch minimum size limit and one fish daily bag limit |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026. Special regulation waters 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 Parke County
The Record Fish Program list skips Parke County; these record waters lie within 70 miles.
| Species | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldeye | 2 lb. 4.8 oz. | Wabash River | Vermillion County | 2008 |
| Shortnose Gar | 2 lb. 15.9 oz. | Wabash River | Tippecanoe County | 2025 |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon | 14 lb. 8 oz. | Wabash River | Fountain County | 1999 |
| Skipjack Herring | 2 lb. 8.2 oz. | Wabash River | Carroll County | 2021 |
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.
Tackle and guides for Parke County
Parke County guide listings
- Humes Outdoorsfishing guide, (812) 870-8359
- 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 Parke County
Places to stay in Parke County
- Rockvillepop. 2,510
Close counties to Parke County
- Vermillion County15 miles west
- Putnam County20 miles east
- Fountain County24 miles north
- Montgomery County24 miles northeast
Piscifun gear a Hoosier angler might bring to Parke County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish to know on sight at Parke County
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Heath Alseike, CC BY 2.0
Fishing Parke County: what people ask
How many DNR boat ramps does Parke County have?
DNR access data has 8 boat ramps, such as Hollandsburg boat ramp on Cecil M Harden Lake.
Which Parke County lake stretches widest on the map?
Cecil M Harden Lake, at 1,674 acres (NHD outline area).
Which species top the DNR lists around Parke County?
Bluegill leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then largemouth bass, redear sunfish and catfish; the DNR names them on lake and access records.
Where do I find live bait inside Parke County?
No shop is listed here; stores in nearby counties appear above.
Which town keeps the Parke County courthouse square?
County offices are in Rockville.
What license covers fishing Parke County water?
The DNR fee table sets the yearly license at $23 for Indiana residents and $60 for everyone else.
Which counties ring Parke County on the map?
The nearest county pages are Vermillion County, Putnam County and Fountain County.
Is Parke County in a DNR fisheries district?
The DNR lake layer gives the county's own lakes the number for DNR fisheries district 4.
Which Parke County spots suit bank fishing?
The DNR layer lists 2 piers and shore sites, such as Cecil M Hardin Tailwaters shore access on Big Raccoon Creek.
Do any Parke County waters carry special guide rules?
The guide lists 2 special regulation waters in this county, starting with Cecil M. Harden Lake; the table above shows each.
Does the DNR stock fish in Parke County?
The DNR dashboard carries 81 rows; the newest lists 594,118 Saugeye (April 2026) in Cecil M Harden Lake.
Hitch the boat and point it at Parke County
Open a lake for its ramps and special rules.