Big Chapman Lake Fishing
Public lake fishing in Kosciusko County, 640 acres (NHD outline area).
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Big Chapman Lake, sized up for Indiana anglers
Look for Big Chapman Lake, a lake of 640 acres (NHD outline area), in Kosciusko County. Count on roughly 4 miles to reach Warsaw, the nearest town.
DNR access data shows 1 boat ramp. It shows up in 7 stocking rows on the stocking dashboard.
Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset via IndianaMap), not a DNR survey figure. Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026. Census 2023 places.
The DNR file card on Big Chapman Lake
- Location (DNR)Two miles east of Warsaw on Old 30 to CR 300E, then three miles north
- Owner (DNR)DNR DFW, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 3
- Public freshwater lakeon the Indiana list of public freshwater lakes
Each row above repeats a field from the DNR lake layer for Big Chapman Lake, unedited.
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Fish the DNR names at Big Chapman Lake
Each fish shown for Big Chapman Lake carries a DNR label or a DNR stocking or record row.
Indiana DNR lake layer and Fishing Access Sites species fields, Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026; 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.
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| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Chapman Lake boat ramp | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, restrooms | Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area |
Neighbouring launches around Big Chapman Lake
- Little Chapman Lake (Use Big Chapman Ramp)Little Chapman Lake, 1 mile south
- Banning Lake boat rampBanning Lake, 3 miles east
- Grassy Creek boat rampGrassy Creek (Kosciusko and Whitley Counties), 3 miles northeast
- Oswego Lake (Use Grassy Creek Ramp)Oswego Lake, 3 miles northeast
- Little Barbee Lake boat rampLittle Barbee Lake, 3 miles east
- Sechrist Lake (Use Kuhn or Grassy Creek Ramp)Sechrist Lake, 4 miles east
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.
Bottom maps of Big Chapman Lake
2 contour maps of Big Chapman Lake are on the DNR depth map page.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
Stocking at Big Chapman Lake
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | July | Walleye | 7,736 | 2.1 |
| 1986 | Multiple | Walleye | 6,952 | 3.29 |
| 1985 | Multiple | Walleye | 6,675 | 3.14 |
| 1984 | June | Walleye | 82,374 | 1.77 |
| 1983 | June | Walleye | 88,000 | 1.32 |
| 1982 | May | Walleye | 41,188 | 1.63 |
| 1980 | May | Walleye | 3,000,000 |
The DNR dashboard dates releases at Big Chapman Lake by year and month only.
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Keep rules for Big Chapman Lake
| Species as printed | 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) |
At Big Chapman Lake, start from the statewide table and then read any local entry.
- Walleye size lineWalleye taken from all public waters (lakes, rivers, and streams) south of State Road 26 must be 14 inches or longer. Walleye taken north of State Road 26 must be 16 inches in length or longer, except for: Bass Lake (Starke County) and Wolf Lake (Lake County); minimum size 14 inches Lake George (Steuben County); minimum size 15 inches Wall Lake (LaGrange County); minimum size 16 inches with a daily bag limit of two walleye There is no minimum size requirement for saugeye on all state waters, except for Huntingburg Lake (Dubois County), Glenn Flint Lake (Putnam County), and Sullivan Lake …
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
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.
Indiana lakes clustered near Big Chapman Lake
For more elbow room than Big Chapman Lake, Shoe Lake spans 44 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Chapman Lake | this lake | 640 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 7 |
| Little Chapman Lake | 1 mile south | not printed | 1 | 1 |
| Shoe Lake | 2 miles northeast | 44 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 3 |
| Banning Lake | 2 miles east | 18 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 2 |
| Oswego Lake | 3 miles north | not printed | 1 | 0 |
| Irish Lake | 3 miles east | 0 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 7 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
A short haul from Big Chapman Lake
More Indiana lakes within reach of Big Chapman Lake
- Little Chapman Lake1 mile south
- Shoe Lake2 miles northeast
- Banning Lake2 miles east
- Oswego Lake3 miles north
- Irish Lake3 miles east
Stores stocking hooks and line around Big Chapman Lake
- Barbee Marinamarina, Warsaw, 3 miles
- Fletchers Bait & Loni Florybait and tackle shop, Warsaw, 5 miles
- Ye Olde Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, North Webster, 5 miles
- Dewart Lake Tackle Companybait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 5 miles
- Number 1 Stop Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Pierceton, 5 miles
- Doc Side Mobile Boat Servicemarina, Warsaw, 6 miles
Places to eat and sleep near Big Chapman Lake
- Warsaw4 miles
- Winona Lake5 miles
- Syracuse9 miles
County pages that take in Big Chapman Lake
- Kosciusko Countyseat: Warsaw
A Piscifun lineup sized for Big Chapman Lake
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Sorting out Big Chapman Lake before the cooler gets packed
Where in Indiana is Big Chapman Lake?
Two miles east of Warsaw on Old 30 to CR 300E, then three miles north. Head for Kosciusko County, about 4 miles from Warsaw.
How big is Big Chapman Lake?
The figure on file is 640 acres (NHD outline area).
Which ramp is best for Big Chapman Lake?
The DNR layer has a lone ramp there: Big Chapman Lake boat ramp.
Which fish does the DNR name at Big Chapman Lake?
DNR labels name bluegill, redear sunfish, northern pike and walleye.
Is there a size limit on bass at Big Chapman Lake?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
May an out-of-state visitor wet a line on Big Chapman Lake?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). No license is needed under age 18.
Has the DNR mapped a pier or shore site on Big Chapman Lake?
No dedicated shore spot is on the DNR layer.
Which Indiana bait counter is handiest to Big Chapman Lake?
Nearest in our shop list: Barbee Marina, about 3 miles away,.
Which hatchery fish has the Indiana DNR put in Big Chapman Lake?
The latest dashboard row: 7,736 Walleye, 2.1 in average (July 1987).
Spend a cool Hoosier morning on Big Chapman Lake
Buy the Indiana license online before you go.