Big Lake Fishing
DNR-listed lake water in Noble County, 236 acres (NHD outline area).
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What an Indiana angler should know about Big Lake
Noble County holds Big Lake, a lake measured at 236 acres (NHD outline area). Its deepest sounding on the 2010 DNR survey was 72 feet. From the DNR point it is roughly 8 miles to Columbia City.
Trailer boaters get 1 boat ramp on the DNR access map. The dashboard names it in 3 stocking rows.
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. Indiana DNR Status & Trends lake survey points (2010 survey), read November 5, 2026. Census 2023 places.
Where Big Lake sits, by the DNR layer
- Owner (DNR)DNR DFW, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 3
- Public freshwater lakeon the Indiana list of public freshwater lakes
For Big Lake, the rows come straight from DNR map attributes.
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
What swims in Big Lake, per the DNR
For Big Lake, these names come from DNR layers and tables only.
Clarity, plants and fish counts at Big Lake
One 2010 visit to Big Lake gave the DNR these numbers.
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. Indiana DNR Status & Trends lake survey points (2010 survey), read November 5, 2026.
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| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake (Walter Langhor) boat ramp | boat ramp | concrete ramp, fishing pier, courtesy dock, ADA access, restrooms, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
Launches worth knowing near Big Lake
- Crooked Lake boat ramp (south)Crooked Lake, under a mile southeast
- Crane Lake boat rampCrane Lake, 1 mile east
- Loon Lake boat ramp (south)Loon Lake, 2 miles west
- Old Lake boat rampOld Lake, 3 miles west
- Bear Lake boat ramp (north)Bear Lake, 3 miles north
- Shriner Lake boat rampShriner Lake, 4 miles southeast
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.
DNR bathymetry of Big Lake
DNR bathymetry for Big Lake: 2 contour maps.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
Hatchery fish released into Big Lake
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | August | Channel Catfish | 500 | 9.0 |
| 1987 | August | Channel Catfish | 919 | 8.3 |
| 1984 | October | Channel Catfish | 908 |
Year, month, species and count for Big Lake as the dashboard lists them.
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
How many fish leave Big Lake in your cooler
| 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) |
Unless the guide names Big Lake for a species, the statewide row decides.
- 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.
Sizing Big Lake against nearby Indiana lakes
Loon Lake (Whitley County) tops this table next to Big Lake with 226 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | this lake | 236 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 3 |
| Crane Lake | under a mile east | 27 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Crooked Lake (Noble County) | 1 mile southeast | 205 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Loon Lake (Whitley County) | 2 miles west | 226 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Old Lake | 3 miles west | 34 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Shriner Lake | 3 miles southeast | 126 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 33 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from Big Lake
A second lake to try after Big Lake
- Crane Lakeunder a mile east
- Crooked Lake (Noble County)1 mile southeast
- Loon Lake (Whitley County)2 miles west
- Old Lake3 miles west
- Shriner Lake3 miles southeast
Bait counters along the drive to Big Lake
- Shriner Lake Marinemarina, Columbia City, 3 miles
- Bubba's Live Bait & Tackle\Hunting Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Columbia City, 6 miles
- Bass River Outdoors, LLCbait and tackle shop, Columbia City, 8 miles
- Crystal's Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Churubusco, 9 miles
- Socks Marinamarina, North Webster, 9 miles
- Number 1 Stop Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Pierceton, 10 miles
Beds and diners within reach of Big Lake
- Columbia City8 miles
- Albion9 miles
- Churubusco10 miles
Each county touching Big Lake, linked
- Noble Countyseat: Albion
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Big Lake
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Lakes and stream bends close to Big Lake, in pictures
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Brad P, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Big Lake, one question at a time
What part of Indiana holds Big Lake?
Aim for Noble County, about 8 miles from Columbia City.
What surface area goes with Big Lake on the Indiana map?
It covers 236 acres (NHD outline area); the 2010 DNR survey found 72 feet at the deepest point.
Is there a public ramp at Big Lake?
A single DNR launch serves it, Big Lake (Walter Langhor) boat ramp.
What fish live in Big Lake?
Expect bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish, by DNR records.
Do I need to measure bass at Big Lake?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
Which permit do I carry at Big Lake?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Anglers under 18 need none.
Is there walk-in shoreline along Big Lake?
The DNR has no shore site on file for it.
Where do I get minnows for Big Lake?
Head to Shriner Lake Marine, about 3 miles away,.
Which fish has the DNR released into Big Lake?
The latest dashboard row: 500 Channel Catfish, 9.0 in average (August 1989).
Point the truck toward Big Lake
Know what goes in the cooler before launching.