Blue Lake Fishing
This lake lies in Whitley County, 246 acres (NHD outline area).
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Taking stock of Blue Lake
Blue Lake is a lake in Whitley County; its mapped outline covers 246 acres (NHD outline area). Maximum depth from the 2013 DNR survey: 49 feet. Churubusco sits about 2 miles from the lake point, the nearest place on the Census list.
You can launch from 1 boat ramp that the DNR maps. DNR hatchery releases appear here 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 (2013 survey), read November 5, 2026. Census 2023 places.
What the DNR lake layer records for Blue Lake
- Owner (DNR)DNR DFW, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 3
- Public freshwater lakeon the Indiana list of public freshwater lakes
The attribute text for Blue Lake above is as the DNR stores it.
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Species on the DNR list for Blue Lake
At Blue Lake the list mirrors DNR labels; no angler reports went into it.
The latest DNR lake survey of Blue Lake
The 2013 survey of Blue Lake is where these numbers come from.
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 (2013 survey), read November 5, 2026.
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| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrold's Landing on Blue Lake | boat ramp | concrete ramp, courtesy dock, ADA access, restrooms, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
More DNR launches that reach Blue Lake
- Round Lake/Cedar Lake boat rampRound Lake, 4 miles west
- Little Cedar Lake (Use Round Lake Ramp)Little Cedar Lake, 4 miles west
- Shriner Lake boat rampShriner Lake, 4 miles west
- Everett Lake boat rampEverett Lake, 6 miles southeast
- Sand-River Lakes boat rampSand Lake, 7 miles north
- Dock LakeDock Lake, 7 miles north
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.
Mapped depths at Blue Lake
The DNR has published 2 contour maps for Blue Lake.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
Fingerlings and catchables added to Blue Lake
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Multiple | Tiger Muskie | 1,504 | 4.06 |
| 1980 | September | Tiger Muskie | 1,210 | 6.95 |
| 1978 | June | Tiger Muskie | 991 |
DNR releases into Blue Lake, as the dashboard prints 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.
Indiana limits in force on Blue 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) |
Those statewide guide rows govern Blue Lake unless a special regulation line says otherwise.
- 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.
Blue Lake beside its Indiana neighbours
Round Lake (Whitley County) covers the most water in this group around Blue Lake: 138 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Lake | this lake | 246 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 3 |
| Round Lake (Whitley County) | 3 miles west | 138 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Little Cedar Lake | 4 miles west | 47 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Lindsey Lake | 4 miles northwest | 15 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 0 |
| Shriner Lake | 5 miles west | 126 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 33 |
| Summit Lake (Noble County) | 6 miles north | 6 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 0 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
A Hoosier back-road drive from Blue Lake
Other lakes a county or two from Blue Lake
- Round Lake (Whitley County)3 miles west
- Little Cedar Lake4 miles west
- Lindsey Lake4 miles northwest
- Shriner Lake5 miles west
- Summit Lake (Noble County)6 miles north
Grab bait on the way into Blue Lake
- Crystal's Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Churubusco, 2 miles
- Shriner Lake Marinemarina, Columbia City, 5 miles
- Bass River Outdoors, LLCbait and tackle shop, Columbia City, 9 miles
- Bubba's Live Bait & Tackle\Hunting Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Columbia City, 10 miles
- Pro Tackle Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Fort Wayne, 12 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Fort Wayne, 1520 Apple Glen Blvd.sporting goods store, Fort Wayne, 14 miles
Indiana towns close to Blue Lake
- Churubusco2 miles
- Columbia City8 miles
- Huntertown11 miles
The counties Blue Lake passes through
- Whitley Countyseat: Columbia City
Piscifun gear a Hoosier angler might bring to Blue Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Telling Blue Lake fish apart from a photo
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Blue Lake: questions Hoosier anglers bring up
Which Indiana county is Blue Lake in?
It lies in Whitley County, about 2 miles from Churubusco.
Roughly how big is Blue Lake, in acres?
About 246 acres (NHD outline area); the 2013 DNR survey found 49 feet at the deepest point.
Can I tow a bass boat to Blue Lake?
The DNR maps one: Harrold's Landing on Blue Lake.
What might bite for a Hoosier angler at Blue Lake?
Look for bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and tiger muskellunge; the DNR names them.
Which bass rule applies at Blue Lake?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
Which Indiana license papers cover Blue Lake?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Under-18 anglers are exempt.
Can a bank angler without a boat work Blue Lake?
The access layer records no bank site for it.
Which listed shop can outfit a Hoosier trip to Blue Lake?
Stop at Crystal's Live Bait, about 2 miles away,.
Does the DNR stock Blue Lake?
The latest dashboard row: 1,504 Tiger Muskie, 4.06 in average (Multiple 1981).
Take the county road out to Blue Lake
Check the limits, then pick a ramp.