Hardy Lake Fishing
Jefferson and Scott counties holds this reservoir, 741 acres.
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Sizing up Hardy Lake from the Indiana map
Mapped at 741 acres, Hardy Lake is a reservoir lying in Jefferson and Scott counties. Groceries and gas are nearest in Austin, around 7 miles away.
The DNR Where to Fish layer plots 4 boat ramps on it. The 2026-2027 guide lists it among the special regulation waters. The DNR has logged 87 stocking rows for it.
Acres as stated on the Indiana DNR property or lake page, read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026. Census 2023 places.
DNR layer entries describing Hardy Lake
- Location (DNR)Hardy Lake State Rec Area
- Owner (DNR)DNR State Parks and Reservoirs, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 6
- Hardy Lake SRAarchery range, boating, boat ramps, camping, dump station, FISHING PIER, hike trails, hunting, seasonal interpretive service, picnicking, play/sports area, SHELTER HOUSE, swimming beach, phone 812-794-3800
The DNR layer supplied every entry above for Hardy Lake.
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
DNR-listed fish at Hardy Lake
Labels follow the DNR wording for Hardy Lake: its lake layer, access sites, stocking rows and record list; it is not a catch report.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Ramp on Hardy Lake | boat ramp | concrete ramp, courtesy dock, ADA access, restrooms, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req | Hardy Lake State Reservoir |
| Carmel Ramp on Hardy Lake | boat ramp | concrete ramp, fee: Lake Permit Required | Hardy Lake State Reservoir |
| Sunnyside Ramp on Hardy Lake | boat ramp | concrete ramp, restrooms, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req | Hardy Lake State Reservoir |
| Wooster Ramp on Hardy Lake | boat ramp | concrete ramp, restrooms, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req | Hardy Lake State Reservoir |
Other ramps if Hardy Lake is busy
- Scottsburg Reservoir boat rampScottsburg Reservoir, 10 miles southwest
- Teal Pond boat rampTeal Pond, 12 miles north
- Goose Pond boat ramp (east)Goose Pond, 12 miles north
- Whip-poor-will Lake boat rampWhip-poor-will Lake, 13 miles northeast
- Crosley Fish & Wildlife Area on Wood Duck PondWood Duck Pond, 13 miles north
- Sages Ferry boat ramp on Muscatatuck RiverMuscatatuck River, 13 miles west
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 stocking rows for Hardy Lake
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October | Largemouth Bass | 68 | 9.37 |
| 2025 | June | Hybrid Striped Bass | 7,000 | 1.49 |
| 2025 | June | Striped Bass | 1,000 | 1.47 |
| 2024 | June | Hybrid Striped Bass | 7,000 | 1.2 |
| 2024 | June | Striped Bass | 1,000 | 1.53 |
| 2023 | July | Striped Bass | 1,000 | 1.5 |
| 2023 | June | Hybrid Striped Bass | 10,000 | 1.08 |
| 2022 | August | Hybrid Striped Bass | 10,000 | 1.37 |
| 2021 | July | Hybrid Striped Bass | 10,000 | 1.07 |
| 2021 | June | Striped Bass | 1,000 | 1.47 |
| 2020 | June | Hybrid Striped Bass | 7,000 | 1.6 |
| 2019 | August | Striped Bass | 1,000 | 1.5 |
The stocking dashboard holds these Hardy Lake releases.
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Bag and size rules that apply at Hardy 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) |
A special regulation entry for Hardy Lake would override the statewide row.
- 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 …
Water-specific rules on Hardy Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Hardy Lake (Scott) | Crappie | 9-inch minimum size |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
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.
Nearby lakes lined up with Hardy Lake
Of the five closest lake pages, Scottsburg Reservoir has the largest outline at 119 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy Lake | this lake | 741 acres | 4 | 87 |
| Family Fishing Hole | under a mile west | not printed | 0 | 34 |
| Lake Iola | 7 miles southwest | 8 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 57 |
| Scottsburg Reservoir | 10 miles southwest | 119 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 29 |
| Goose Pond (Jennings County) | 12 miles north | not printed | 1 | 0 |
| Teal Pond | 12 miles north | not printed | 1 | 56 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
Around the edges of Hardy Lake
Lakes in the same part of Indiana as Hardy Lake
- Family Fishing Holeunder a mile west
- Lake Iola7 miles southwest
- Scottsburg Reservoir10 miles southwest
- Goose Pond (Jennings County)12 miles north
- Teal Pond12 miles north
Picking up nightcrawlers and minnows near Hardy Lake
- Anglers Denfly shop, Scottsburg, 8 miles
- Rivercrest Marinamarina, Madison, 16 miles
- Monday's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, North Vernon, 16 miles
- Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, North Vernon, 18 miles
- Eagle Hollow Marine and Motorsportsmarina, Madison, 19 miles
- Sawyer's Wholesale Bait Cobait and tackle shop, Charlestown, 23 miles
Guide services listed around Hardy Lake
- Top 2% Guide Services LLCfishing guide, (573) 418-2148
- White River Guide Servicefishing guide, (317) 691-7388
Hoosier towns sitting near Hardy Lake
- Austin7 miles
- Scottsburg8 miles
- Crothersville8 miles
County guides tied to Hardy Lake
- Jefferson Countyseat: Madison
- Scott Countyseat: Scottsburg
Piscifun picks for a day out on Hardy Lake
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Picture ID for the fish swimming at Hardy Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
What the bait counter hears about Hardy Lake
Which Hoosier town sits nearest the shore of Hardy Lake?
Hardy Lake State Rec Area. The DNR files it under Jefferson and Scott counties, about 7 miles from Austin.
Is Hardy Lake a large lake for Indiana?
741 acres.
How many DNR ramps serve Hardy Lake?
Alpha Ramp on Hardy Lake is among 4 boat ramps.
Which species does the DNR list for Hardy Lake?
DNR sources name bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass and hybrid striped bass.
How many black bass may an Indiana angler keep from Hardy Lake?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches. A special regulation line for it is printed above.
Can I fish Hardy Lake without paying a fee to the state?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Youth under 18 are exempt.
Is Hardy Lake good without a boat?
No shore site is mapped; ramp areas are the usual bank spots.
Is there a bait shop by Hardy Lake?
Our list starts with Anglers Den, about 8 miles away,.
Is Hardy Lake on the stocking dashboard?
The latest dashboard row: 1,000 Striped Bass, 1.47 in average (June 2025).
Hitch up for Hardy Lake this weekend
Fees, stamps and special rules are on the license page.