Lake Kickapoo Fishing
DNR-listed lake water in Clay, Greene and Sullivan counties, 258 acres (NHD outline area).
Pick for redear sunfishPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of White River: adstarkel, CC BY-SA 2.0
What an Indiana angler should know about Lake Kickapoo
Clay, Greene and Sullivan counties holds Lake Kickapoo, a lake measured at 258 acres (NHD outline area). From the DNR point it is roughly 2 miles to Jasonville.
Trailer boaters get 1 boat ramp on the DNR access map. The dashboard names it in 10 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. Census 2023 places.
Where Lake Kickapoo sits, by the DNR layer
- Location (DNR)Shakamak State Park
- Owner (DNR)DNR State Parks and Reservoirs, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 5
For Lake Kickapoo, 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 Lake Kickapoo, per the DNR
For Lake Kickapoo, these names come from DNR layers and tables only.
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.
For the redear sunfish herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Trailer ramps serving Lake Kickapoo
| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo Lake boat ramp | boat ramp | concrete ramp, courtesy dock, restrooms, lights, fee: Entry Fee & Lake Permit Req, Electric only | Shakamak State Park |
Launches worth knowing near Lake Kickapoo
- Lake Lenape boat rampLake Lenape, under a mile east
- Lake Shakamak boat rampLake Shakamak, under a mile north
- Shovel Lake West boat ramp on West Shovel LakeWest Shovel Lake, 3 miles south
- Shovel Lake East boat rampShovel Lake East, 3 miles south
- Gilmour Lake boat rampGilmour Lake, 3 miles south
- Crystal Lake boat rampCrystal Lake, 3 miles south
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 Lake Kickapoo
DNR bathymetry for Lake Kickapoo: 2 contour maps.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
Hatchery fish released into Lake Kickapoo
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | September | Channel Catfish | 2,900 | 8.65 |
| 1983 | Multiple | Channel Catfish | 7,250 | 8.74 |
| 1978 | November | Channel Catfish | 7,582 | |
| 1975 | June | Channel Catfish | 1,000 | |
| 1972 | November | Channel Catfish | 2,000 | |
| 1970 | April | Largemouth Bass | 49 | |
| 1969 | October | Black Crappie | 582 | 3.5 |
| 1969 | October | Redear Sunfish | 2,445 | |
| 1969 | July | Largemouth Bass | 4,513 | 5.02 |
| 1969 | Multiple | Bluegill | 1,297 |
Year, month, species and count for Lake Kickapoo 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 Lake Kickapoo 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 Lake Kickapoo 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 Lake Kickapoo against nearby Indiana lakes
Lake Lenape tops this table next to Lake Kickapoo with 58 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Kickapoo | this lake | 258 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 10 |
| Lake Lenape | under a mile east | 58 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 23 |
| Lake Shakamak | under a mile north | 54 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 23 |
| Jasonville Lake | 3 miles east | not printed | 0 | 2 |
| West Shovel Lake | 3 miles south | not printed | 1 | 0 |
| Shovel Lake East | 3 miles south | not printed | 1 | 1 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from Lake Kickapoo
A second lake to try after Lake Kickapoo
- Lake Lenapeunder a mile east
- Lake Shakamakunder a mile north
- Jasonville Lake3 miles east
- West Shovel Lake3 miles south
- Shovel Lake East3 miles south
Bait counters along the drive to Lake Kickapoo
- Bruce's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Jasonville, 1 mile
- Handcrafted Lures & Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Dugger, 10 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Terre Haute, 4700 S Us Hwy 41sporting goods store, Terre Haute, 19 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Terre Hautesporting goods store, Terre Haute, 19 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Terre Haute, 3500 S. Us Hwy 41sporting goods store, Terre Haute, 20 miles
- Jack's Bait Tackle & Morebait and tackle shop, Brazil
Beds and diners within reach of Lake Kickapoo
- Jasonville2 miles
- Shelburn8 miles
- Farmersburg9 miles
Each county touching Lake Kickapoo, linked
- Clay Countyseat: Brazil
- Greene Countyseat: Bloomfield
- Sullivan Countyseat: Sullivan
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Lake Kickapoo
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and stream bends close to Lake Kickapoo, in pictures
Photo: Sarah Stierch, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Scott Weingart, CC BY 2.0
Lake Kickapoo, one question at a time
What part of Indiana holds Lake Kickapoo?
Shakamak State Park. Aim for Clay, Greene and Sullivan counties, about 2 miles from Jasonville.
What surface area goes with Lake Kickapoo on the Indiana map?
It covers 258 acres (NHD outline area).
Is there a public ramp at Lake Kickapoo?
A single DNR launch serves it, Kickapoo Lake boat ramp.
What fish live in Lake Kickapoo?
Expect bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish and black crappie, by DNR records.
Do I need to measure bass at Lake Kickapoo?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
Which permit do I carry at Lake Kickapoo?
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 Lake Kickapoo?
The DNR has no shore site on file for it.
Where do I get minnows for Lake Kickapoo?
Head to Bruce's Bait Shop, about 1 mile away,.
Which fish has the DNR released into Lake Kickapoo?
The latest dashboard row: 2,900 Channel Catfish, 8.65 in average (September 1986).
Point the truck toward Lake Kickapoo
Know what goes in the cooler before launching.