Lake Wawasee Fishing
DNR-listed lake water in Kosciusko County, 3,426 acres (NHD outline area).
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What an Indiana angler should know about Lake Wawasee
Kosciusko County holds Lake Wawasee, a lake measured at 3,426 acres (NHD outline area). From the DNR point it is roughly 3 miles to Syracuse.
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. Census 2023 places.
Where Lake Wawasee sits, by the DNR layer
- Location (DNR)Four miles S of Syracuse on SR 13, then two miles E on Old Road 8 (CR 1000N)
- Owner (DNR)State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 3
- Public freshwater lakeon the Indiana list of public freshwater lakes
For Lake Wawasee, 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 Wawasee, per the DNR
For Lake Wawasee, 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.
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| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wawasee 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 Lake Wawasee
- Hammond Lake boat rampHammond Lake, 3 miles south
- Allen Lake boat rampAllen Lake, 3 miles south
- Shock Lake boat rampShock Lake, 3 miles south
- Syracuse Lake boat rampSyracuse Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Spear Lake boat rampSpear Lake, 3 miles southeast
- Barrel-and-a-Half Lake boat rampBarrel-and-a-Half 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 Wawasee
DNR bathymetry for Lake Wawasee: 1 contour map.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
Hatchery fish released into Lake Wawasee
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | April | Walleye | 5,938,230 | |
| 1978 | June | Walleye | 128,216 | 0.75 |
| 1976 | Multiple | Walleye | 5,964,000 |
Year, month, species and count for Lake Wawasee 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 Wawasee 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 Wawasee 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.
Circuit stops at Lake Wawasee
Open the Lake Wawasee tournament page for the schedule and winners.
Sizing Lake Wawasee against nearby Indiana lakes
Shock Lake tops this table next to Lake Wawasee with 43 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wawasee | this lake | 3,426 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 3 |
| Hammond Lake | 2 miles south | 6 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 1 |
| Allen Lake | 3 miles south | 5 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Syracuse Lake | 3 miles northwest | not printed | 1 | 0 |
| Shock Lake | 3 miles south | 43 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 5 |
| Spear Lake | 3 miles southeast | 36 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 9 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from Lake Wawasee
A second lake to try after Lake Wawasee
- Hammond Lake2 miles south
- Allen Lake3 miles south
- Syracuse Lake3 miles northwest
- Shock Lake3 miles south
- Spear Lake3 miles southeast
Bait counters along the drive to Lake Wawasee
- Griffith's Wawasee Marinamarina, Syracuse, 1 mile
- Wawasee Boat Worksmarina, Syracuse, 2 miles
- Main Channel Marinamarina, Syracuse, 3 miles
- Allan's Mobile Marinemarina, Syracuse, 3 miles
- Track & Channel Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 3 miles
- Premier Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 5 miles
Hiring a Hoosier guide for Lake Wawasee
- Penrod & Reel Guide Service LLCcharter, (574) 551-6598
Beds and diners within reach of Lake Wawasee
- Syracuse3 miles
- Ligonier7 miles
- Milford8 miles
Each county touching Lake Wawasee, linked
- Kosciusko Countyseat: Warsaw
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Lake Wawasee
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Lake Wawasee, one question at a time
What part of Indiana holds Lake Wawasee?
Four miles S of Syracuse on SR 13, then two miles E on Old Road 8 (CR 1000N). Aim for Kosciusko County, about 3 miles from Syracuse.
What surface area goes with Lake Wawasee on the Indiana map?
It covers 3,426 acres (NHD outline area).
Is there a public ramp at Lake Wawasee?
A single DNR launch serves it, Lake Wawasee boat ramp.
What fish live in Lake Wawasee?
Expect bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye, by DNR records.
Do I need to measure bass at Lake Wawasee?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
Which permit do I carry at Lake Wawasee?
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 Wawasee?
The DNR has no shore site on file for it.
Where do I get minnows for Lake Wawasee?
Head to Griffith's Wawasee Marina, about 1 mile away,.
Which fish has the DNR released into Lake Wawasee?
The latest dashboard row: 5,938,230 Walleye (April 1981).
Point the truck toward Lake Wawasee
Know what goes in the cooler before launching.