Sylvan Lake Fishing
An Indiana lake in Noble County, 653 acres (NHD outline area).
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First Indiana notes on Sylvan Lake
A lake of 653 acres (NHD outline area), Sylvan Lake belongs to Noble County. The handiest town is Rome City, under a mile off.
The DNR access layer for it holds 1 boat ramp. The DNR stocking dashboard holds 38 stocking rows for it.
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.
How the DNR lists Sylvan Lake on its map
- Location (DNR)Off SR 9 in Rome City
- Owner (DNR)DNR DFW, State
- DNR districtDNR fisheries district 3
- Public freshwater lakeon the Indiana list of public freshwater lakes
Nothing in this list for Sylvan Lake is our wording; it is the DNR attribute text.
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
The fish the DNR records for Sylvan Lake
The DNR named these fish for Sylvan Lake on its lake layer, access sites, stocking dashboard or record list.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake boat ramp | boat ramp | concrete ramp, fishing pier, courtesy dock, ADA access, restrooms, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
Backup launches when the Sylvan Lake lot fills
- Tamarack Lake (Use Dukes Bridge Ramp)Tamarack Lake, 3 miles west
- Steinbarger Lake (Use Dukes Bridge Ramp)Steinbarger Lake, 4 miles west
- Cree Lake boat rampCree Lake, 4 miles east
- Witmer Lake boat rampWitmer Lake, 4 miles northwest
- Sacarider Lake boat rampSacarider Lake, 4 miles south
- Jones Lake (Use Dukes Bridge Ramp)Jones Lake, 4 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.
Contour maps the DNR published for Sylvan Lake
The DNR offers 1 contour map covering Sylvan Lake.
Indiana DNR lake depth maps (PDF bathymetry by lake), read November 5, 2026.
The latest pool figure at Sylvan Lake
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Branch Elkhart River at Sylvan Lake | 9.15 ft | – | not defined | 2026-11-05 19:00:00 UTC |
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake At Rome City, In | 9.15 ft gage height | Nov 6 10:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 6, 2026 10:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Live USGS numbers for Sylvan Lake are subject to review.
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
What the DNR put into Sylvan Lake
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October | Walleye | 6,690 | 7.0 |
| 2024 | October | Walleye | 8,465 | 6.2 |
| 2023 | October | Walleye | 4,095 | 7.0 |
| 2022 | October | Walleye | 5,040 | 7.0 |
| 2021 | October | Walleye | 5,870 | 7.0 |
| 2020 | October | Walleye | 5,870 | 7.0 |
| 2019 | October | Walleye | 5,870 | 7.6 |
| 2017 | October | Walleye | 5,490 | 7.5 |
| 2016 | October | Walleye | 5,870 | 7.7 |
| 2015 | October | Walleye | 6,690 | 7.0 |
| 2014 | October | Walleye | 6,690 | 7.2 |
| 2013 | October | Walleye | 6,690 | 7.1 |
At Sylvan Lake these are the DNR hatchery releases on file.
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
What can go home from Sylvan 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) |
Indiana statewide rows rule Sylvan Lake wherever its own guide entry is silent.
- 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.
Tournaments on Sylvan Lake
Dates, launch ramps and printed weights for Sylvan Lake events have a page of their own.
Sylvan Lake measured against the lakes beside it
The roomiest neighbour of Sylvan Lake is Wible Lake, at 48 acres (NHD outline area).
| Lake | Distance | Size | DNR ramps | Stocking rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake | this lake | 653 acres (NHD outline area) | 1 | 38 |
| Latta Lake | 1 mile east | 43 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 3 |
| Hall Lake | 2 miles southeast | 11 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 3 |
| Wible Lake | 3 miles east | 48 acres (NHD outline area) | 0 | 3 |
| Tamarack Lake (Noble County), near Wolcottville | 3 miles northeast | not printed | 0 | 0 |
| Tamarack Lake (Noble County), near Rome City | 3 miles west | not printed | 1 | 0 |
Indiana DNR lake layer, NHD outline areas, DNR Fishing Access Sites and stocking dashboard; read November 5, 2026.
Near Sylvan Lake
Nearby water to fish after Sylvan Lake
- Latta Lake1 mile east
- Hall Lake2 miles southeast
- Wible Lake3 miles east
- Tamarack Lake (Noble County), near Wolcottville3 miles northeast
- Tamarack Lake (Noble County), near Rome City3 miles west
Hoosier tackle stops handy to Sylvan Lake
- West Lakes Boat Martmarina, Kendallville, 3 miles
- Country Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Wolcottville, 3 miles
- Jones Lake Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Rome City, 4 miles
- Angler Enterprises Incfly shop, Hudson, 10 miles
- Hochstetler Furniture Shop & Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Topeka, 11 miles
- Allstar Custom Baitsbait and tackle shop, Topeka, 12 miles
Home bases for anglers fishing Sylvan Lake
- Rome Cityunder a mile
- Wolcottville3 miles
- Kendallville5 miles
Sylvan Lake, broken out by Indiana county
- Noble Countyseat: Albion
Piscifun reels to toss in the boat for Sylvan Lake
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Hoosier lakes and creeks near Sylvan Lake, on camera
Photo: PunkToad, CC BY 2.0
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Brad P, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Things Indiana anglers ask about Sylvan Lake
What county seat is near Sylvan Lake?
Off SR 9 in Rome City. Search Noble County, under a mile from Rome City.
What acreage goes with Sylvan Lake?
Its outline measures 653 acres (NHD outline area).
Does Sylvan Lake have a boat launch?
Only Sylvan Lake boat ramp appears on the DNR layer.
Are there bass in Sylvan Lake?
The DNR fish list starts with bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, largemouth bass, walleye and channel catfish.
What is the bass limit on Sylvan Lake?
The statewide lake row reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, size 14 inches.
Does a Hoosier fishing license cover Sylvan Lake?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Kids under 18 fish without one.
Where do Hoosier bank casters set up at Sylvan Lake?
The DNR lists no pier or shore site here.
Where do Hoosiers fishing Sylvan Lake stock up on hooks?
West Lakes Boat Mart, about 3 miles away, is first on our list.
Which agency posts a level for Sylvan Lake?
Look for North Branch Elkhart River at Sylvan Lake (NWS, dated) above.
How often is Sylvan Lake stocked?
The latest dashboard row: 6,690 Walleye, 7.0 in average (October 2025).
Set an early alarm for Sylvan Lake
Indiana fees and limits sit on one page.