Flatrock River Fishing
This river crosses Bartholomew County and 4 other counties; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
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Reading the Flatrock River before you wade in
The Flatrock River is an Indiana river that runs 91 miles of mapped NHD line in Bartholomew County and 4 other counties. On state lists it is NRC Outstanding River (2013 list). Gas and ice are closest in Rushville, about 8 miles away.
You can put in at 3 ramps the DNR maps. Its flow and height come from 4 USGS gauges.
USGS NHD named flowlines (mapped length in Indiana, not a DNR figure); Indiana DNR stream designation layers and Fishing Access Sites, read November 5, 2026.
The Flatrock River on DNR stream lists
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- Reach as listedS.R. 9 to East Fork White River
- Navigableon the Indiana navigable waterways list
Each line above for the Flatrock River is a state list entry, printed as listed.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
Gauge readings from the Flatrock River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Flatrock River Near Raleigh, In | 4.09 ft gage height | Nov 6 10:45 pm |
| Flatrock River Nr Rushville, In | 4.61 ft gage height | Nov 6 10:30 pm |
| Flatrock River At St. Paul, In | 66 cfs, 0.79 ft gage height | Nov 6 10:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 6, 2026 11:34 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Treat the live the Flatrock River numbers as provisional.
Stage readings along the Flatrock River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatrock River at Columbus | 2.93 ft | 0.101 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
| Flatrock River near Raleigh | 4.12 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
| Flatrock River at Rushville | 4.68 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
| Flatrock River at St. Paul | 0.87 ft | 0.0865 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 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 instantaneous values, provisional.
What swims in the Flatrock River, per the DNR
DNR sources, not anglers, named these fish in the Flatrock River.
Indiana DNR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus boat ramp on Flatrock River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access South |
| Flat Rock River boat ramp on Flatrock River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access South |
| Owen's Bend County Park on Flatrock River | boat ramp | boat ramp, ADA access, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access South/ Bartholomew County Parks |
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.
Bag counts and inch rules on the Flatrock River
| Species as printed | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Bluegill | Unlimited | no size limit |
| Redear Sunfish | 25 | 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 |
| 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 |
| Northern Pike | 3 | 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer |
River and stream rows apply to the Flatrock River for bass and catfish; other species follow the statewide table.
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.
Five streams close to the Flatrock River
The closest stream page to the Flatrock River is Little Flatrock River, about 5 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatrock River | this stream | 91 | 4 | 3 |
| Little Flatrock River | 5 miles east | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Little Blue River (Henry and Rush Counties) | 9 miles north | 41 | 1 | 0 |
| Big Blue River | 15 miles northwest | 76 | 2 | 4 |
| Whitewater River | 21 miles east | 87 | 3 | 1 |
| Sugar Creek (Hancock and Henry Counties) | 25 miles northwest | 78 | 3 | 1 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A Hoosier back-road drive from Flatrock River
Other lakes a county or two from Flatrock River
- Decatur Lake13 miles
- Soldiers and Sailors Pond17 miles
- Sunset Park Pond19 miles
- Smalley's Lake22 miles
Grab bait on the way into Flatrock River
- BReelBaitbait and tackle shop, Shelbyville, 14 miles
- Popes Live Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Shelbyville, 14 miles
- Lake Santee Marinamarina, Greensburg, 15 miles
- McDonald's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Knightstown, 18 miles
- Anglers Worldfly shop, Greenfield, 22 miles
- Bait Tapleybait and tackle shop, New Castle
Indiana towns close to Flatrock River
- Rushville8 miles
- Greensburg12 miles
- Shelbyville13 miles
Other Indiana rivers near the Flatrock River
- Little Flatrock River5 miles
- Little Blue River (Henry and Rush Counties)9 miles
- Big Blue River15 miles
- Whitewater River21 miles
- Sugar Creek (Hancock and Henry Counties)25 miles
The counties Flatrock River passes through
- Bartholomew County
- Decatur County
- Henry County
- Rush County
- Shelby County
Piscifun gear a Hoosier angler might bring to Flatrock River
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish to know on sight at Flatrock River
Photo: Craig Chew-Moulding, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Sorting out the Flatrock River before the cooler gets packed
Through which Indiana country does the Flatrock River wind?
Its counties are Bartholomew County and 4 other counties, and its mapped point is about 8 miles from Rushville.
What is the mapped length of the Flatrock River?
The NHD map shows 91 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Can I put a boat in the Flatrock River?
The DNR maps 3 access sites; Columbus boat ramp on Flatrock River is one.
What might bite for a Hoosier angler in the Flatrock River?
Look for common carp, catfish and smallmouth bass.
Is there a slot limit on the Flatrock River?
The guide row for rivers and streams reads: 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
Which Indiana license papers cover the Flatrock River?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
How high is the Flatrock River running?
The live panel shows Flatrock River Near Raleigh, IN.
Which listed shop can outfit a Hoosier trip to the Flatrock River?
Stop at BReelBait, about 14 miles away,.
Is the Flatrock River on a special state list?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
Load the canoe for the Flatrock River
Check the stream rows before you keep a bass.