Juday Ditch Fishing
A stream of Elkhart County; DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
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What an Indiana angler should know about the Juday Ditch
Through Elkhart County, the Juday Ditch traces 3 miles of mapped NHD line. It carries the label DNR put-and-take salmonid stream. From the mapped point it is roughly 2 miles to Syracuse.
Scroll on for access, fish and the river rules.
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.
How the DNR classes the Juday Ditch
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
State lists supplied the Juday Ditch entries above.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
Species on the DNR list for the Juday Ditch
The Juday Ditch names follow DNR wording.
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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The DNR access layer lists nothing on the Juday Ditch; ask landowners before crossing private banks.
Launches worth knowing near Juday Ditch
- Syracuse Lake boat rampSyracuse Lake, 2 miles
- Benton boat ramp on Elkhart RiverElkhart River, 4 miles
- Dewart Lake boat rampDewart Lake, 6 miles
- Waubee Lake boat rampWaubee Lake, 6 miles
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.
What the DNR put into the Juday Ditch
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April | Brown Trout | 101 | 12.37 |
| 2025 | October | Brown Trout | 843 | 5.3 |
| 2024 | October | Brown Trout | 2,000 | 5.0 |
| 2024 | May | Rainbow Trout | 50 | 11.0 |
| 2023 | May | Rainbow Trout | 75 | 13.0 |
| 2021 | April | Brown Trout | 270 | 11.0 |
| 2021 | April | Rainbow Trout | 50 | 11.0 |
| 2020 | October | Brown Trout | 130 | 11.0 |
| 2019 | May | Rainbow Trout | 100 | 11.0 |
| 2019 | Multiple | Brown Trout | 1,050 | 6.57 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
The 2026 trout plan for the Juday Ditch
| Season | Water as printed | Location | Planned number | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening day streams, north | Juday Creek | 100 | Brown Trout |
For the Juday Ditch, the DNR trout plan sets targets that can change.
Indiana DNR 2026 trout stocking plan (updated March 20, 2026; planned targets, DNR notes actual numbers may vary), read November 5, 2026.
What can go home from the Juday Ditch
| 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 |
For the Juday Ditch, use the stream rows for bass and catfish.
- Inland troutInland Trout sizes & limits | Species | Daily Bag Limit | Minimum Size | Brook Trout | 5, any combination of brook, rainbow, or brown trout; no more than one may be brown trout | 7 inches* | Rainbow Trout | Brown Trout | *There is no minimum size limit for trout caught from lakes, except for an 18-inch size limit for brown trout at Oliver, Olin, and Martin lakes in LaGrange County and Brookville Lake tailwater (East Fork Whitewater River) in Franklin County. |
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
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.
The Juday Ditch beside other Indiana streams
For a second option near the Juday Ditch, Elkhart River lies about 5 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juday Ditch | this stream | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Elkhart River | 5 miles northwest | 41 | 1 | 10 |
| Solomon Creek | 5 miles east | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Rowe-Eden Ditch | 12 miles northeast | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Grassy Creek (Kosciusko and Whitley Counties) | 13 miles south | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| Little Elkhart River | 15 miles north | 20 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from Juday Ditch
A second lake to try after Juday Ditch
- Syracuse Lake2 miles
- Lake Wawasee5 miles
- Sunnyside Park Pond North5 miles
- Dewart Lake6 miles
Bait counters along the drive to Juday Ditch
- Premier Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 1 mile
- Allan's Mobile Marinemarina, Syracuse, 2 miles
- Track & Channel Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 3 miles
- Main Channel Marinamarina, Syracuse, 3 miles
- Wawasee Boat Worksmarina, Syracuse, 4 miles
- Griffith's Wawasee Marinamarina, Syracuse, 6 miles
Beds and diners within reach of Juday Ditch
- Syracuse2 miles
- Milford6 miles
- Ligonier8 miles
Neighbouring streams of the Juday Ditch
- Elkhart River5 miles
- Solomon Creek5 miles
- Rowe-Eden Ditch12 miles
- Grassy Creek (Kosciusko and Whitley Counties)13 miles
- Little Elkhart River15 miles
Each county touching Juday Ditch, linked
- Elkhart County
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Juday Ditch
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Hoosier lakes and creeks near Juday Ditch, on camera
Photo: PunkToad, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0
What the bait counter hears about the Juday Ditch
How do I find the Juday Ditch?
Find it in Elkhart County, and its mapped point is about 2 miles from Syracuse.
What length is given for the Juday Ditch?
The NHD map shows 3 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Is there a ramp on the Juday Ditch?
It has no DNR-mapped access.
What fish are in the Juday Ditch?
Expect brown trout and rainbow trout, by DNR records.
What bass rules apply on the Juday Ditch?
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 permit belongs in the tackle box for the Juday Ditch?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
What is the stage on the Juday Ditch?
It is ungauged in our data.
Where do I get crawlers for the Juday Ditch?
Head to Premier Bait & Tackle, about 1 mile away,.
What state status does the Juday Ditch have?
State lists name it: DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
Watch the gauge, then float the Juday Ditch
Know the slot before the first cast.