Pigeon River Fishing
Moving water in LaGrange County; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
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The Pigeon River, sized up for Indiana anglers
Mapped NHD line puts 21 miles of the Pigeon River inside Indiana, through LaGrange County. The state lists it as NRC Outstanding River (2013 list) and DNR put-and-take salmonid stream. Plan on roughly 5 miles to the town of Lagrange.
DNR access data shows 6 ramps. Discharge is measured at 1 USGS gauge.
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.
Special status of the Pigeon River
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
- Reach as listedS.R. 327 to Indiana/Michigan Line
The rows for the Pigeon River quote the state stream lists.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
Stage and discharge along the Pigeon River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Pigeon River Near Scott, In | 196 cfs, 3.36 ft gage height | Nov 6 11:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 6, 2026 11:34 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS readings for the Pigeon River update live and are provisional.
Dam gauge readings on the Pigeon River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon River near Scott | 3.38 ft | 0.201 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 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.
DNR-listed fish in the Pigeon River
For the Pigeon River each name traces to a DNR label or row.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon River (175 North) boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Pigeon River (225 East) boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Pigeon River (Mongo Dam) boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded, Electric only | Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Pigeon River (SR 327) boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Pigeon River boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area |
| Scott PFA boat ramp on Pigeon River | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
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.
How many fish leave the Pigeon River in your cooler
| 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 |
On the Pigeon River, the river versions of the bass and catfish rows replace the lake ones.
- 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.
Nearby Indiana current around the Pigeon River
Fawn River (LaGrange County) is the nearest neighbour of the Pigeon River, roughly 4 miles off.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon River | this stream | 21 | 1 | 6 |
| Fawn River (LaGrange County) | 4 miles northwest | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Fawn River (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) | 12 miles east | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Rowe-Eden Ditch | 13 miles southwest | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Little Elkhart River | 13 miles west | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) | 15 miles southeast | 15 | 2 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A short haul from Pigeon River
More Indiana lakes within reach of Pigeon River
- South Twin Lake2 miles
- North Twin Lake2 miles
- Aldrich Lake4 miles
- Meteer Lake4 miles
Stores stocking hooks and line around Pigeon River
- Yoder Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Shipshewana, 6 miles
- JR's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Topeka, 10 miles
- Hochstetler Furniture Shop & Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Topeka, 11 miles
- Allstar Custom Baitsbait and tackle shop, Topeka, 12 miles
- Country Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Wolcottville, 13 miles
- Tackle Shackbait and tackle shop, Middlebury, 14 miles
Places to eat and sleep near Pigeon River
- Lagrange5 miles
- Topeka13 miles
- Wolcottville13 miles
Further Hoosier streams by the Pigeon River
- Fawn River (LaGrange County)4 miles
- Fawn River (LaGrange and Steuben Counties)12 miles
- Rowe-Eden Ditch13 miles
- Little Elkhart River13 miles
- Turkey Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties)15 miles
County pages that take in Pigeon River
- LaGrange County
A Piscifun lineup sized for Pigeon River
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Lakes and stream bends close to Pigeon River, in pictures
Photo: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: brian kelly, CC BY 2.0
Plain answers about the Pigeon River
Which counties does the Pigeon River cross?
Head for LaGrange County, and its mapped point is about 5 miles from Lagrange.
How many mapped Indiana miles does the Pigeon River run?
The NHD map shows 21 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which access sites serve the Pigeon River?
Try Pigeon River (175 North) boat ramp, one of 6 access sites.
Which fish does the DNR name in the Pigeon River?
DNR labels name bluegill, largemouth bass, redear sunfish and trout.
Which bass limit covers the Pigeon 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
May an out-of-state visitor wet a line on the Pigeon River?
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.
Is there a flow gauge on the Pigeon River?
Pigeon River Near Scott, IN reports it live.
Which Indiana bait counter is handiest to the Pigeon River?
Nearest in our list: Yoder Bait & Tackle, about 6 miles away,.
What designation does the Pigeon River carry?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list); DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
Give the Pigeon River a Saturday
Get the Indiana license on the DNR site before the float.