Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) Fishing
Moving water in Boone County and 5 other counties; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Cecil M. Harden Lake: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties), sized up for Indiana anglers
Mapped NHD line puts 88 miles of Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) inside Indiana, through Boone County and 5 other counties. The state lists it as NRC Outstanding River (2013 list). Plan on roughly 5 miles to the town of Crawfordsville.
DNR access data shows 1 ramp. Discharge is measured at 2 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.
Special status of Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- Reach as listedDarlington Covered Bridge to confluence with Wabash River
- Navigableon the Indiana navigable waterways list
The rows for Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) 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 Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek Near Thorntown, In | 28 cfs, 2.35 ft gage height | Nov 8 12:45 am |
| Sugar Creek At Crawfordsville, In | 54 cfs, 3.08 ft gage height | Nov 8 12:45 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 1:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS readings for Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) update live and are provisional.
Dam gauge readings on Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek (IN) at Crawfordsville | 3.1 ft | 0.056 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 UTC |
| Sugar Creek (IN) near Thorntown | 2.47 ft | – | not defined | 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.
DNR-listed fish in Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
For Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek Rock River Ridge boat ramp | boat ramp | gravel ramp, no fee recorded | Crawfordsville Parks & Recreation |
| Sugar Creek Public Fishing Area | shore access | no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access South |
| Sugar Creek (Elston Park) | shore access | no fee recorded | Crawfordsville Parks Dept. |
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.
Hatchery rows for Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | October | Rock Bass | 2,509 | 1.6 |
| 1993 | October | Smallmouth Bass | 1,785 | 4.0 |
| 1977 | Multiple | Smallmouth Bass | 1,075 |
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 Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) 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 Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties), the river versions of the bass and catfish rows replace the lake ones.
Lines in the fishing guide just for Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek (Montgomery, Parke, Boone, Clinton, Tipton) | Black Bass | 20-inch minimum size limit and one fish daily bag limit |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
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.
Nearby Indiana current around Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
Indian Creek (Montgomery County) is the nearest neighbour of Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties), roughly 13 miles off.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) | this stream | 88 | 2 | 1 |
| Indian Creek (Montgomery County) | 13 miles southwest | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Sugar Mill Creek | 19 miles southwest | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| South Fork Wildcat Creek | 20 miles northeast | 44 | 1 | 0 |
| Big Raccoon Creek | 23 miles southwest | 77 | 3 | 0 |
| Big Walnut Creek | 24 miles south | 58 | 2 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A short haul from Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
More Indiana lakes within reach of Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Shades State Park Pond17 miles
- Lake Waveland19 miles
- Armstrong Park Pond21 miles
- Munger Park Pond24 miles
Stores stocking hooks and line around Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Beautiful Bud's Sports and Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Crawfordsville, 6 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Lafayettesporting goods store, Lafayette, 21 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Lafayettesporting goods store, Lafayette, 22 miles
- Geneos Hunting Fishing & deer processing live baitbait and tackle shop, Lafayette, 23 miles
- Morton Hook & Sinker Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Greencastle, 23 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Whitestownsporting goods store, Whitestown
Indiana guides and charters on Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Dixon Guide Servicefishing guide, (317) 908-8984
- FightNFliesfishing guide, (317) 847-9141
- Mike's Fly Fishing Guide Servicefishing guide, (219) 765-3860
- Smallmouth Pursuit Guide Cofishing guide, (765) 366-7796
- Sugar Creek Anglersfishing guide, (765) 401-6034
- Sweet Creek Smallmouthfishing guide, (765) 366-0407
- Two Forks Guide Service, LLCfishing guide, (317) 223-6590
Places to eat and sleep near Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Crawfordsville5 miles
- Ladoga12 miles
- Thorntown12 miles
Further Hoosier streams by Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Indian Creek (Montgomery County)13 miles
- Sugar Mill Creek19 miles
- South Fork Wildcat Creek20 miles
- Big Raccoon Creek23 miles
- Big Walnut Creek24 miles
County pages that take in Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
- Boone County
- Clinton County
- Montgomery County
- Parke County
- Tipton County
- Vermillion County
A Piscifun lineup sized for Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and stream bends close to Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties), in pictures
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Barbara Ann Spengler, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Serge Melki, CC BY 2.0
Sorting out Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) before the cooler gets packed
Which counties does Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) cross?
Head for Boone County and 5 other counties, and its mapped point is about 5 miles from Crawfordsville.
How many mapped Indiana miles does Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) run?
The NHD map shows 88 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which access sites serve Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
Try Sugar Creek Rock River Ridge boat ramp, one of 3 access sites.
Which fish does the DNR name in Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
DNR labels name bluegill, common carp, catfish, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, smallmouth bass and rock bass.
Which bass limit covers Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
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 Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
Is there a flow gauge on Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
Sugar Creek Near Thorntown, IN reports it live.
Which Indiana bait counter is handiest to Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)?
Nearest in our list: Beautiful Bud's Sports and Bait Shop, about 6 miles away,.
What designation does Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) carry?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
Give Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties) a Saturday
Get the Indiana license on the DNR site before the float.