Largemouth Bass in Indiana
Guide rows, record weight and lakes holding Indiana largemouth bass.
- 5 a daybag
- 14 lb. 12 oz.record
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Indiana largemouth bass, the essentials
The 2026-2027 Indiana guide covers largemouth bass on its statewide line "Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in lakes)". The guide's daily entry: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass. Length, per the guide: 14 inches.
In 1991, Lake gave up the state largemouth bass record of 14 lb. 12 oz. Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake top a list of 588 Indiana pages where the DNR names it. 21 waters have their own wording for it, Turtle Creek Reservoir and J.C. Murphey Lake first. DNR hatcheries put 1,692,184 into 84 waters from 2016 on, per the dashboard.
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans), Centrarchidae (sunfishes).
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| Where | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| statewide | Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in lakes) | 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 14 inches |
| statewide | 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 |
| statewide | Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in Lake Michigan) | 3, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 14 inches |
| Ohio River main stem | Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | 6, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 12 inches No size limit on spotted bass |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
largemouth bass on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River
| Water | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio River | Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | 6, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | 12 inches No size limit on spotted bass |
Lake Michigan and Ohio River rows as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
largemouth bass, lake by lake
| Water as printed | County | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Turtle Creek Reservoir | Sullivan | 20-inch minimum size limit and one fish daily bag limit |
| J.C. Murphey Lake | Newton | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Fidler Pond | Elkhart | 2 per day; must be at least 18 inches long |
| Failing Lake (Gentian Lake) | Steuben | 2 per day; must be at least 18 inches long |
| Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B | Hamilton | 2 per day; must be at least 18 inches long |
| Patoka Lake | Orange, Dubois, Crawford | 15-inch minimum size limit |
| Cecil M. Harden Lake | Parke | 16-inch minimum size limit |
| Ball Lake | Steuben | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Blue Grass Pit | Warrick | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Loon Pit | Warrick | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Kunkel Lake | Wells | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Robinson Lake | Whitley, Kosciusko | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| All lakes at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area | Kosciusko, Noble, Elkhart | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Bixler Lake | Noble | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Henderson Lake | Noble | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Little Long Lake | Noble | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Round Lake | Noble | 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit |
| Buffalo Trace Lake | Harrison | Bass from 12 to 15 inches may not be harvested; the daily bag limit applies to bass under 12 inches and over 15 inches |
| Ferdinand State Forest Lake | Dubois | Bass from 12 to 15 inches may not be harvested; the daily bag limit applies to bass under 12 inches and over 15 inches |
| Montgomery City Park Lake | Daviess | Bass from 12 to 15 inches may not be harvested; the daily bag limit applies to bass under 12 inches and over 15 inches |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Record largemouth bass in the DNR program
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 lb. 12 oz. | Lake | Harrison County | 1991 |
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.
Lakes and rivers with largemouth bass on the DNR list
- Monroe Lake10,750 acres, Monroe County
- Patoka Lake8,800 acres, Crawford County
- Brookville Lake4,364 acres (NHD outline area), Franklin County
- Lake Wawasee3,426 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Gibson Lake2,942 acres (NHD outline area), Gibson County
- Salamonie Lake2,874 acres (NHD outline area), Wabash County
- Mississinewa Lake2,160 acres (NHD outline area), Wabash County
- Lake Maxinkuckee1,910 acres (NHD outline area), Marshall County
- Cecil M Harden Lake1,674 acres (NHD outline area), Parke County
- Lake Freeman1,569 acres (NHD outline area), White County
- Turtle Creek Reservoir1,558 acres (NHD outline area), Sullivan County
- Lake Lemon1,454 acres (NHD outline area), Monroe County
- Morse Reservoir1,440 acres (NHD outline area), Hamilton County
- Cagles Mill Lake1,400 acres, Owen County
- Hovey Lake1,370 acres (NHD outline area), Posey County
- Prairie Creek Reservoir1,258 acres (NHD outline area), Delaware County
- Dogwood Lake1,235 acres (NHD outline area), Daviess County
- Geist Reservoir1,153 acres (NHD outline area), Hamilton County
- Eagle Creek Reservoir1,128 acres (NHD outline area), Marion County
- Hamilton Lake835 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Summit Lake (Henry County)819 acres (NHD outline area), Henry County
- Lake Manitou810 acres (NHD outline area), Fulton County
- Crooked Lake (Steuben County)801 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Cedar Lake (Lake County)797 acres (NHD outline area), Lake County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Recent largemouth bass releases in Indiana
| Water as listed | Fish since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Turtle Creek Reservoir | 435,000 |
| Monroe Lake | 298,585 |
| Cecil M Harden Lake | 273,823 |
| Mississinewa Walleye Rearing Pond | 156,375 |
| Cagles Mill Lake | 102,756 |
| Middlefork Reservoir | 56,787 |
| Glenn Flint Lake | 50,175 |
| J.C. Murphey Lake | 40,883 |
| Beaver Dam Lake (Dubois) | 37,002 |
| Waveland, Lake | 32,859 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Kin of largemouth bass in Indiana water
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Bluegillno bag limit
- Flierno statewide row
- Green Sunfishno statewide row
- Redear Sunfish25 a day
- Rock Bass25 a day
- Smallmouth Bass5 a day
- Spotted Bass5 a day
- Warmouthno statewide row
- White Crappie25 a day
Piscifun gear a Hoosier angler might bring to Indiana largemouth bass
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Glacial lakes, quarry pits and creek bends near Largemouth Bass, photographed
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: bob, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
largemouth bass in Indiana, reader questions
What is the daily bag for largemouth bass in Indiana?
Statewide, the guide prints: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass; size: 14 inches.
Which Indiana water produced the top largemouth bass?
The program shows 14 lb. 12 oz. from Lake, 1991.
What Indiana lake should I try for largemouth bass?
Try Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake, out of 588.
Are there special regulation waters for largemouth bass?
The guide names 21 waters; Turtle Creek Reservoir is one.
Which Indiana waters got largemouth bass from the DNR?
Since 2016, 1,692,184 across 84 waters; latest row 2026.
What does the DNR require to fish for largemouth bass?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
Which scientific name does the DNR list use for largemouth bass?
Micropterus nigricans; family Centrarchidae (sunfishes), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
Are Indiana free days open to largemouth bass anglers?
The Indiana DNR set Free Fishing Days for May 10, June 6-7, and Sept. 26, 2026, for Indiana residents (no license or trout/salmon stamp needed; all other rules apply). Normal limits hold.
Go after Indiana largemouth bass
Click into a Hoosier lake or stream above for its launches and special lines.