Northern Pike in Indiana
Where northern pike swim in Indiana, and what may be kept.
- 3 a daybag
- 30 lb. 2 oz.record
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Sizing up Indiana northern pike
The Indiana regulations guide files northern pike under "Northern Pike" in its statewide chart. What the guide prints for the day: 3. On length the row says: 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer.
DNR record keepers show 30 lb. 2 oz. for northern pike: Clear Lake, 1992. It turns up on 71 Indiana water pages, Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake first. Its rule changes on 1 water, Hamilton Lake among them. Across 1 water, the DNR listed 1,080 stocked since 2016.
Northern Pike (Esox lucius), Esocidae (pikes and mudminnows).
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| Where | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| statewide | Northern Pike | 3 | 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Local northern pike rules in the Indiana guide
| Water as printed | County | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Lake | Steuben | No more than 6 per day; no minimum size limit, with no more than 1 per day more than 30 inches long |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Indiana's top northern pike by weight
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 lb. 2 oz. | Clear Lake | Steuben County | 1992 |
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.
Where northern pike are listed in Indiana
- 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
- Mississinewa Lake2,160 acres (NHD outline area), Wabash County
- Lake Freeman1,569 acres (NHD outline area), White County
- Cagles Mill Lake1,400 acres, Owen County
- Eagle Creek Reservoir1,128 acres (NHD outline area), Marion County
- Hamilton Lake835 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Clear Lake (Steuben County)815 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Lake Manitou810 acres (NHD outline area), Fulton County
- J.C. Murphey Lake754 acres (NHD outline area), Newton County
- Hardy Lake741 acres, Scott County
- Big Chapman Lake640 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Dewart Lake550 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Waldron Lake429 acres (NHD outline area), Noble County
- Koontz Lake340 acres (NHD outline area), Marshall County
- James Lake286 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Upper/Lower Fish Lake267 acres (NHD outline area), LaPorte County
- Pike Lake257 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Bruce Lake247 acres (NHD outline area), Pulaski County
- Palestine Lake245 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Witmer Lake238 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
- Shipshewana Lake222 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Indiana northern pike stocking by year
| Water as listed | Fish since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Fish Lake (LaGrange) | 1,080 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Same-family fish to northern pike
- Muskellunge1 a day
Piscifun picks for a day out on Indiana northern pike
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Snapshots of the water by Northern Pike
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Serge Melki, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC0 1.0
Indiana northern pike, asked and answered
How many northern pike can go home from an Indiana lake?
It reads 3; the length column says 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer.
When was the Indiana northern pike record set?
30 lb. 2 oz., landed at Clear Lake in 1992.
Where do northern pike live in Indiana?
It is named on 71 pages, Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake among them.
Is the northern pike rule the same on every Indiana water?
1 water print their own wording, such as Hamilton Lake.
Has the Indiana DNR stocked northern pike?
The dashboard shows 1,080 since 2016 across 1 water; most recent year 2021.
Is one Indiana license enough for northern pike?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
What is the Latin name the DNR gives northern pike?
Esox lucius; family Esocidae (pikes and mudminnows), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
When can Indiana residents fish northern pike without a license?
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). The daily bag still counts.
Plan a Hoosier trip for northern pike
The lakes linked above show piers and ramps.