Rock Bass in Indiana
Where rock bass swim in Indiana, and what may be kept.
- 25 a daybag
- 3 lb.record
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Sizing up Indiana rock bass
The Indiana regulations guide files rock bass under "Rock Bass" in its statewide chart. What the guide prints for the day: 25. On length the row says: no size limit.
DNR record keepers show 3 lb. for rock bass: Sugar Creek, 1969. It turns up on 26 Indiana water pages, Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake first.
Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris), Centrarchidae (sunfishes).
Indiana rock bass bag and length rules
| Where | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| statewide | Rock Bass | 25 | no size limit |
| Ohio River main stem | Rock Bass | 15 | no size limit |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Where rock bass rules differ on Indiana's border waters
| Water | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio River | Rock Bass | 15 | no size limit |
Lake Michigan and Ohio River rows as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Indiana's top rock bass by weight
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 lb. | Sugar Creek | Hancock County | 1969 |
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 rock bass 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
- Mississinewa Lake2,160 acres (NHD outline area), Wabash County
- Cagles Mill Lake1,400 acres, Owen County
- Eagle Creek Reservoir1,128 acres (NHD outline area), Marion County
- J.C. Murphey Lake754 acres (NHD outline area), Newton County
- J. Edward Roush Lake298 acres (NHD outline area), Huntington County
- James Lake286 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Whitewater Lake170 acres (NHD outline area), Union County
- Griffy Lake117 acres (NHD outline area), Monroe County
- Ball Lake89 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Stayner Lake9 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Oswego LakeKosciusko County
- White RiverDaviess County
- Tippecanoe RiverCarroll County
- Yellow RiverMarshall County
- Buck Creek (Floyd and Harrison Counties)Floyd County
- Mississinewa RiverDelaware County
- Sugar Creek (Hancock and Henry Counties)Hancock County
- Sugar Creek (Boone and Clinton Counties)Boone County
- Big Creek (Jefferson and Jennings Counties)Jefferson County
- Driftwood RiverBartholomew County
- Sand Creek (Bartholomew and Decatur Counties)Bartholomew County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Same-family fish to rock bass
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Bluegillno bag limit
- Flierno statewide row
- Green Sunfishno statewide row
- Largemouth Bass5 a day
- Redear Sunfish25 a day
- Smallmouth Bass5 a day
- Spotted Bass5 a day
- Warmouthno statewide row
- White Crappie25 a day
Piscifun picks for a day out on Indiana rock bass
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Snapshots of the water by Rock Bass
Photo: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Ratcliff, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Indiana rock bass, asked and answered
How many rock bass can go home from an Indiana lake?
It reads 25; the length column says no size limit.
When was the Indiana rock bass record set?
3 lb., landed at Sugar Creek in 1969.
Where do rock bass live in Indiana?
It is named on 26 pages, Monroe Lake, Patoka Lake and Brookville Lake among them.
Is the rock bass rule the same on every Indiana water?
No entry changes its rule by name; all-fish lines still count.
Has the Indiana DNR stocked rock bass?
Its newest stocking row is from 2003.
Is one Indiana license enough for rock bass?
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 rock bass?
Ambloplites rupestris; family Centrarchidae (sunfishes), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
When can Indiana residents fish rock bass 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.
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The lakes linked above show piers and ramps.