Indian Lake Fishing: Complete Angler’s Guide

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Spanning a little over 5,100 acres in Western Ohio’s Logan County, Indian Lake is one of the most consistently great fishing lakes in the Buckeye State. 

Fed by the north and south forks of the Great Miami River, Indian Lake was once a series of small kettle lakes left by retreating glaciers at the end of the last ice age. With the construction of a dam in 1851, these small lakes and the wetlands surrounding them became Indian Lake.

Though the lake was greatly enlarged, the footprint of the old kettle lakes are still identifiable on a topo map. The “Old Indian Lake” area south of Dream Bridge is a popular fishing spot.

Initially created to supply water to Ohio’s elaborate canal system, Indian Lake eventually became more of a recreation destination as railroads replaced canals. Today, it continues to be an outstanding fishing lake as well as a popular spot for swimming, camping and boating. 

Indian Lake is, for the most part, broad and shallow. A few spots reach depths up to 15 feet, but the majority of the lake consists of broad flats that are 6 feet deep or less.

Anglers troll the flats, work the bottoms of the kettle holes, and beat the banks along Indian Lake’s many islands and peninsulas. Much of the shoreline is lined with riprap and punctuated with boat docks. 

Largemouth bass, black and white crappie, saugeye, bluegill and catfish are just a few of the species that offer excellent fishing at Indian Lake, and fishing here is just as good through the winter ice as it is during the warmer months. 

Indian Lake Saugeye Fishing

Saugeye—hatchery-raised hybrids between female walleye and a male sauger—have been stocked in Indian Lake since 1990. In the decades since, this lake has become one of Ohio’s premier saugeye fisheries

The Ohio DNR stocks Indian Lake with a combination of saugeye fry and fingerlings numbering in the millions every year. These fish grow faster than either parent species, though they don’t reach quite the same size as walleye. 

Indian Lake saugeye typically average 15 to 18 inches, though anglers catch plenty of hefty fish measuring over 24 inches here every year. Winter and spring offer some of the best saugeye fishing on Indian Lake, but there are opportunities to catch them in every season. 

Saugeye behave much like walleye. Although often caught during daylight hours, they are most active at night, and anglers often catch a lot of them right around dusk. 

Live minnows and nightcrawlers are commonly used, along with curlytail grubs and a wide range of minnow-imitating crankbaits, jerkbaits and stickbaits. Tipping a jig or grub with a minnow is a common tactic.

Many of Indian Lake’s deepest holes are in the northeast corner of the lake, and these tend to be key saugeye areas in both winter and summer.

Saugeye often spend their days in the deep areas, and then emerge to feed at the upper edges of the drop-offs around twilight.

The area around Long Island and the mouth of the North Fork Great Miami River is an especially good area, with a 12-foot-deep area right at the mouth of the river and some productive stump fields nearby.

Vertical jigging around the stumps is a popular summer tactic.

Saugeye typically roam the lake more freely in spring and fall, and riprap shorelines are often productive.

The Moundwood area (at the mouth of the South Fork Great Miami River) often yields some good catches as well, and the Lakeview area at the southwest corner of Indian Lake also has some productive holes ranging from 9 to 11 feet deep.

Crappie Fishing

Indian Lake is a great spot for crappie fishing. Few lakes in Ohio consistently kick out as many crappies as Indian Lake, and it’s not just a numbers lake. 

Black and white crappies are both abundant and commonly grow past 12 inches. White crappies tend to run a little bigger here, and occasional monsters up to 17 inches have been reported. The best time to catch them is spring. 

The months of March through May offer tremendous crappie fishing as crappies are drawn to shallow areas, first by warmer temperatures and then, eventually, by the urge to spawn. 

Areas around both forks of the Great Miami River are key spring crappie haunts. Both offer deep wintering holes with abundant shallow cover, including stumps, brush and docks.

A good general rule in spring is to look for deep holes that formed the original lake, and then fish nearby shallow cover. 

The Old Indian Lake area is often productive, and there are a lot of good spots in the Russells Point area.

The lures of choice are typically 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with white or chartreuse soft plastics.

Indian Lake tends to be a little turbid in early spring, so consider a lure with some flash, like a Roadrunner jig or Beetle Spin.

Of course, a lively shiner beneath a slip float can always be counted on to tempt a few crappies and probably the odd saugeye as well.

Crappies scatter in summer, but some anglers find success by targeting shady spots. Large covered docks and pontoon boats provide a refuge from the sun, and it’s common to find crappies schooled up underneath.

More: Go deeper with our top crappie fishing tactics.

Catfish Fishing

A prolific population of channel catfish resides in Indian Lake. It’s easy to fill a stringer with 2- and 3-pound cats during the summer months, and larger fish, occasionally pushing 10 or 12 pounds, are anything but rare. 

Channel cats are widespread throughout the lake, and during spring and early summer, you can cast a line virtually anywhere from the bank and have a good shot at tempting a few with popular catfish baits such as chicken livers or stink bait. 

Catfish are known for biting best at night, and although this general rule certainly applies to Indian Lake, daytime fishing can still be quite good. During summertime, catfish roam the open flats that form the main body of the lake. 

Perennial hotspots include the dam area, riprap banks along the southern and western shoreline, the Dream Bridge/Shawnee Island complex, Fox Island, and the rocky piers north and south of Old Field Beach. 

Flathead catfish are also available in Indian Lake. Though they are historically rare, by all accounts, they seem to be getting more common. A flathead weighing close to 43 pounds was caught here in 2022, and there’s no reason to think the lake can’t produce a 50-pounder.

Though they sometimes take the same baits that work for channel cats, flatheads are generally more active predators and prefer live bait such as small bluegill or carp. Flatheads less often bite during the day. 

Another good catfish spot is the Indian Lake Spillway, just below the dam east of Russells Point. Anglers regularly land nice channel cats here, along with saugeye and white bass, especially in springtime.

More: Indian Lake is an “honorable mention” on our list of the best catfishing lakes and rivers in Ohio. Check the list for the top waters.

Bass Fishing

Largemouth bass are quite common in Indian Lake, and the lake hosts bass fishing tournaments fairly frequently. The weedy habitat here is ideal for largemouths.

That being said, Indian Lake is not a trophy bass destination. Typical largemouths here measure 12 to 15 inches, and although fish in this size class are impressive in their abundance, a 5-pound bass would be a noteworthy catch here.

But hey, it’s hard to argue with catching healthy 2-pounders until your arms are sore. Spring offers great bass fishing, with Indian Lake’s shallow, quick-warming waters prompting largemouths to spawn earlier than in typical Ohio reservoirs. 

Expect great sight-fishing for bedding bass in late April and May and excellent post-spawn action from May into June.

Riprap banks often hold bass in spring, and crankbaits are popular spring lures until weeds start to get too thick.

Spinnerbaits do a better job avoiding hangups, and they also excel at getting attention in Indian Lake’s often-turbid spring waters. Casting soft plastics under and around docks is another top tactic at almost any time. 

Indian Lake’s weed beds do get thick in the summertime, and it can be tough to pull bass out of the thick mats of milfoil that proliferate in shallow water. Finding the deep weed edge is often the key to success this time of year. 

Some of the best bass fishing on Indian Lake occurs in the northeast corner, where many deeper channels provide corridors between dense weed beds. Lily pad fields in this area are great places to toss a floating frog on summer mornings.

More: Find the best largemouth bass fishing lakes in the Buckeye State, and then catch more of them with our favorite bass fishing techniques, including top lures and angling tips.

Other Fish Species

Indian Lake supports a broad range of warm-water fish species. In addition to the game fish listed above, other common catches in the lake include:

Bluegill

Bluegill aren’t a prized catch in most places, but Indian Lake offers some of the best fishing for large bluegill in the state of Ohio. A lot of the bluegill caught here measure 8 inches or more, and they attract more angler attention than one might expect.

Biting readily on live worms, grubs and a wide range of small jigs, bluegill almost always relate to vegetation.

Canals off the northeast corner of the lake are good places to look in early spring.

Bluegill spawn from May into June, digging out nest-like depressions across Indian Lake’s broad flats. This is a great time to catch some of the biggest bluegill of the year.

In summer, deep weed edges and shady boat docks are prime targets, especially docks close to deep water. 

Ice fishing is very popular on Indian Lake, and bluegill are one of the most frequently caught species by ice anglers.

The Dream Bridge and Old Indian Lake area is where a lot of winter bluegill are caught, along with Lucys Pond and the deep holes along the southwest side of the lake.

More: We have a simple guide to catching bluegill and other sunfish.

Yellow Perch

Fishing for yellow perch in Indian Lake has had its ups and downs over the years. The lake is generally acknowledged to support solid numbers of perch, but large perch—individuals measuring 10 inches and up—aren’t often easy to come by.

The deepest parts of the lake are the best bets, including Dream Bridge, Old Indian Lake, and the mouths of both Great Miami River forks.

Perch spawn in early spring almost immediately after ice-out, which is a great time to find them in shallow areas around brush and stumps. 

Ice anglers especially prize perch and catch them using small live minnows, jigging spoons, and teardrop jigs tipped with maggots just off the bottom.

In winter, perch and saugeye often hold in similar areas, resulting in mixed bags.

More: Find the top perch fishing lakes in Ohio. Fill your bucket with more tasty perch using our simple yellow perch fishing techniques and tips.

White Bass

White bass are common in Indian Lake and they can also reach impressive sizes. It’s not unusual to catch white bass that measure over 15 inches here, though most of these fish are smaller. 

White bass bite eagerly on a wide variety of minnow-imitating baits, including white curlytail grubs, mini-crankbaits and spinners.

Not a lot of people target them specifically here, and they’re most frequently caught incidentally by anglers fishing for crappie and saugeye. 

You can find white bass roaming open flats, schooled up around drop-offs to deep kettle holes and channels, and often under the shelter of shady docks and piers. Anglers also catch a significant number in the spillway below Indian Lake.

More: One of our writers is crazy about white bass fishing, so check out his angling tips.

Planning Your Trip

Indian Lake is a popular recreation lake, so expect a lot of boat traffic on the main lake during busy summer weekends.

Several bait and tackle shops are located around the lake, and there are numerous campgrounds in the area, including within Indian Lake State Park

Getting to Indian Lake

Indian Lake is just over an hour northwest of Columbus via US-33, and about the same distance north of Dayton via I-75. US-33 runs parallel to the southern lakeshore, connecting the lakeside villages of Russells Point and Lakeview. 

Bank & Boat Access

Indian Lake’s shoreline is highly developed. Although private residences line most of the shore, there is also plenty of fishing access. 

The primary access point is Indian Lake State Park, which consists of separate properties along various sections of the lakeshore.

The park itself includes multiple marinas, fishing piers, boat launch sites and shore access areas, including: 

  • Moundwood Marina & Boat Ramp: The state operates a six-lane boat ramp and full-service marina in the Moundview area of Indian Lake State Park. This area is near the southeast corner of the lake, at the mouth of the South Fork Great Miami River.
  • Pew Island & Crane Town Island: With a fishing pier and lakeshore hiking trail, Pew Island is a great option for shorebound anglers. A state boat launch is on the adjoining Crane Town Island. Bridges connect both islands to the mainland. 
  • Indian Lake Spillway: Public bank fishing access with ample parking is available both above and below the spillway at the south end of Indian Lake. Nearby Fox Island also has bank access. 
  • Lakeview Harbor: The two-lane Lakeview Harbor Boat Ramp is a prime launch site with plenty of parking at the southwest corner of the lake. A long stretch of riprap shoreline is open to bank fishing here, and there are 24 courtesy docks nearby.
  • Indian Lake Bike Trail: The 3.5-mile Indian Lake Bike Trail follows the shoreline from Lakeview Harbor to Old Field Beach. There’s fishing access all the way and three large trailside parking areas with restrooms.
  • Old Field Beach & Blackhawk Marina: A popular swimming and picnicking spot on the west side of the lake, Old Field Beach also includes two rock piers that are great for bank fishing. Nearby Blackhawk Marina features a two-lane launch ramp and 206 seasonal rental docks.
  • Chippewa Marina: A two-lane launch ramp and 162 seasonal rental docks are located on the northwest side of Indian Lake at Chippewa Marina. There is also a separate state park boat ramp, bank fishing area and campground in the immediate vicinity.

The official Indian Lake Fishing Map published by the Ohio DNR is a great resource for finding your way around Indian Lake and deciding where to wet a line.

Know Before You Go

Indian Lake continues to have problems with invasive Eurasian milfoil, which has proliferated all over the lake and is especially thick in summertime. Aquatic weed harvesters are employed to remove the vegetation every year. 

Fishing is easier in spring and fall when the milfoil is less thick.

Check your boat after fishing here to avoid transporting the invasive vegetation to other bodies of water.