Catfish Lakes in Indiana
Found in 8 Indiana lakes · 54 in Wisconsin
Catfish fits the catfish niche: tolerant of warm, turbid water, often present in productive (eutrophic) lakes. 62 lakes in our dataset have a record. Catfish is narrowly distributed — only 54 lakes in Wisconsin and 8 in Indiana have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.
Catfish-bearing lakes are often productive systems — the kind where the fish do well even when clarity does not. Cross-reference the Catfish lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Catfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.
Catfish Lakes Map
Every Indiana lake with documented catfish, colored by water-quality grade.
Best Catfish Lakes in Indiana
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake George | Steuben | B | 14.5 ft | - |
| 2 | Lost Lake | Marshall | D | 4.9 ft | - |
| 3 | Lake Wawasee | Kosciusko | D | 5.9 ft | - |
| 4 | Monroe Lake | Monroe | D | 5.7 ft | - |
| 5 | Winona Lake | Kosciusko | F | 2.8 ft | - |
| 6 | Yellow Creek Lake | Kosciusko | F | 2.8 ft | - |
| 7 | Pike Lake | Kosciusko | F | 1.9 ft | - |
| 8 | Lake Lemon | Monroe | F | 2.1 ft | - |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Indiana lakes have catfish?
Catfish are found in 8 lakes in Indiana. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).
What are the best catfish lakes in Indiana?
The best catfish lakes in Indiana by water quality are Lake George, Lost Lake, Lake Wawasee, Monroe Lake, Winona Lake.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.