Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 6, 2019
Species recorded at Indiana Lake
7 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Indiana Lake
No stocking record for Indiana Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 6, 2019 caught 1.75 northern pike per gill net at Indiana Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 22–39 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indiana Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-06 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 2019-08-06 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 10.00 | 5–17 in 2019-08-06 | 1.37 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.75 | 8–15 in 2019-08-06 | 1.53 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.75 | 22–39 in 2019-08-06 | 5.44 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.25 | 3–5 in 2019-08-06 | 0.06 lb |
| Rock Bass | 0.50 | 5–6 in 2019-08-06 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 0.50 | 6–7 in 2019-08-06 | 0.13 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Northern Pike
Bluegill
From the 2019-08-06 survey
Indiana Lake is located approximately 14 miles NE of Ely within the BWCAW. Because of its proximity to Basswood Lake and nearby entry points, Indiana is a popular lake with wilderness enthusiasts. Indiana Lake also has a reputation for quality bass fishing with some larger pike as an additional component. There are…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Indiana Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IndianaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Indiana Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 6, 2019 caught 1.75 northern pike per gill net at Indiana Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 22–39 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 7 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Indiana Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Indiana Lake is dated August 6, 2019. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Indiana Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Indiana Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Indiana Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indiana Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Indiana Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Indiana Lake
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