Indiana fishing regulations change with the water you fish
A 14-inch bass can be legal in one Indiana water and protected in another. Start with the exact water type—lake, river, Lake Michigan or Ohio River— then check species, size, daily bag, possession, season and special-water rules.
The Indiana numbers anglers usually need first
14″ minimum statewide baseline.
No statewide minimum; special waters differ.
Combined walleye/saugeye/sauger.
36″ statewide baseline; some lakes 44″.
Combined; max 3 lake trout, 14″ minimum.
Normally no more than three at one time.
Where are you actually fishing?
Indiana lake or reservoir
Start with statewide lake limits, then check whether your lake has a special bass, crappie, muskie, pike or catfish rule.
River or stream
River bass normally use Indiana’s 12–15 inch protected-slot rule, but Sugar Creek and many southern streams have special limits.
Lake Michigan / tributary
Salmon/trout bag limits, hook restrictions, tributary closures and out-of-state-license boundaries become important.
Main-stem Ohio River
Use the cooperative Ohio River limits and Indiana–Kentucky reciprocity rules—not ordinary inland Indiana regulations.
Indiana license rules for the 2026–2027 license year
Includes trout/salmon privilege.
Includes trout/salmon privilege.
Eligible Indiana residents age 64+.
Includes trout/salmon privilege.
License year
Annual Indiana fishing licenses and stamp privileges are valid April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027.
Youth exemption
Residents and nonresidents under age 18 do not need an Indiana fishing license or trout/salmon stamp. Fish limits and all other regulations still apply.
One Indiana Free Fishing Day still remains in 2026
On Indiana Free Fishing Days, Indiana residents can fish public waters without purchasing a fishing license or trout/salmon stamp.
Indiana 2026–2027 freshwater size & daily bag limits
| Species | Daily bag | Size / important rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Unlimited | No statewide minimum. J.C. Murphey Lake has a special panfish aggregate limit. |
| Redear sunfish | 25 | No statewide minimum. |
| Black bass — lakes | 5 combined | Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass: 14-inch minimum unless a special lake rule applies. |
| Black bass — rivers/streams | 5 combined | No bass 12–15 inches may be kept; no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept. Special river rules apply. |
| Black bass — Lake Michigan | 3 combined | 14-inch minimum. |
| Yellow bass | Unlimited | No statewide minimum. |
| White bass + hybrid striped bass | 12 combined | No more than two fish may exceed 17 inches. |
| Striped bass | 2 | No statewide minimum listed. |
| Rock bass | 25 | No statewide minimum. |
| Crappie | 25 | No general statewide minimum. Dogwood Lake and Hardy Lake use a 9-inch minimum. |
| Walleye + saugeye + sauger | 6 combined | Walleye: 14″ minimum south of SR 26 and 16″ north of SR 26. Sauger/saugeye have no statewide minimum; special waters differ. |
| Muskellunge / tiger muskie | 1 | 36″ statewide minimum. Barbee, Kosciusko and Webster lakes use a 44″ minimum. |
| Northern pike | 3 | 24″ minimum; no more than one may be 30″ or longer. Hamilton Lake has a special exception. |
| Yellow perch | Unlimited | Lake Michigan special limit: 15. |
| Channel / blue / flathead catfish — lakes | 10 combined | No general minimum. Trophy-size sublimits apply: max one blue 35″+, one flathead 35″+ and one channel 28″+. |
| Channel / blue / flathead catfish — rivers | Unlimited | 13″ minimum; the same trophy-size sublimits apply. |
| Bullhead | Unlimited | No statewide minimum. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Unlimited | 25-inch minimum measured by fork length. |
| Lake sturgeon | NO HARVEST | State-endangered; illegal to take or possess. Release immediately if encountered. |
Same fish, three different statewide bass rules
Any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass.
14″ minimum
Statewide protected-slot framework unless a river exception applies.
12–15″ cannot be kept
Maximum two fish over 15″.
Any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass.
14″ minimum
Indiana lakes where the normal 14-inch bass rule changes
Minimum largemouth-bass size.
Raccoon SRA, Parke County.
18-inch minimum and two-bass daily limit.
20-inch minimum; one bass daily.
See the 18-inch / two-bass lakes
The 18-inch minimum and two-fish daily limit applies to Ball Lake; Blue Grass Pit and Loon Pit; Fidler Pond; Failing/Gentian Lake; Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B; Kunkel Lake; Robinson Lake; all lakes at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area; Bixler Lake; Henderson Lake; Little Long Lake; Round Lake; and J.C. Murphey Lake.
See Indiana bass protected-slot lakes
Buffalo Trace Lake, Ferdinand State Forest Lake and Montgomery City Park Lake use a 12–15 inch protected slot. Big Long Lake also uses a 12–15 inch slot and limits anglers to no more than two bass larger than 15 inches.
See special river and stream bass rules
Sugar Creek in Montgomery, Parke, Boone, Clinton and Tipton counties uses a 20-inch minimum with a one-bass daily limit. Rivers and streams in Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Clark, Jefferson, Switzerland, Ohio and Dearborn counties generally use a 12-inch minimum and five-bass daily limit, except the specified Blue River reaches where the slot regulation applies.
State Road 26 changes Indiana’s statewide walleye minimum
Walleye minimum length.
Walleye minimum length.
Indiana trout season is different for lakes and streams
Catch & release
Trout streams are catch-and-release during this period.
Selected streams closed
Designated stocked trout streams close while annual stocking is completed.
2026 stream opener
Harvest season opens at 6 a.m. local time on the last Saturday in April.
Stream season
The inland-stream trout harvest season continues through December 31.
Brook, rainbow and brown trout combined; no more than one may be brown trout.
Most inland-lake trout have no minimum length.
Year-round artificial-only catch-and-release trout sections
- Little Elkhart River from CR 43 downstream to CR 16, with the Riverbend Park exception described by DNR.
- Solomon Creek from CR 33 downstream to the Elkhart River.
- Cobus Creek from Old U.S. 20 downstream to the St. Joseph River.
Indiana pole, trotline, limb-line, jug and ice-fishing limits
Maximum used at one time under the general rule.
Hooks, artificial lures or combination of three.
One hook per line; ID tag and 24-hour check required.
General Indiana rule; Ohio River differs.
Umbrella / Alabama rig
An umbrella rig may be used, but hooks or lures may be attached to only three arms. Extra arms must be empty or use hookless attractors.
Float / jug fishing
Up to five floats, one hook per float. Each float must be identified and remain in constant sight. Float fishing is not allowed on lakes and reservoirs.
Ice fishing
Ice holes may not exceed 12 inches in diameter. Tip-ups require owner identification and must remain in constant sight.
Different fishing methods have different exclusion distances
- 200 yards: trot line, set line, throw line, net, trap or seine may not be used within 200 yards of a dam on ordinary Indiana waterways.
- 300 yards: limb lines and drop lines may not be used within 300 yards of a dam.
- 500 yards: minnows may not be collected within 500 yards of a dam.
- Low-head dam warning sign: when warning signs are present, anglers may not fish within 50 feet.
Indiana live bait rules anglers can easily overlook
Wild fish as bait
Wild fish may be used as live bait only when legally caught and when the fish meets any applicable size, bag and possession limits.
Goldfish
Goldfish may be used as live bait.
Carp
Carp may not be used as live bait in Indiana.
Collecting minnows and crayfish
| Gear | Indiana maximum |
|---|---|
| Seine | 12 feet long × 4 feet deep; mesh no larger than ½-inch stretch. |
| Dip net | 3 feet square; mesh no larger than ½-inch stretch. |
| Minnow / crayfish trap | 24 inches long; trap opening no larger than 2 inches. |
| Cast net | 20 feet diameter; mesh stretch no larger than ¾ inch. |
Finish every Indiana trip with a clean-water routine
Boat, trailer, motor and fishing equipment.
Plants, animals and mud.
Bilge, livewell, motor and bait containers.
Unused bait and fish parts in trash.
Rinse or allow equipment to dry before another water.
Lake Michigan salmon, trout, perch & tributary rules
No more than 3 may be lake trout.
Indiana Lake Michigan waters.
Special hook limits
Lake Michigan tributaries and the St. Joseph River/tributaries from Twin Branch Dam downstream to the Michigan line restrict anglers to one single hook or artificial lure.
Point-to-shank distance cannot exceed ½ inch.
Allowed only on artificial lures; point-to-shank maximum ⅜ inch.
St. Joseph River restricted zones
- No fishing in the East Race Waterway in South Bend or within 100 feet of its entrance and exit.
- No fishing from the fish ladders at South Bend or Mishawaka Central Park dams.
- No fishing within 100 feet of fish-ladder entrances or exits.
- Boat/watercraft fishing is restricted immediately below specified South Bend and Mishawaka dam reaches.
Trail Creek barrier
Fishing is prohibited within 100 feet upstream of the sea-lamprey barrier and downstream to the specified Pottawattomie Country Club property line.
Praxair Dam
Fishing is prohibited within 100 feet above or below the dam on the East Branch of the Little Calumet River.
Indiana smelt season uses a separate net rule
Maximum dimensions; mesh limits apply.
Ohio River reciprocity works bank-to-bank—but not into tributaries
When fishing from the bank, follow the regulations of the state where you are physically standing.
Indiana and Kentucky recognize either state’s qualifying fishing license on the river proper.
The main-river reciprocity does not automatically cover Kentucky tributaries or embayments.
Main-stem Ohio River daily bag & size rules
| Species | Daily bag | Minimum / special limit |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass | 6 combined | Largemouth and smallmouth: 12″ minimum. Spotted bass: no size limit. |
| Hybrid / striped / white / yellow bass | 30 combined | No more than four fish may be 15″ or longer. |
| Rock bass | 15 | No minimum. |
| Blue catfish | Unlimited | 13″ minimum; max one 35″+. |
| Channel catfish | Unlimited | 13″ minimum; max one 28″+. |
| Flathead catfish | Unlimited | 13″ minimum; max one 35″+. |
| Crappie | 30 | No minimum. |
| Muskie / tiger muskie | 2 combined | 30″ minimum. |
| Walleye / sauger / saugeye | 6 combined | 14″ minimum. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Unlimited | 25″ fork length. |
Ohio River gear differences
- Unlimited poles, hand lines or free-float lines may be used under the Ohio River-specific rule.
- Maximum two trot lines per individual.
- Each trot line may have up to 50 droppers, spaced at least 18 inches apart.
- Trot lines must be checked at least every 24 hours and set at least 3 feet below the water surface.
- Limb lines and bank poles are not legal on the Ohio River.
- Snagging is prohibited.
- Paddlefish may not be taken on a sport-fishing license.
Do not assume Indiana has reciprocity everywhere
| Border water | Reciprocity? | Practical rule |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio River — Indiana/Kentucky | Yes, main stem | Either qualifying state license covers the river proper; tributaries/embayments require the applicable state’s license. |
| Wabash River — Indiana/Illinois boundary | Limited | Either state’s valid sport license is recognized on the common boundary, but land, tributaries, bayous and backwaters have restrictions. |
| Lake Michigan | Mostly no | Limited Calumet Harbor reciprocal zone with Illinois only. Otherwise buy the license for the state water you enter. |
| Wolf Lake — Indiana/Illinois | No | Each state’s license is required for its respective water. |
| Great Miami River — Indiana/Ohio | No | Each state’s license covers its respective water. |
Some Indiana fish must never enter the livewell
Lake sturgeon
STATE ENDANGEREDIt is illegal to take or possess a lake sturgeon at any time. Return the fish unharmed immediately.
Other state-endangered fish
Indiana’s regulation guide also lists species such as cisco, bantam sunfish, Hoosier cavefish, channel darter, gilt darter, greater redhorse, Western sand darter, pallid shiner, redside dace and variegate darter as endangered.
Bag limit, possession and sorting are three different decisions
Daily bag
You may not take more than the daily bag limit during a calendar day.
Possession
General possession limit is twice the daily bag, subject to the primary-residence processed-fish exception.
Sorting
Fish may sometimes be sorted within the legal bag only when the fish released is healthy enough to swim away normally. Dead or dying fish cannot be released.
Check Indiana’s fish-consumption guidance before serving your catch
Consumption recommendations can be location specific.
Different species and sizes accumulate contaminants differently.
Use Indiana Department of Health recommendations rather than assuming a legal fish has no consumption advisory.
Indiana’s consumption program evaluates contaminants including mercury, PCBs and, where relevant, other chemicals such as PFAS-related compounds. This is health guidance, separate from fishing harvest law.
Two regulation details boat anglers should not discover at the ramp
Small state-managed lakes
On state-owned, leased or managed lakes smaller than 300 acres, Indiana’s guide states that only electric trolling motors may be used, with battery restrictions described by DNR.
Life preservers
A USCG-approved wearable PFD is required for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and longer, except canoes and kayaks, generally need an additional approved throwable PFD.
Indiana fishing regulation trip checklist
- Name the exact water: lake, river reach, Lake Michigan tributary, Ohio River main stem or border lake.
- Save your license: signed electronic copies are accepted; keep an offline copy available.
- Add trout/salmon privilege if required: a regular annual license does not automatically include the stamp.
- Save the exact species limit: include bag, minimum/maximum size, protected slot and aggregate limits.
- Check special-water exceptions: particularly bass, crappie, muskie, trout, Lake Michigan and Ohio River.
- Carry a measuring board: several Indiana fisheries depend on precise slot or minimum lengths.
- Check dam buffers: rules change depending on whether you use pole/hand line, trot line, limb line, minnow gear or another method.
- Do not dump bait: dispose of unused bait correctly and drain water before moving waters.
- Check consumption advice: especially if you plan to take fish home for meals.
Twelve Indiana fishing rules that are easy to misread
River bass normally use a protected slot.
Special lakes range from no minimum to 20 inches.
Walleye minimum changes north vs south.
Lake Michigan reciprocity is very limited.
Lake Michigan salmon/trout use a 14-inch minimum and combined bag.
Lake Michigan tributaries have special hook rules.
Ohio River rules prohibit limb lines/bank poles.
Snagging is prohibited; sport-caught paddlefish must be released.
Carp cannot be used as live bait.
Lake Michigan-only live-alewife restriction applies.
Only license/stamp requirements are waived.
Lake sturgeon is state endangered and cannot be possessed.
Ask Indiana DNR a question that can actually be answered
“I’m fishing [exact Indiana water] on [date], targeting [species] using [method]. Can you confirm the current daily bag, possession limit, legal size or slot, season and any special-water restriction?”
Complete the license side of your Indiana trip
Official Indiana sources behind this guide
The practical answers are already summarized above. Use these official pages for final same-day verification, license transactions and regulation changes.
Questions anglers ask about Indiana fishing rules
What is the Indiana bass limit in 2026?
In most Indiana lakes, the statewide black-bass limit is five largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass combined with a 14-inch minimum. Rivers and streams generally use a different 12–15 inch protected-slot rule, and Lake Michigan has a three-bass daily limit with a 14-inch minimum. Special waters can override these rules.
What is the Indiana crappie limit?
Indiana’s statewide crappie daily bag limit is 25 with no general statewide minimum length. Dogwood Lake and Hardy Lake have a 9-inch minimum, and other managed-water exceptions can apply.
How many fishing poles can I use in Indiana?
Under Indiana’s general rule, an angler may use no more than three poles or hand lines at one time. Each line may have no more than three hooks, artificial lures or a combination of three. Special waters such as the Ohio River and Lake Michigan tributaries use different rules.
What is the Indiana walleye size limit?
The statewide walleye minimum is 16 inches north of State Road 26 and 14 inches south of State Road 26. The daily aggregate for walleye, saugeye and sauger is six. Special waters, including the Ohio River, can use different rules.
When does Indiana trout season open in 2026?
Indiana’s inland-stream trout harvest season opened at 6 a.m. local time on Saturday, April 25, 2026, the last Saturday in April. It runs through December 31. Trout streams are catch-and-release January 1 through April 14, and selected stocked streams close from April 15 until opening day. Inland lakes do not have a closed trout season.
Do I need a trout and salmon stamp in Indiana?
A valid trout/salmon stamp privilege is generally required in addition to a fishing license when legally fishing for or taking trout or salmon from public waters. The stamp is $11. Indiana one-day fishing licenses and eligible senior fishing licenses include trout/salmon privileges. Exempt anglers do not need the stamp.
What are Indiana’s 2026 Free Fishing Days?
Indiana’s 2026 Free Fishing Days are May 10, June 6, June 7 and September 26. Indiana residents do not need a fishing license or trout/salmon stamp on those dates, but all seasons, bag limits, size limits and other fishing regulations still apply.
Can an Indiana fishing license be used anywhere on Lake Michigan?
No. Indiana shares Lake Michigan borders with Illinois and Michigan, but general license reciprocity does not apply across those boundaries. A limited reciprocal area exists in Calumet Harbor with Illinois. Outside that zone, anglers entering Illinois or Michigan waters need the appropriate state’s fishing license.
Can I fish the Ohio River with an Indiana license?
Indiana and Kentucky recognize qualifying licenses from either state on the main stem of the Ohio River. The agreement does not automatically cover connecting tributaries or embayments. Bank anglers follow the rules of the state where they are physically fishing from shore.
Can I keep a lake sturgeon in Indiana?
No. Lake sturgeon is state endangered in Indiana and it is illegal to take or possess one at any time. Release the fish unharmed immediately. Do not confuse lake sturgeon with shovelnose sturgeon, which has a separate 25-inch fork-length minimum under applicable regulations.
Identify the water before you apply the fish limit
Indiana’s most important regulation pattern is simple: the same species can have a different legal answer in a lake, river, Lake Michigan tributary, Ohio River main stem or named special-regulation water.
Research review completed using the Indiana DNR 2026–2027 Fishing Regulations Guide and current official Indiana resources.
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