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Fishing regulations at Messersmith Creek, IN
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Indiana can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Largemouth bass
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
These regulations are for largemouth bass in lakes.
Largemouth bass regulations for rivers and streams are as follows:
- size limit = no black bass 12 to 15-inches total length may be kept, and no more than 2 black bass over 15-inches total length may be kept;
- daily bag limit = 5 black bass (any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass)
Largemouth bass regulations for Lake Michigan are as follows:
- minimum size = 14-inches total length;
- daily bag limit = 3 black bass (any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass)
Special Regulations for Lakes:
Lake Limits
On Fidler Pond in Elkhart County
- daily bag limit = 2 largemouth bass; minimum size = 18-inches total length
Failing Lake (also known as Gentian Lake) in Steuben County
- daily bag limit = 2 largemouth bass; minimum size = 18-inches total length
Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B in Hamilton County
- daily bag limit = 2 largemouth bass; minimum size = 18-inches total length
Lake Limits by County
15-inch minimum size limit:
- Patoka Lake (Orange, Dubois, and Crawford counties)
16-inch minimum size limit:
- Cecil M. Harden Lake (Parke County)
18-inch minimum size limit and two fish daily bag limit:
- Ball Lake (Steuben County)
- Blue Grass, Loon Pit (Warrick County)
- Fidler Pond (Elkhart County)
- Failing Lake, also known as Gentian Lake (Steuben County)
- Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B (Hamilton County)
- Kunkel Lake (Wells County)
- Robinson Lake (Whitley and Kosciusko counties)
- All lakes at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area (Kosciukso, Noble, and Elkhart counties)
- Bixler Lake, Henderson Lake, Little Long Lake, and Round Lake (Noble County)
20-inch minimum size limit and one fish daily bag limit:
- Turtle Creek Reservoir (Sullivan County)
12- to 15-inch slot size limits (At the following lakes, largemouth bass that are from 12 to 15 inches in length may not be harvested. The daily bag limit applies to bass under 12 inches and over 15 inches):
• Buffalo Trace Lake (Harrison County)
• Ferdinand State Forest Lake (Dubois County)
• Montgomery City Park Lake (Daviess County)
12- to 15-inch slot size limit (no more than two bass larger than 15 inches):
- Big Long Lake (LaGrange County)
No minimum size limit waters:
- Brownstown Pit (Jackson County)
- Burdette Park lakes (Vanderburgh County)
- Chandler Town Lake (Warrick County)
- Cypress Lake (Jackson County)
- Deming Park lakes (Vigo County)
- Garvin Park Lake (Vanderburgh County)
- Glen Miller Pond (Wayne County)
- Hayswood Lake (Harrison County)
- Henry County Memorial Park Lake (Henry County)
- Hovey Lake at Hovey Lake Fish & Wildlife Area (Posey County)
- Krannert Lake (Marion County)
- Lake Sullivan (Marion County)
- Ruster Lake (Marion County)
- Schnebelt Pond (Dearborn County)
Special Regulations for Rivers & Streams
Ohio River
- daily bag limit = 6 black bass (any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass)
- minimum size = 12-inches total length
20-inch minimum size limit and one fish daily bag limit:
- Sugar Creek (Montgomery, Parke, Boone, Clinton, and Tipton counties)
12-inch minimum size limit (5 bass daily limit):
- All rivers and streams in Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Clark, Jefferson, Switzerland, Ohio, and Dearborn counties (with the exception of the Blue River, where the slot limit applies in Crawford, Harrison, and Washington counties).
White crappie
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
No size limit. No closed season.
Exceptions:
- On Fidler Pond in Elkhart County a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- On Failing Lake (also known as Gentian Lake) in Steuben County a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- On Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B in Hamilton County, a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- At Dogwood Lake (Davies County) and Hardy Lake (Scott County): 9-inch minimum size
Black crappie
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
No bag limit. No size limit. No closed season.
Exceptions:
- On Fidler Pond in Elkhart County a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- On Failing Lake (also known as Gentian Lake) in Steuben County a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- On Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and B in Hamilton County, a person cannot take more than: 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie per day
- At Dogwood Lake (Davies County) and Hardy Lake (Scott County): 9-inch minimum size
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