Indiana
Fishing
A resident fishing license in Indiana costs $17 a year and a non-resident license $55, as of May 2026. This guide lists 5 top species (Largemouth bass, Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie) and 4 notable waters, led by Monroe Lake and Patoka Lake. Indiana has no saltwater coast and no notable wild trout fishery; it earns a B- grade here, shared with 6 other states.
Top Species
Resident License
Non-Resident License
Saltwater Access
Trout Streams
Wildlife Agency
Indiana is a modest fishing state with a few genuine strengths. Monroe Lake in the south-central part of the state is the largest inland lake in Indiana and holds largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, and crappie. Patoka Lake in the hill country produces consistent bass fishing. The Ohio River boundary holds catfish — flatheads and blues — in numbers that attract serious catfish anglers from multiple states.
Lake Michigan gives the northwestern corner of Indiana access to salmon and trout. The Burns Waterway and Trail Creek tributaries produce steelhead in fall and spring, though the runs are modest compared to Michigan's streams directly north.
Resident licenses cost $17. Indiana is not a state anglers move to for the fishing. If you relocate here, the fishing is adequate. Bass fishing on the southern reservoirs is good enough to keep a serious angler busy. The Tippecanoe River and upper Wabash hold smallmouth bass in clear, rocky stretches that are enjoyable to wade. But there is no world-class fishery here, no species that draws anglers from other states specifically.
Indiana's Monroe Lake is the largest inland lake and produces quality bass and crappie. The state has a small Lake Michigan shoreline with salmon and steelhead opportunities. River fishing for walleye and catfish is popular on the Wabash.
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Also on Indiana: the full Indiana profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the Indiana country music guide and the Indiana gambling laws guide.
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Sources: State wildlife agencies, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bassmaster, Field & Stream, In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman magazine. License costs reflect annual resident/non-resident fishing license only; additional stamps (trout, salmon) may apply. Updated May 2026.