Fishing at Alma Lake, Parke County, Indiana

• Overview

  You will find Alma Lake in Parke County, Indiana. Land around it is rolling hill. It covers about 24 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The town to know is Brazil, 8.1 miles out. Greencastle is 8.7 miles and Cloverdale 14 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Alma Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Parke County include longear sunfish, smallmouth bass, orangethroat darter and greenside darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Alma Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 26°F and July at about 75°F, the water has a wide range to work through. In milder years the surface never sets. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That is the shape of the year on Alma Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Thomas Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Alma Lake carry more weight than any list.