Beaverdam Lake in Steuben County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Indiana, Beaverdam Lake belongs to Steuben County. The country here is lake country bush. The water covers some 57 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Angola, is 11 miles distant. It is 40 miles to Fort Wayne, the nearest city. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Beaverdam Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Steuben County include bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and warmouth. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Beaverdam Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in January and 71°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Beaverdam Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Grassy Lake sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Beaverdam Lake as something to verify.