Big Turkey Lake Fishing in LaGrange County, Indiana

• Overview

  In Indiana, Big Turkey Lake falls inside LaGrange County. The surroundings are mixed forest. Roughly 470 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Around 5.7 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Of the waters listed here in LaGrange County, this is the largest. The closest town, Wolcottville, is 10 miles distant. The big place round here is Fort Wayne, 32 miles distant. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Big Turkey Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across LaGrange County, recorded fish include bluegill, rainbow darter and johnny darter. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Big Turkey Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 72°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late March. Averages place the thaw at late March and the freeze at mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Big Turkey Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Hayward Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Big Turkey Lake.