Crystal Lake Fishing Guide, Bartholomew County, Indiana

• Overview

  Crystal Lake lies in Bartholomew County, in Indiana. The surface lies 636 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The nearest place of any size is Columbus, 2.8 miles away. Indianapolis sits 42 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Crystal Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Bartholomew County records list longear sunfish, orangethroat darter, bluegill, golden redhorse and johnny darter among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Crystal Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 75°F and January reads 28°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It sets the rhythm of the year at Crystal Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Wood Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Crystal Lake should be assumed from this page alone.