Dollar Lake near North Liberty: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Dollar Lake sits in Saint Joseph County, out in Indiana. This is lake country bush country. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Saint Joseph County list. North Liberty lies 2.9 miles from the water. Fish Lake is 4.7 miles away, with Walkerton at 7.1 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Dollar Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Saint Joseph County records list bluegill, johnny darter, rainbow darter, rock bass and white sucker among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Dollar Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 73°F in July and bottom out at 23°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid March. Averages place the thaw at mid March and the freeze at late December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Dollar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Sousley Lake at 2.2 miles is the nearest alternative. For Dollar Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.