Finger Lake near New Carlisle: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Finger Lake sits within LaPorte County in Indiana. It stands 755 feet above sea level. New Carlisle sits 2.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Hudson Lake follows at 2.9 miles, then Fish Lake at 7 miles. Within easy reach: Hunt Lake at 1.2 miles, Clear Lake sits 2.1 miles out, Silver Lake at 3.3 miles, Hudson Lake sits 3.4 miles out and Hog Lake at 5.4 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Finger Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in LaPorte County include shortnose cisco, alewife and rainbow smelt. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Finger Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 23°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between late March and late December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Finger Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Hunt Lake is 1.2 miles off. Signs at Finger Lake carry more weight than any list.