Hermit Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Hermit Lake is an Indiana water. The ground round it is mixed forest. About 23 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The closest town, Crown Point, is 1.9 miles away. Cedar Lake is 3.5 miles away, with Lake Dalecarlia at 4.3 miles. Within a short run: 0.8 miles out stands Fancher Lake Seven (1.5 miles), 2.9 miles out stands Cedar Lake, Redwing Lake (6.5 miles) and 6.8 miles out stands Lake Bel-Aire. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hermit Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Lake County include gizzard shad, common carp, alewife and white perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Hermit Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 73°F and January near 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about late December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That shapes the year on Hermit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Fancher Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Hermit Lake are worth checking on the day.