Lake Waveland, Indiana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Parke County, Lake Waveland is an Indiana water. Around the bank it is open valley. At 337 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. By surface area it heads our Parke County listings. Nearest town is Rockport, 10 miles off. The nearest city of size is Indianapolis, 50 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Waveland

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Survey and observation records for Parke County include longear sunfish, smallmouth bass and orangethroat darter. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Lake Waveland light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 74°F and January near 25°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Expect Lake Waveland to follow that timing. Fish feed harder before a change in weather than after it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, C Moore Lake is 1.6 miles distant. Check the position at Lake Waveland before loading the car.