Fishing Manor Lake in Hendricks County, Indiana

• Overview

  This water sits in Hendricks County, Indiana. Elevation runs to 886 feet. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Clermont lies 3.3 miles from the water. Indianapolis sits 11 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Others worth noting: Forest Lake 1.1 miles off, Penn Lake after 1.2 miles, Eagle Creek Reservoir 1.5 miles off, Pins Way Lake after 2.3 miles and Jeto Lake 6.6 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Manor Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Reported across Hendricks County: bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, gizzard shad and smallmouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Manor Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 75°F, the coldest about 25°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Manor Lake rarely departs from it. Consistent weather beats warm weather for steady sport.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Forest Lake, 1.1 miles out. Treat Manor Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.