Fishing at McClish Lake, Steuben County, Indiana

• Overview

  McClish Lake belongs to Steuben County, Indiana. The ground round it is pine and birch. With some 36 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Indiana listings. For a base, Kendallville sits 7.8 miles out. For a city, Fort Wayne is 29 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on McClish Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Steuben County include bluegill, yellow perch and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. McClish Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 72°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at McClish Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Duck Pond, 0.2 miles out. Where McClish Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.