Oxidation Pond near Thorntown: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Oxidation Pond is set in Boone County, Indiana. The bank is 807 feet above sea level. At roughly 17 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Thorntown is the closest place, 0.9 miles off. Then Lebanon, 9.9 miles, and Frankfort, 11 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Oxidation Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Records held for Boone County cover bluegill, longear sunfish, johnny darter, channel catfish and largemouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take Oxidation Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 74°F and January near 24°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid March. The lid tends to go about mid March and return around late December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Oxidation Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Norman Lake, 4 miles out. Confirm before you fish Oxidation Pond.