Pigeon Lake, Indiana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Pigeon Lake is one of the Steuben County waters in Indiana. The bank is 997 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 51 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 0.9 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Compared with other Indiana water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Angola, is 2.9 miles away. The big place round here is Fort Wayne, 37 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pigeon Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Steuben County include bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and warmouth. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Pigeon Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. At Pigeon Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. This sits inside Brammall and Richard Bruner Nature Preserves, so read the reserve notices first. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Little Center Lake, 3.2 miles away. Rules at Pigeon Lake are worth checking on the day.