Fishing Saint Marys Lake in Saint Joseph County, Indiana

• Overview

  Saint Marys Lake is one of the Saint Joseph County listings for Indiana. The bank gives way to lake country bush. Nearest place of any size is Notre Dame, 0.4 miles away. South Bend is 1.4 miles away, with Georgetown at 2.1 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water. Regulars know where the fish sit; visitors have to find out.

• Where to Fish on Saint Marys Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Saint Joseph County list bluegill, johnny darter and rainbow darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Saint Marys Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 74°F at the top of summer and 24°F at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in mid March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. From about mid March to around late December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That shapes the year on Saint Marys Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Lyons Lot is the nearest mapped car park, half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Saint Josephs Lake, 0.4 miles away. What applies at Saint Marys Lake may have changed since it was mapped.