What is the biggest lake in Indiana?

Lake Monroe, at 10,800 acres (not counting the Great Lakes).

Biggest inland lakes in Indiana: the top 10 by size

The ten largest inland lakes in Indiana, biggest first. The Great Lakes are left out: they are seas of their own.

The list

Sizes are the published surface area where one exists; the others are our own measure of the water's outline and read "about". Reservoirs shrink and grow with their level, so a dry year shows less water.

#	Lake	Size	Shoreline
1	Lake Monroe	10,800 acres
2	Patoka Lake	8,800 acres	about 95 mi
3	Brookville Lake	5,250 acres	about 39 mi
4	Mississinewa Lake	3,180 acres	about 33 mi
5	Gibson Lake	3,000 acres	about 8.6 mi
6	Lake Wawasee	3,000 acres	about 14.6 mi
7	Salamonie Lake	2,880 acres	about 26 mi
8	Geist Reservoir	1,890 acres	about 17.4 mi
9	Lake Maxinkuckee	1,860 acres	about 7.3 mi
10	Lake Freeman	1,500 acres	about 19 mi

1. Lake Monroe

At 10,800 acres, Lake Monroe is a big lake. It holds largemouth bass, crappie, white bass and catfish. The deepest water is around 59 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Lake Monroe today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Patoka Lake

Patoka Lake spreads over 8,800 acres of water. It lies about 43 miles east of Louisville. It holds largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie. The deepest water is around 52 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Patoka Lake, Indiana's second-largest reservoir, was completed in 1978 and is jointly managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana DNR.

Patoka Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Brookville Lake

Brookville Lake is a reservoir of 5,250 acres of water. You will find it within an easy drive of Hamilton (about 22 miles). Brookville Lake Dam holds it on the East Fork of the Whitewater River. The fish here are bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and striped bass. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Brookville Lake, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1974 on the East Fork of the Whitewater River, lies between Mounds State Recreation Area and Whitewater Memorial State Park.

Brookville Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Mississinewa Lake

Mississinewa Lake covers 3,180 acres of water. It lies next to Mount Vernon. Mississinewa Lake Dam holds it on the Mississinewa River. The usual Indiana mix applies: largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. It goes down to about 137 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Mississinewa Lake, built 1962-1967 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, works together with Salamonie and Huntington Lakes to prevent flooding downstream in the Wabash and Ohio rivers.

Mississinewa Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Gibson Lake

At some 3,000 acres, Gibson Lake is a good-sized lake. The lake is about 2.6 miles north of Mount Carmel. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Gibson Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Lake Wawasee

Lake Wawasee covers some 3,000 acres. The lake is about 1.5 miles northwest of Syracuse. Like most lakes its size in Indiana, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The deepest water is around 77 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove worth a first look. Lake Wawasee is the largest natural lake wholly contained within Indiana, a spring-fed glacial lake known for unusually clear water. The water is known for being clear: lighter line and natural colours help.

Lake Wawasee today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Salamonie Lake

At some 2,880 acres, Salamonie Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. It lies near Andrews. It is the Salamonie River behind Salamonie Dam. The fish here are crappie, catfish, white bass and walleye. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Salamonie Lake was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1966 on the Salamonie River for flood control.

Salamonie Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Geist Reservoir

Geist Reservoir spreads over 1,890 acres of water. You will find it about 1.4 miles southeast of McCordsville. Geist Reservoir Dam holds it on the Fall Creek. The usual Indiana mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The deepest water is around 48 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Geist Reservoir, completed in 1943 northeast of Indianapolis, is a water-supply reservoir operated today by Citizens Energy Group.

Geist Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Maxinkuckee

At some 1,860 acres, Lake Maxinkuckee is small enough to learn in a few trips. You will find it within an easy drive of South Bend (about 33 miles). Like most lakes its size in Indiana, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The deepest water is around 88 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a steep ledge worth a first look. Lake Maxinkuckee, near Culver in Marshall County, is the second-largest natural lake in Indiana.

Lake Maxinkuckee today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake Freeman

Lake Freeman spreads over 1,500 acres of water. You will find it right by Monticello. Like most lakes its size in Indiana, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. At about 45 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring.

Lake Freeman today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Big water, big days

Large lakes make their own weather: a breeze that is nothing on a pond builds real waves over miles of open water. Check the wind on the lake page before you launch and keep to the lee shore when it picks up.