Ball Lake

Steuben County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

64ft Max
depth

89 acres 12 contours Public access

Paddling Index55Mixedsheltered geometry

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Depth scale

05152535455564

The lake

Survey readout

Ball Lake is mapped to a depth of 64 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 89 acres in Steuben County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2013.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 64 ft
Survey year: 2013
Surface area: 89 acres
Shoreline: 2.14 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 4% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details12 contours

Contour depths: 0–64 ft
Recorded point soundings: 64 ft

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Location

Steuben County, Indiana · 15 nearest of 19 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: IN DNR Lake Bathymetry, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

⚠ Not for navigation

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Map details & sources4 sources

All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.

Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 41.53795, -84.94649
IN DNR lake ID: 150994589
Vertical exaggeration: 1.5×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.1 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-10-08

55 / 100MixedData confidence: High

Ball Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Mixed	9.6 of 30	44% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (10% forest, 34% wetland; 34% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	17.2 of 25	mean fetch 859 m · 2% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
Watercraft controls	None identified	7.5 of 15	No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law.
Public access	Good	12.8 of 15	1 DNR fishing access site · boat ramp · ADA-accessible
Road isolation	Good	7.8 of 15	some nearby classified roads · 4 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 3,306 vehicles/day

Additional paddling considerations

These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.

Wake sensitivity: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Low — approximately 4% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
Observed motorized activity: Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
Wildlife habitat potential: Moderate — 10% forest and 34% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public environmental, access, roadway and watercraft-control data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights: natural setting 30%, geometric wind exposure 25%, watercraft controls 15%, public access 15%, road isolation 15%; observed motorboat activity is weighted 0% because no defensible lake-level measurement exists. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Sources: USGS NHD waterbody outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), IN DNR Fishing Access Sites (motor restrictions) (2026-08), IN DNR Fishing Access Sites (2026-08) and INDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (2021). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from DNR surveys

19 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Longnose Gar

Common Carp

Largemouth Bass

Sucker

White Sucker

Gizzard Shad

Hybrid Sunfish

Brook Silverside

Logperch

Johnny Darter

About these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide

Fishing rules for this lake Beta

Size and daily limits for the 19 species found here — 12 open to harvest, 1 with a special rule or closed season.

These are hook-and-line size and daily limit rules. The fishing code sets no closed season for these species on inland lakes, but posted property rules can close a water — see the notes. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, netting and bait collection are set by other sections of 312 IAC 9 and are not shown here.

Largemouth BassSpecial rulesLargemouth bass here: 2 per day, at least 18 inches (312 IAC 9-7-6(i)) — not the statewide 5 at 14 inches.

Black BullheadOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Bullhead”)

Beta. This panel is newly published. Every value is transcribed from the Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 9-7) and checked against the Indiana DNR's 2026-27 Fishing Regulations Guide, but the coverage and wording are still under review. If anything here disagrees with 312 IAC 9-7 or the Indiana DNR's guide, the DNR is right — the Administrative Code is the legal text; the guide summarizes it.

No closed season in the fishing code: 312 IAC 9-7 sets no season for these species on inland lakes (trout and salmon “at any time of year”, 9-7-13(d)(1)). Posted property rules can still close a water or bar entry (312 IAC 8-2-1) and 312 IAC 9-6-6 closes a few named areas, so check the property before you go. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit (312 IAC 9-1-12.1); fish already processed and stored at your primary residence do not count toward it (312 IAC 9-2-8(d)).

Black BullheadOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Bullhead”)

Black CrappieOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 25 (312 IAC 9-7-14(a)) Black and white crappie together.

BluegillOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Bluegill”)

Brook SilversideRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

Common CarpOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Carp”)

Gizzard ShadOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Gizzard shad”) No limit on harvest, but live shad may not be kept: live gizzard or threadfin shad may be possessed or used as bait only on eight named waters (Brookville, Cecil M. Harden, Monroe and Patoka reservoirs, Lakes Freeman and Shafer, Hardy Lake, the Ohio River main stem excluding its embayments), and only where collected. Everywhere else shad must be killed immediately (312 IAC 9-6-8(b)–(d)).

Hybrid SunfishRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

Johnny DarterRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

Largemouth BassSpecial rulesLargemouth bass here: 2 per day, at least 18 inches (312 IAC 9-7-6(i)) — not the statewide 5 at 14 inches.

LogperchRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

Longnose GarOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Gar”)

PumpkinseedRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

Rock BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 25 (312 IAC 9-7-11)

SuckerOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Sucker”) Greater redhorse is endangered in Indiana (312 IAC 9-6-9) and may not be taken — identify redhorse carefully.

WarmouthRule not confidently resolvedNot named in 312 IAC 9-7 or in the DNR guide's limits table. Please check with the Indiana DNR (317-232-4200) before keeping this species.

White CrappieOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 25 (312 IAC 9-7-14(a)) Black and white crappie together.

White SuckerOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Sucker”) Greater redhorse is endangered in Indiana (312 IAC 9-6-9) and may not be taken — identify redhorse carefully.

Yellow BullheadOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Bullhead”)

Yellow PerchOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (IN DNR 2026-27 guide, statewide table · 312 IAC 9-7-18 (Lake Michigan only)) The code limits yellow perch only on Lake Michigan (15); the DNR's statewide table prints inland perch as unlimited.

Official rule text for this lake

“An individual must not take or possess more than two (2) largemouth bass per day, and an individual must not take or possess a largemouth bass unless the largemouth bass is at least eighteen (18) inches long from the following designated waters: (3) Ball Lake in Steuben County.” — 312 IAC 9-7-6(i), Indiana Administrative Code

From 312 IAC 9-7 (Sport fishing), Indiana Administrative Code (readopted 2025-03-25), and the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide · verified 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — the Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 9-7) is the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations

Compiled from Indiana DNR fishery surveys. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Fishery

surveyed 2013

1,080Fish sampled

19Species

Gamefish Largemouth Bass 112

Panfish Bluegill 563 · Black Crappie 39 · Pumpkinseed 29

All survey species19 species

Gamefish

Largemouth Bass112 caught · to 18″

Panfish

Bluegill563 caught · to 8″

Black Crappie39 caught · to 14″

Pumpkinseed29 caught · to 7″

Warmouth17 caught · to 6″

Rock Bass14 caught · to 8″

White Crappie11 caught · to 8″

Yellow Perch11 caught · to 9″

Hybrid Sunfish1 caught · to 8″

Bullhead & catfish

Yellow Bullhead19 caught · to 13″

Black Bullhead1 caught · to 9″

Forage & nongame

Gizzard Shad214 caught · to 13″

Logperch16 caught · to 5″

Common Carp13 caught · to 32″

Sucker10 caught · to 16″

White Sucker5 caught · to 19″

Brook Silverside3 caught · to 3″

Johnny Darter1 caught · to 1″

Longnose Gar1 caught · to 28″

Length is the largest fish netted in the survey, not an angler record. Source: Indiana DNR fish survey (Indiana Data Hub) (counts summed across survey years).

Quick answers

Ball Lake — common questions

How deep is Ball Lake?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Ball Lake is 64 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.

How big is Ball Lake?

Ball Lake covers about 89 acres in Steuben County, Indiana.

What fish are in Ball Lake?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, longnose gar. The page lists all 19 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Ball Lake?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Ball Lake: a boat ramp with a boat dock, restrooms and ADA access. The DNR records no fee. DNR directions: "Eight miles south of Angola on Old SR 27, 2.5 miles east on CR 800S, 1.5 miles north on CR 175E."

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