Brush Creek Reservoir

Jennings County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

20ft Max
depth

147 acres 4 contours Public access

Paddling Index82Very Goodhigh-speed boating prohibited · wooded shoreline · away from major roads

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Depth scale

05101520

The lake

Survey readout

Brush Creek Reservoir is mapped to a depth of 20 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 147 acres in Jennings County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2018.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 20 ft
Survey year: 2018
Surface area: 147 acres
Shoreline: 3.69 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details4 contours

Contour depths: 0–20 ft
Recorded point soundings: 20 ft

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Location

Jennings County, Indiana · the only mapped lake in this county

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: 39.05320, -85.51542
IN DNR lake ID: {fa4a88d3-d091-458d-a064-664178976543}
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.2 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21

82 / 100Very GoodData confidence: High

Brush Creek Reservoir has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: High-speed boating prohibited.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Excellent	27.3 of 30	92% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (91% forest, 0% wetland; 2% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	19.8 of 25	mean fetch 677 m · 8% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
Watercraft controls	High-speed boating prohibited	12.8 of 15	10 hp limit
Public access	Good	12.8 of 15	1 DNR fishing access site · boat ramp
Road isolation	Very Good	9.5 of 15	limited nearby major-road exposure · 5 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 7,650 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 3% 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: High — 91% forest and 0% 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

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

Common Carp

Golden Redhorse

Largemouth Bass

Sucker

White Sucker

Bass

Gizzard Shad

Brook Silverside

About these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide

Fishing rules for this lake Beta

Size and daily limits for the 16 species found here — 12 open to harvest.

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.

BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: 14" · Daily limit: 5 (312 IAC 9-7-6(a), (c)(3)) The 5 is black bass in aggregate — any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass — not 5 of each.

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

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)).

BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: 14" · Daily limit: 5 (312 IAC 9-7-6(a), (c)(3)) The 5 is black bass in aggregate — any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass — not 5 of each.

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)).

Golden RedhorseOpen 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.

Green 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.

Largemouth BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: 14" · Daily limit: 5 (312 IAC 9-7-6(a), (c)(3)) The 5 is black bass in aggregate — any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass — not 5 of each.

Longear 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.

Redear SunfishOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 25 (312 IAC 9-7-14(c))

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”)

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 2018

913Fish sampled

16Species

Gamefish Largemouth Bass 49

Panfish Bluegill 216 · Black Crappie 111 · White Crappie 28

All survey species16 species

Gamefish

Largemouth Bass49 caught · to 22″

Panfish

Bluegill216 caught · to 7″

Black Crappie111 caught · to 8″

White Crappie28 caught · to 13″

Longear Sunfish19 caught · to 5″

Redear Sunfish9 caught · to 7″

Warmouth7 caught · to 4″

Green Sunfish2 caught · to 5″

Bullhead & catfish

Yellow Bullhead2 caught · to 8″

Forage & nongame

Gizzard Shad427 caught · to 10″

Sucker17 caught · to 14″

Common Carp13 caught · to 24″

White Sucker8 caught · to 11″

Brook Silverside3 caught · to 3″

Bass1 caught · to 9″

Golden Redhorse1 caught · to 16″

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).

Non-native species records

No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.

Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.

Quick answers

Brush Creek Reservoir — common questions

How deep is Brush Creek Reservoir?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Brush Creek Reservoir is 20 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 Brush Creek Reservoir?

Brush Creek Reservoir covers about 147 acres in Jennings County, Indiana.

What fish are in Brush Creek Reservoir?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth. The page lists all 16 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Brush Creek Reservoir?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Brush Creek Reservoir: a boat ramp. The DNR records no fee. DNR directions: "Brush Creek Fish and Wildlife Area: US 50 to Butlerville, then north one mile on CR 550E."