Cedar Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Cedar Lake has a reported maximum depth of 13 ft, and covers about 32 acres in DeKalb County, Indiana. The Indiana DNR survey maps contours down to 12 ft; the depth between 12 ft and 13 ft is interpolated rather than measured. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2019.
Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.
Depth below 12 ft is interpolated. The survey's own contours stop at 12 ft, while it reports a maximum of 13 ft. The basin between those two depths is inferred by the model, not measured — so the shape of the deep hole is an estimate, and the deep-spot marker shows the deepest depth actually surveyed.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 13 ft
- Survey year
- 2019
- Surface area
- 32 acres
- Shoreline
- 1.23 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 10% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
Additional depth details6 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–13 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 12 ft
Provenance
Sources: IN DNR Lake Bathymetry, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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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
- 41.46257, -85.07435
- IN DNR lake ID
- 150994720
- Vertical exaggeration
- 3.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 1.5 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21Cedar Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, well sheltered geometry, little nearby major-road exposure. 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 | Very Good | 24.0 of 35 | 66% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (18% forest, 47% wetland; 5% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Excellent | 29.4 of 29 | mean fetch 445 m · 70% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · short fetch in most directions |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 8.8 of 18 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No DNR-listed access site. Township, county and road-end launches are not in this source, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Excellent | 17.0 of 18 | relatively isolated from major roads · 1 INDOT-classified segment within 1.2 km, peak 1,250 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
- Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 10% 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 — 18% forest and 47% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys15 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
SuckerWhite Sucker
Quillback
Gizzard Shad
Brook SilversideAbout these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 15 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.
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
Fishery
surveyed 2019Gamefish Largemouth Bass 23 · Channel Catfish 6
Panfish Bluegill 128 · Black Crappie 80 · White Crappie 78
All survey species15 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
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.
Cedar Lake — common questions
How deep is Cedar Lake?
The Indiana DNR reports a maximum depth of 13 ft for Cedar Lake. The survey's own contours reach 12 ft, so the depth below that is interpolated from the reported maximum rather than mapped.
How big is Cedar Lake?
Cedar Lake covers about 32 acres in DeKalb County, Indiana.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, largemouth bass, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish. The page lists all 15 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Cedar Lake?
No public launch for Cedar Lake is shown in the Indiana DNR's public access data. That is not the same as the lake being private -- municipal and private ramps are not in that source.
Is the depth of Cedar Lake measured or estimated?
The survey contours reach 12 ft while the survey reports a maximum of 13 ft, so the basin between those depths is inferred by the model rather than measured.
