James Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
James Lake has a reported maximum depth of 62 ft, and covers about 289 acres in Kosciusko County, Indiana. The Indiana DNR survey maps contours down to 60 ft; the depth between 60 ft and 62 ft is interpolated rather than measured. Coverage is sparse: about 65% of this lake lies well away from any surveyed contour, so most of the shape shown there is interpolated between distant measurements rather than mapped. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2017.
Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.
Depth below 60 ft is interpolated. The survey's own contours stop at 60 ft, while it reports a maximum of 62 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
- 60 ft
- Survey year
- 2017
- Surface area
- 289 acres
- Shoreline
- 4.46 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- By water from another ramp · Indiana DNR: “Use Grassy Creek Ramp”
Additional depth details2 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–62 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 60 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
- 41.31798, -85.72458
- IN DNR lake ID
- 155351301
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.57×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.0 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21James Lake has a partly natural 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 | Good | 17.2 of 30 | 64% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (16% forest, 48% wetland; 23% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 13.8 of 25 | mean fetch 1,187 m · 0% 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 · DNR directs boaters to a ramp on connected water |
| Road isolation | Good | 7.8 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 4 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,655 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 2% 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 — 16% forest and 48% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys25 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Muskellunge
SuckerWhite Sucker
Quillback
Gizzard Shad
White Bass
Lake Chubsucker
Golden Shiner
Brook Silverside
LogperchAbout these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 25 species found here — 20 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.
Official rule text for this lake
“An individual may take minnows at any time during the year.” — 312 IAC 9-7-15(a), 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
Fishery
surveyed 2021Gamefish Largemouth Bass 18 · Bowfin 2 · Muskellunge 1 · Northern Pike 1
Panfish Bluegill 118 · Yellow Perch 36 · Pumpkinseed 10
All survey species25 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Non-native species records
3 recordsMussels & snails
Plants & algae
How to identify invasive species in Indiana lakes →
What does non-native mean?
USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
James Lake — common questions
How deep is James Lake?
The Indiana DNR reports a maximum depth of 62 ft for James Lake. The survey's own contours reach 60 ft, so the depth below that is interpolated from the reported maximum rather than mapped.
How big is James Lake?
James Lake covers about 289 acres in Kosciusko County, Indiana.
What fish are in James Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin. The page lists all 25 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to James Lake?
The Indiana DNR lists James Lake as open to the public by water rather than from a ramp of its own: its access record reads "James Lake (Use Grassy Creek Ramp)". The launch is on connected water, not on James Lake itself.
Is the depth of James Lake measured or estimated?
The survey contours reach 60 ft while the survey reports a maximum of 62 ft, so the basin between those depths is inferred by the model rather than measured.
