Lake Freeman

Carroll County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

35ft Max
depth

1,560 acres 7 contours Public access

Paddling Index40Modestcarry-in access

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Depth scale

05101520253035

The lake

Survey readout

Lake Freeman is mapped to a depth of 35 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 1,560 acres in Carroll County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2021.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 35 ft
Survey year: 2021
Surface area: 1,560 acres
Shoreline: 32.49 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 6% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Monticello · Indiana DNR site · 3 more

Additional depth details7 contours

Contour depths: 0–35 ft
Recorded point soundings: 35 ft

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Location

Carroll 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: 40.70436, -86.75517
IN DNR lake ID: 155353098
Vertical exaggeration: 2.49×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.3 MB

Paddling

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

40 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Lake Freeman has a substantially developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume 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	Modest	2.6 of 30	35% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (32% forest, 0% wetland; 53% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Good	13.7 of 25	mean fetch 1,204 m · 3% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water 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	Excellent	15.0 of 15	4 DNR fishing access sites · carry-in or canoe launch · boat ramp · ADA-accessible · fishing pier
Road isolation	Modest	0.8 of 15	substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 91 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 10,300 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 6% 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: Limited — 32% 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

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

Flathead Catfish

Common Carp

Channel Catfish

Smallmouth Buffalo

Redhorse

Freshwater Drum

Hybrid Striped Bass

Largemouth Bass

Sucker

Quillback

Smallmouth Bass

Bass

Gizzard Shad

White Bass

Sunfish

Brook Silverside

Logperch

Emerald Shiner

Spotfin Shiner

About these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide

Fishing rules for this lake Beta

Size and daily limits for the 25 species found here — 19 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.

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

Channel CatfishOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 10 (312 IAC 9-7-3(b), (d)) The 10 is catfish in aggregate of any size from a lake or reservoir. Of those, not more than one channel catfish 28 inches or longer, one blue catfish 35 inches or longer and one flathead catfish 35 inches or longer per day.

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

Emerald ShinerOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: none stated (312 IAC 9-7-15) A minnow under the code’s definition (312 IAC 9-6-1). Minnows may be taken at any time of year by minnow trap, dip net, seine, cast net or lawful sport-fishing methods; the section states no bag or size limit, caps transport out of Indiana at 100 minnows in any 24-hour period (licensed bait dealers, scientific-purposes licensees and those commercially raising minnows in private waters for sale excepted), and requires a bait dealer’s license to sell (312 IAC 9-7-15).

Flathead CatfishOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 10 (312 IAC 9-7-3(b), (d)) The 10 is catfish in aggregate of any size from a lake or reservoir. Of those, not more than one channel catfish 28 inches or longer, one blue catfish 35 inches or longer and one flathead catfish 35 inches or longer per day.

Freshwater DrumRule 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.

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)).

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.

Hybrid Striped BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 12 (312 IAC 9-7-7) 12 in any combination of white bass and hybrid striped bass, of which not more than two may exceed 17 inches.

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.

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.

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.

QuillbackOpen 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.

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.

Smallmouth 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.

Smallmouth BuffaloOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: no limit (312 IAC 9-7-14(d) · “Buffalo”)

Spotfin ShinerOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: none stated (312 IAC 9-7-15) A minnow under the code’s definition (312 IAC 9-6-1). Minnows may be taken at any time of year by minnow trap, dip net, seine, cast net or lawful sport-fishing methods; the section states no bag or size limit, caps transport out of Indiana at 100 minnows in any 24-hour period (licensed bait dealers, scientific-purposes licensees and those commercially raising minnows in private waters for sale excepted), and requires a bait dealer’s license to sell (312 IAC 9-7-15).

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.

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.

White BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: no size limit · Daily limit: 12 (312 IAC 9-7-7) 12 in any combination of white bass and hybrid striped bass, of which not more than two may exceed 17 inches.

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

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

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 2021

1,432Fish sampled

27Species

Gamefish Channel Catfish 69 · Smallmouth Bass 32 · Largemouth Bass 13 · Hybrid Striped Bass 3

Panfish Bluegill 557 · Longear Sunfish 194 · White Crappie 40

All survey species25 species

Gamefish

Channel Catfish69 caught · to 28″

Smallmouth Bass32 caught · to 13″

Largemouth Bass13 caught · to 13″

Hybrid Striped Bass3 caught · to 11″

Flathead Catfish2 caught · to 13″

Panfish

Bluegill557 caught · to 8″

Longear Sunfish194 caught · to 6″

White Crappie40 caught · to 12″

Black Crappie2 caught · to 11″

Green Sunfish2 caught · to 6″

Forage & nongame

Gizzard Shad175 caught · to 15″

Brook Silverside70 caught · to 3″

Spotfin Shiner63 caught · to 3″

Freshwater Drum61 caught · to 19″

Bullhead40 caught · to 3″

Emerald Shiner40 caught · to 4″

Quillback24 caught · to 18″

Logperch8 caught · to 4″

Sucker8 caught · to 13″

White Bass8 caught · to 7″

Sunfish5 caught · to 3″

Common Carp4 caught · to 25″

Smallmouth Buffalo4 caught · to 26″

Redhorse2 caught · to 13″

Bass1 caught · to 9″

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

Lake Freeman — common questions

How deep is Lake Freeman?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Lake Freeman is 35 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 Lake Freeman?

Lake Freeman covers about 1,560 acres in Carroll County, Indiana.

What fish are in Lake Freeman?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill. The page lists all 25 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Lake Freeman?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists 4 public access sites on Lake Freeman: Monticello (boat ramp); Norway Dam PFA (carry-in launch); Lake Freeman- City Park (boat ramp); Lake Freeman- Norway Dam (shoreline fishing site).