McClish Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
McClish Lake has a reported maximum depth of 58 ft, and covers about 36 acres in Steuben County, Indiana. The Indiana DNR survey maps contours down to 50 ft; the depth between 50 ft and 58 ft is interpolated rather than measured. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2017.
Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.
Depth below 50 ft is interpolated. The survey's own contours stop at 50 ft, while it reports a maximum of 58 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
- 58 ft
- Survey year
- 2017
- Surface area
- 36 acres
- Shoreline
- 1.04 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 7% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
Additional depth details5 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–58 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 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
- 41.53997, -85.19252
- IN DNR lake ID
- 155641570
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.71×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 1.3 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21McClish Lake has a substantially developed setting, well sheltered geometry, limited 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 | Modest | 0.7 of 35 | 20% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (5% forest, 14% wetland; 41% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Excellent | 29.4 of 29 | mean fetch 391 m · 88% 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 | Very Good | 11.6 of 18 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 4 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,413 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 7% 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 — 5% forest and 14% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys21 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
White Sucker
Lake Chubsucker
Hybrid Sunfish
Golden Shiner
Brook Silverside
Bluntnose Minnow
Iowa Darter
Mimic ShinerAbout these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 21 species found here — 15 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 2017Gamefish Largemouth Bass 93 · Walleye 4
Panfish Bluegill 519 · Black Crappie 17 · Warmouth 12
All survey species21 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.
McClish Lake — common questions
How deep is McClish Lake?
The Indiana DNR reports a maximum depth of 58 ft for McClish Lake. The survey's own contours reach 50 ft, so the depth below that is interpolated from the reported maximum rather than mapped.
How big is McClish Lake?
McClish Lake covers about 36 acres in Steuben County, Indiana.
What fish are in McClish Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish. The page lists all 21 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to McClish Lake?
No public launch for McClish 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 McClish Lake measured or estimated?
The survey contours reach 50 ft while the survey reports a maximum of 58 ft, so the basin between those depths is inferred by the model rather than measured.
