Pretty Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Pretty Lake has a reported maximum depth of 40 ft, and covers about 96 acres in Marshall County, Indiana. The Indiana DNR survey maps contours down to 35 ft; the depth between 35 ft and 40 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 35 ft is interpolated. The survey's own contours stop at 35 ft, while it reports a maximum of 40 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
- 35 ft
- Survey year
- 2017
- Surface area
- 96 acres
- Shoreline
- 1.7 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
Additional depth details7 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–40 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 35 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
- 41.32581, -86.37350
- IN DNR lake ID
- 123166726
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.32×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.1 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21Pretty Lake has a substantially developed 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 | Modest | 0.7 of 35 | 15% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (12% forest, 1% wetland; 77% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 23.3 of 29 | mean fetch 668 m · 5% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| 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 | Good | 8.5 of 18 | some nearby classified roads · 2 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,867 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 5% 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 — 12% forest and 1% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys17 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Lake Chubsucker
Hybrid Sunfish
Brook Silverside
Banded Killifish
Shiner
Spotfin ShinerAbout these fish → the Fish of Indiana guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 17 species found here — 11 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 43 · Bowfin 2
Panfish Bluegill 215 · Redear Sunfish 102 · Yellow Perch 50
All survey species17 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Non-native species records
2 recordsPlants & algae
Other invertebrates
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.
Pretty Lake — common questions
How deep is Pretty Lake?
The Indiana DNR reports a maximum depth of 40 ft for Pretty Lake. The survey's own contours reach 35 ft, so the depth below that is interpolated from the reported maximum rather than mapped.
How big is Pretty Lake?
Pretty Lake covers about 96 acres in Marshall County, Indiana.
What fish are in Pretty Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish. The page lists all 17 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Pretty Lake?
No public launch for Pretty 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 Pretty Lake measured or estimated?
The survey contours reach 35 ft while the survey reports a maximum of 40 ft, so the basin between those depths is inferred by the model rather than measured.
