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North Manchester to the Wabash at Logansport. A sleeper smallmouth float. The river tops out around 8 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Eel River runs 2,540 acres with 97.8 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 13.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 35.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.8 mi at the beam. The water lies in Miami County. For a second option, Nyona Lake lies 9 mi northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Stockdale mill riffles, a rock pile in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring rock bass on Eel River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Stockdale mill riffles — rock pile, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Stockdale mill riffles (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 46.0) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) |
In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Winter common carp concentrate at Tailout eddy (mile 46.0), a prime-rated eddy pocket around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Lake Perry Dam tailrace (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Lake Perry Dam tailrace (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 46.0) (4 ft) |
The chart marks 26 structure features on Eel River; the deepest is Lake Perry Dam tailrace at about 7 ft.
Access data: Indiana DNR — Fishing Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Indiana waters are set by the Indiana DNR — and special regulations can apply to Eel River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Indiana fishing regulations →
Eel River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rock bass, channel catfish, common carp on Eel River.
Stockdale mill riffles is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Eel River is regulated by the Indiana DNR. Check the official Indiana regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Nyona Lake 9 mi · Lukens Lake 9 mi · Rock Lake 12 mi · Lake Manitou 13 mi · Fletcher Lake 14 mi · Mississinewa Lake 17 mi · Palestine Lake 22 mi · Bruce Lake 25 mi · Crystal Lake 25 mi · Salamonie Lake 25 mi · Winona Lake 27 mi · Kokomo Reservoir 27 mi
See how Eel River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Indiana · best channel catfish lakes in Indiana · best common carp lakes in Indiana · best rock bass lakes in Indiana
Browse all Indiana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.