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31-acre lake in St. Joseph County, Indiana. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
There are 2.7 miles of drawn shoreline to work. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 0.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. The water lies in St. Joseph County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Pinhook Lake, 5 mi northeast of here.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 1 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 7 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
South Chain Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 6 ft down.
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 South Chain Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Indiana fishing regulations →
South Chain Lake is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, bluegill on South Chain Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth 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 South Chain Lake 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.
Pinhook Lake 5 mi · Worster Lake (Potato Creek) 9 mi · Rupel Lake 11 mi · Saugany Lake 12 mi · St. Joseph River 13 mi · Riddles Lake 14 mi · Hog Lake 14 mi · Pleasant Lake 17 mi, MI · Garver Lake 18 mi, MI · Coberts Lake 18 mi, MI · Koontz Lake 19 mi · Eagle Lake 20 mi, MI
See how South Chain Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Indiana · best bluegill lakes in Indiana
More water nearby: St. Joseph County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Indiana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.