Monroe Lake

Indiana water under Indiana rules: an Indiana licence at 18 and over, a DNR lake permit on every boat, kayaks included, and idle speed everywhere east of the SR 446 causeway.

THE DAM TO THE UPPER LAKE Schematic · launches listed, not plotted

Schematic map of Monroe Lake, Indiana, from the dam at its south-west end to the upper lake east of the State Road 446 causeway, with the dam at the Corps and USGS points and Hardin Ridge at the Forest Service area point

Three things to get right

What you hear	What the primary sources say
"Summer pool is 556."	The Corps calls 556 Top of Flood. Its record puts Top of Normal, Top of Conservation and the Guide Curve all at 538. DNR's brochure prints a "Summer Pool 556"; the Corps owns the pool.
"A kayak needs no permit."	It does. DNR: "Permits are required for personal watercraft, motorboats, kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, rowboats" and more. Annual; motorized $25, non-motorized $5 (read 7 Nov 2026).
"The upper lake is no-wake."	Idle speed, by rule. 312 IAC 5-10-8: no boat "in excess of idle speed" "East of the State Road 446 causeway", or on any embayment under 1,500 ft wide at its mouth.

Closed to boats each fall. North Fork Waterfowl Resting Area, 1 Oct to 15 Apr; Middle Fork, 1 Oct to 1 Apr: no boat, no entry "without a license issued by the department" (312 IAC 5-10-8). DNR: "BLUE-GREEN ALGAE: Found in lakes year round. Don't drink the water. Shower after you swim." The dam and tailwater are the Corps'; obey the posted signs.

LIMESTONE DRIFT

MONROE LAKE · INDIANA Launches, permit, licence and limits

Nine launches — DNR property map key

Key	Launch	Run by · area address
A	Salt Creek (by the dam)	DNR SRA · 1700 E. Monroe Dam Rd.
B	Fairfax	DNR SRA · 8955 S. Fairfax Rd.
C	Hardin Ridge	Hoosier NF · 6464 Hardin Ridge Rd, Heltonville
D	Allen's Creek	DNR SRA · 6391 E. Allens Creek Rd.
E	Moore's Creek	DNR SRA · 7600 S. Shields Ridge Rd.
F	Paynetown	DNR SRA · 4850 S. State Rd. 446
G	Cutright	DNR SRA · 5505 S. State Rd. 446
H	Pine Grove	DNR SRA · 7699 E. Pine Grove Rd.
I	Crooked Creek	DNR SRA · 6200 TC Steele Rd., Nashville

DNR addresses are Bloomington 47401 unless a town is named, and they are the recreation areas', not the ramps'. Ramp coordinates, canoe launches and pier locations: status pending. Hardin Ridge: three lanes; "Indiana launch permit required"; $8 a day early April to late October; ramp open without fees "until early April, 2027" (Forest Service, updated 2 Oct 2026). DNR entrance fees: status pending.

Limits — Indiana statewide, lakes

Species	Daily	Size
Black bass, any mix	5	14 in minimum
Crappie	25	None
Walleye, sauger, saugeye	6 combined	Walleye 14 in south of SR 26, 16 in north
White bass, hybrid striper	12 combined	No more than two over 17 in
Catfish, channel, blue, flathead	10	One blue and one flathead 35 in+, one channel 28 in+

Licence: an Indiana DNR licence "to fish in public lakes", exempt "Residents and nonresidents under age 18"; residency takes "60 consecutive days" in Indiana. A Kentuckian 18 or older buys a nonresident licence (our reading). Bluegill unlimited; shad legal as live bait on Monroe. eregulations.com/indiana/fishing, read 7 Nov 2026.

Live level: Corps record lrl/monroe at water.usace.army.mil, or USGS 03372400 (lake elevation, NGVD 1929). 538 Top of Normal, 556 Top of Flood, 574 Top of Dam; no seasonal schedule on the record. No trout in DNR's 2022 survey or stocking table.

Sources: USACE water-data record lrl/monroe. Indiana DNR — Monroe Lake page, property map (c) 11/2025, 2022 Status and Trends Survey, Boating Fees and Lake Permits. 312 IAC 5-10-8. Indiana Fishing Seasons and Rules 2026-27 (eRegulations). Hoosier National Forest, Hardin Ridge. USGS 03372400 and 03372500.
Conditions change. Verify the level, the resting-area dates and the regulations before you travel. Revised November 2026.

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Water alerts. We email when something on this water actually changes — a closure, a new limit, a rule. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=monroe-lake