Fisheries biologists recently finished stocking Ruble Lake in Fowler Park in Vigo County with new fish to restore the renovated fishery.

The lake received 4,400 largemouth bass measuring 4 to 6 inches, 16,500 bluegill measuring 1 to 2 inches, 5,500 redear sunfish measuring 1 to 2 inches, and 4,400 black crappie measuring 2 to 4 inches.

Dave Kittaka, the DNR’s district fisheries biologist for the area, says he hopes the fish will be of harvestable size within a few years.

“Historically at other renovation projects lakes, panfish reached harvestable size in two to three years, and bass reached legal size in four years,” Kittaka said.

In 2019, the Vigo County Parks Department, which manages the park and the lake, notified the DNR that it would need to draw down the lake to work on a historic bridge that spans part of the lake. In the last two fish surveys of the lake, fisheries biologists found nuisance species like gizzard shad and common carp. The drawdown presented an opportunity to renovate the fishery without creating additional disruption in park activities.

Indiana DNR partnered with Vigo County to draw down the lake, create low water access to the lake, and assist with its fish renovation. Angler license money supported the implementation of this project and husbandry of the stocked fish.

While Ruble Lake’s fishery grows, consider checking out other Indiana lakes for quality fishing as listed at wildlife.IN.gov/3591.htm.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

Media contact: Dave Kittaka, district fisheries biologist, DNR Fish & Wildlife, 812-287-8300 ext. 8306, dkittaka@dnr.IN.gov.