Wolf Lake fishing: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie
Target species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Warmouth, Pumpkinseed
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Sep for Largemouth Bass
Second window: May, Jun, Sep, Oct for Smallmouth Bass
Boat: 2 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Illiana Yacht Club.
The lake
Wolf Lake covers 775 acres in Indiana, across Lake County. It is a lake: 91.8% of it is 42 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 54 feet (16.5 m). Our records hold 14 species for this water. 40% of the water lies in Illinois.
7 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass
- Largemouth Bass — Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Sep.
- Smallmouth Bass — Best months: May, Jun, Sep, Oct.
- Black Crappie — Best months: May, Jun, Sep.
- Bluegill — Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug.
- Yellow Perch — Best months: Apr, May, Sep, Oct.
- Warmouth — Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug.
- Pumpkinseed — Best months: May, Jun, Sep.
Also recorded here: Redear, Orangespotted Sunfish, Common Carp, Goldfish, Gizzard Shad, Banded Killifish, White Perch.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 54 ft (16.5 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 91.8% of the water is 42 feet or shallower. We hold 81 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–3 ft: 30.1% of the water
- 3–6 ft: 6.6% of the water
- 6–9 ft: 8.4% of the water
- 9–12 ft: 12.8% of the water
- 12–15 ft: 12.2% of the water
- 15–18 ft: 4.7% of the water
- 18–21 ft: 3.5% of the water
- 21–24 ft: 2.5% of the water
- 24–27 ft: 1.9% of the water
- 27–30 ft: 1.7% of the water
- 30–33 ft: 1.7% of the water
- 33–36 ft: 1.8% of the water
- 36–39 ft: 1.9% of the water
- 39–42 ft: 2% of the water
- 42–45 ft: 1.8% of the water
- 45–48 ft: 2.2% of the water
- 48–51 ft: 4.4% of the water
Water and conditions
Water temperature averages 60°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 32°F and the warmest is 87°F; the warmest monthly average is 83°F. pH averages 8.5. These readings span 2016–2025.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 36°F · Feb 40°F · Mar 47°F · Apr 56°F · May 69°F · Jun 75°F · Jul 83°F · Aug 83°F · Sep 69°F · Oct 61°F · Nov 43°F · Dec 42°F
2 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 2 boat ramps.
- Illiana Yacht Club — Hammond. Illiana Marina Trail, Hammond 46394 · website illianayachtclub.com
- Wolf Lake — lit for night fishing, restrooms. Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North/ City of Hammond. Located in Hammond · phone (574) 526-1736
Fee and opening hours are blank for all 2 places in this list: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Season by season
- Winter (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, 36–43°F) — Steady but no peak: Yellow Perch.
- Spring (Mar, Apr, May, 47–69°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed.
- Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug, 75–83°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Warmouth, Pumpkinseed.
- Fall (Sep, Oct, 61–69°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed.
What is hard here
Only 2 public ramps are on file, so the launch decides where you fish. Winter water drops to 36°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do.
Where this data comes from
- USGS Central Midwest WSC / Cook County Bureau of Technology — USGS Central Midwest WSC / Cook County Bureau of Technology: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
