Monroe Lake is part of the Indiana State Parks system. It covers 23,952-acres, including a 10,750-acre lake (the largest in Indiana and known for bass …
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Tripadvisor
4.5/5 · 186 reviews
5-star
55%
4-star
14%
3-star
0%
2-star
4%
1-star
27%
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Aug 5, 2024
The hubby and I were invited to the lake by a coworker of my husband's who owns a boat. This is a large, nice, clean lake that lots of boaters come to, to have a little fun. We saw people water skiin… Full review by tabatha h
Jun 25, 2024
Paynetown State Recreation Area This is a SRA on the shores of Lake Monroe by Bloomington Indiana. This is a boating/fishing park. We went on a hot weekend the 4rth weekend in June & it was complet… Full review by Cynthia K
Jun 25, 2024
When we arrived, the campground was not very busy and seemed like it was going to be a relaxing fun family weekend. Once we dropped off our stuff we made our way to the boat rental and got our pontoo… Full review by Arlen H
Are there fish cleaning stations at Monroe Lake? If not, where is a good place to clean my fish?
A:
Yes, there is a fish cleaning station located at Paynetown SRA. However, it is closed during the winter (water is shut off and the pipes are winterized).
I have used the boat ramps at several of the locations 24/7 for very early fishing and late night fishing. I do not recall ever seeing any “open” times posted. There is currently high …
I have used the boat ramps at several of the locations 24/7 for very early fishing and late night fishing. I do not recall ever seeing any “open” times posted. There is currently high water at the lake which limits some of the turnaround space available at the ramps.
Fishing rookie here. Son wants to fish on July 4. Where do we park? Can we rent a boat? Is there a swimming beach or picnic area near a boat dock? Or is it best to skip the boat and sit on the bank---and, where do we find a spot with grilling area/restrooms nearby? What do we need to know ? Not so much concerned about catching anything, just want to plan ahead and have a relaxing day on the water. Thanks for any input.
A:
Hi Andrea! If you're looking for additional facilities (beach, picnic areas, etc), then you'll want to go to either Fairfax or Paynetown State Recreation Areas (property admission is $7 per …
Hi Andrea! If you're looking for additional facilities (beach, picnic areas, etc), then you'll want to go to either Fairfax or Paynetown State Recreation Areas (property admission is $7 per vehicle with Indiana license plates). Those are the only 2 SRAs that have swimming beaches. Both also have picnic areas with grills and modern restrooms. There are privately-operated boat rentals at both locations (Fourwinds at Fairfax, and Lake Monroe Boat Rental at Paynetown), but I STRONGLY suggest calling them in advance about boat availability since it will be a major holiday. Paynetown also has a designated fishing dock, just across the road from the swimming beach. Otherwise, you can fish from the shoreline anywhere along the lake, except at the beaches. Given that you're talking about July 4, though, it WILL be crowded! So keep that in mind -- you may not be able to get an open picnic table or grill unless you arrive pretty early in the day.
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