Fishing Season: Spring thru Fall

Sugar Creek - IN

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

65

Orvis Carmel's Tip of the Week

Our fish are moving into the searching the flats and you’ll need to find water they are holding in. We recommend fishing early in the am, or late afternoon into the evening. Our fish are still taking top water fly’s, throw a popper or a Sneaky Pete! Streamers are working well too!

Directions open in app

Map of Sugar Creek

Water Flow Data

5-Day Outlook as of 10/13/26

Sugar Creek has finally dropped to a very fishable level, we’re looking at 32.97 feet on the gauge. This makes the creek wadable and floatable!

Techniques & Tips as of 10/13/26

Don't be afraid to use vivid color patterns, and throw some suspended baitfish patterns as well. Smaller streamers and working well, think Clouser Minnows, Wooly Buggers, etc.

Local Species Available Spring thru Fall

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    Small Mouth Bass

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    Carp

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    rock bass

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    bluegill

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    suckers

Orvis Carmel's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
TeQueely Streamer Chart or Black 6-10
Woolly Bugger olive, black 6-10
Jan's Trout Crayfish Fruit Cocktail 4-6
Clouser Minnow Chart/White 6-1/0
Near Nuff Crayfish Olive 8
Lefty's Deceiver White/Chart 2-4
Todds Wiggle Minnow shad 2-4
Galoup's mini Dungeon black 6

TeQueely Streamer

Fish love the contrasting tail colors and rubber legs on this streamer fly pattern.

4.49

Item #002C

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Orvis Carmel's Recommended Gear

Description: About Sugar Creek

Sugar Creek is the epitome of a small mouth bass fishery. It has all the structure that smallies like to orient into and pleanty of food for them to eat. You can either walk and wade or float this river, although at higher flows drift boats are recomended. This river constantly produces smallies over 20", so if you want to feel the tug of a fish that just does not give up, Sugar is the best place for you to start your warm water river journey.

Nearest Airport:

Indianapolis International

Hatches:

Crawfish, Baitfish, Helgramites, Frogs, Leeches, Poppers

Best Time to Fish:

Mid Morning-Late Afternoon

Best Stretch:

covered bridge in darlington and down stream.

Best Access:

Darlington/Thorntown