Starke County · California & North Bend Townships · Indiana

Bass Lake homes, Starke County

A spring-fed natural lake of about 1,345 acres south of Knox, with a conservancy district that runs the sewer and watches the water. The school line runs through the lake community, so I check every parcel.

Check a lake address Text (219) 440-2828

Start with what you want

What you came to the lake for

Your frontage

How many feet of water you own, and which way it faces. Morning coffee on the east shore, sunsets on the west.

Depth at the end of the pier

Enough water for the boat you have now and the one you want next, with room for a lift.

The bottom

Sand you can wade on or soft bottom. It changes how the kids and grandkids use the water.

Room for everyone

A bunkroom, a second lot, a garage for the toys. Space for the people who'll come back every summer.

Year-round or weekends

Road access in winter, internet, and the drive back to work or family.

Tell me your list. I'll match it against the shore, the parcel and what's for sale, and reply the same day.

At a glance

Bass Lake: the basics

Size	About 1,345 acres (Indiana DNR depth map, 2024) · source
Type	Spring-fed natural lake; the conservancy district calls it Indiana's fourth-largest · source
Depth	An early survey gave a 32 ft maximum and an average under 9 ft · source
Community	Bass Lake CDP, 1,384 people (2020); California and North Bend townships · source
Sewer	Bass Lake Conservancy District has run the sewer since 1997: 22 miles of pipe, 16 lift stations, one treatment plant · source
Lake level	The district pumps a deep well (about 1 million+ gallons a day) to help hold the level · source
Getting here	US 35, about 11 miles north of Winamac; the beach sits on SR 10 · source
Drive	About 10–15 minutes to Knox, about an hour to South Bend or Valparaiso (estimates)

The school line

Three districts touch the lake community

The southwest half of the lake is California Township, served by Knox Community Schools and North Judson-San Pierre. The east half of the community is North Bend Township, served by Culver Community Schools.

Knox Community School Corporation / North Judson-San Pierre — California Township · Source
Culver Community Schools Corporation — North Bend Township · Source
Indiana school district boundary map — confirm by parcel · Map

District lines follow townships, not mailing addresses or which side of the water you're on. Confirm the assigned school for the exact address with the district before you buy. Facts, never rankings.

Before you buy on the water

Five things I check on every lake parcel

Check 1

Flood zone

Shoreline lots can sit partly in a mapped flood zone. I pull the FEMA flood map and Indiana DNR's best-available flood layer for the exact parcel, because a flood zone can mean required flood insurance on a mortgage.

Check 2

Sewer or septic

Some lake shores are on a sewer district and some are on septic. I check which one serves the parcel, and for septic, what the county health department has on file.

Check 3

Water

Many lake homes run on a private well. I check whether city water reaches the street or the home has its own well.

Check 4

Piers, seawalls and the shoreline

Work on the shoreline (seawalls, dredging, some piers) can need an Indiana DNR permit, and some lakes have their own rules. I check what's on record before you plan changes.

Check 5

The school line

Lake shores often cross township lines, and districts follow townships. I confirm the district for the exact parcel with the school corporation.

Specific to Bass Lake

Shoreline owners may control aquatic plants along their own frontage without a permit, under conditions the district posted in July 2024. Source
A sewer expansion along Lakewood went to public hearing in October 2025. Ask whether the parcel is on the system now or in a planned phase. Source
Check the parcel in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and Indiana DNR's Floodplain Information Portal, which adds DNR 'best available' flood mapping and can produce a free floodplain report for a point. Source

What is changing

News and projects around Bass Lake

The county park board rebuilt Bass Lake Beach with a new beach house, parking, playground and piers in 2025. Source
Indiana DNR stocked about 809,000 walleye fry in April 2024. Source
The district is sampling the lake monthly May–September 2026, including sediment phosphorus. Source

Good to know

Lew Wallace wrote part of Ben-Hur at Bass Lake. Source
Chicago's Knickerbocker Ice Company once cut ice here, served by its own rail spur. Source

Before you fall for a lot

Send me the address. I'll check the school line, the utilities and the builder.

School districts in The Flatlands follow townships, not mailing addresses or town names. Send a lot number, subdivision or street and I'll reply the same day with the district, water and sewer, and what's for sale near it.

Douglas Willems · Broker · Flatland Real Estate LLC · licensed Indiana real estate brokerage

More of Lake Country

All the lakes of The Flatlands · New homes in The Flatlands

Sources

Last checked October 2026. Drive times are estimates. Lake levels, rules and fees change; confirm with the lake's managing agency.