Lake Profile

Definitely Do Dewart

It’s good for the soul.

by Mike Petrucelli photos by Deb Patterson

Sometimes the place you want to be is a place where everyone else is not. Or maybe all you want is a place to focus on one thing, without a hundred different distractions. If that’s the case, Dewart Lake is the place for you.

Most of Dewart Lake’s lakeshore and surrounding area is residential, so distractions aren’t much of an issue for your fishing or kayaking trip.

Dewart Lake, situated southwest of Syracuse, is one of Kosciusko County’s deepest “sport” lakes, according to Adrienne Funderburg, research program specialist with the Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams.

At its deepest, the lake is about 82 feet deep, with an average depth of 16 feet. Dewart Lake, like many of the lakes in the area, is a glacial formation known as a kettle lake, meaning the glaciers carved it and when they receded, left a large chunk of ice that dug in even deeper. Originally covering 357 acres of water, a dam project in 1963 added almost 200 more acres to the area.

Unlike many lakes nearby, though, Dewart has low nutrient levels. That, Funderburg said, protects the water clarity and quality. That’s likely because it has such a small watershed compared to other lakes, she said, so not a lot of the surrounding area’s water drains into it.

Dewart, which was first known as the original Lake Wawasee, was named Lingle Lake in the mid-1800s. The land that included the lake was purchased by the Dewart family in 1844, and by the early 1900s, the Dewart moniker for the lake was cemented in local lore.

Dewart is one of two lakes in the county, along with Webster Lake, to feature an island (technically it has three, two of which are very close to shore). Most notably, though, is Girl Scout Island in the middle of the lake, which is part of Camp Ella J. Logan, owned by the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana. The island is a destination for the more experienced swimmers among the Girl Scouts who hone their skills year-round at the camp.

Further down the shore, in the southeast corner, is Quaker Haven Camp, which offers a Christian-centered retreat and recreational environment along the wooded shores of the lake. If live theatre is your thing, in that same area, and partnered with Quaker Haven, is the Lakes Area Players, which is a “Christian theater group promoting positive messages through drama and music.” Please note, due to COVID-19 productions have been cancelled this year.

If you want to stick around the lake area, but you don’t have friends with a home there, you can stay at the Woodfield Hills Inn, secluded in some quiet woods on the north side of the lake.

If you’re looking for a bite to eat, you’ll have to run into Syracuse for restaurants. Unless you want to catch your own dinner, that is.

Dewart is popular for sport fishing. According to Tyler Delauder, a fisheries biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Dewart Lake has also been getting stocked with walleye from a group of private individuals since 2018. He said the DNR hopes to be able to evaluate that stocking this fall.

Dewart Lake is also popular for recreational boating, and if you don’t have your own house on the shore, there is a state public access on the northwest side of the lake. And, while you’re out there, keep a sharp eye out for the bald eagles that have occasionally been spotted winging their way over the water.

Dewart is popular for sport fishing, as well as recreational boating, and if you don’t have your own house on the shore there is a state public access on the northwest side of the lake. While you’re out there, keep a sharp eye out for the bald eagles that have occasionally been spotted winging their way over the water.

Dewart Lake may not have the same buzz of activity found at Winona Lake or Lake Wawasee, but it is definitely not sleepy. The residents love and use their lake, and after an afternoon there, you will see why they love it so.

Overview:

Approximate

Acres of Water: 554

Best Fishing: Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Redear, Yellow Perch*

*courtesy of Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams