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Cecil M. Harden Lake is a reservoir in Indiana. Fish documented in the area include Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Rainbow Trout. The water surface spans about 2,060 acres, making it a mid-sized body of water. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Other waters in the region include Cataract Lake, Cagles Mill Lake, and Lake Monroe. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Cecil M. Harden Lake.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 4:07 AM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best excellent fishing window, averaging 94/100 across these hours. Wind 6 mph from the east-southeast. Dusk hours (19:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 50° | 50° | 49° | 49° | 48° | 53° | 61° | 68° | 72° | 76° | 80° | 81° | 83° | 84° | 82° | 79° | 74° | 69° | 67° | 66° | 66° | 64° | 63° | 62° |
| Wind (kts) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Direction | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Precip % | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 AM EDT | 50°F | 2 mph ESE (113°) | 4 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM EDT | 50°F | 2 mph ESE (113°) | 4 mph | 1% | 5% | Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM EDT | 49°F | 2 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM EDT | 49°F | 3 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 11% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM EDT | 48°F | 3 mph SE (135°) | 7 mph | 1% | 13% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM EDT | 53°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 1% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM EDT | 61°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 9 mph | 1% | 11% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM EDT | 68°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 1% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM EDT | 72°F | 6 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 2% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 2% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM EDT | 80°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 3% | 30% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 81°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 3% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 83°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 2% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 84°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 2% | 20% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 82°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 2% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 79°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 2% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 74°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 1% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 69°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 1% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 67°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 13 mph | 1% | 35% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 66°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 13 mph | 0% | 27% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 66°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 38% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 64°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 41% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 63°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 47% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 62°F | 6 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 53% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 61°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 47% | Partly Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 48° | 84° | 59° | 79° | 58° | 74° | 54° | 84° | 63° | 83° | 57° | 77° | 57° | 78° |
| Wind | ESE 2 mph | SSE 2 to 8 mph | SE 7 mph | SE 7 to 10 mph | ESE 12 mph | NNE 5 to 8 mph | NW 0 to 6 mph | SSW 1 to 10 mph | SSW 7 to 10 mph | WSW 7 to 12 mph | NNE 5 to 12 mph | E 6 to 10 mph | SE 10 mph | S 9 to 14 mph |
| Gusts | 4 mph | 15 mph | 14 mph | 18 mph | 23 mph | 17 mph | 9 mph | 17 mph | 17 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 16 mph | 18 mph | 21 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 64% | 59% | 3% | 0% | 8% | 14% | 14% | 28% | 28% | 45% |
| Forecast |
Nearby river temperature: 68.4°F at BIG RACCOON CREEK AT FERNDALE, IN (3.7 mi away) · Oct 9, 7:30 AM UTC
Excellent for fishing (90/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 68°F from a representative gauge 3.7 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 1 mph from the north. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (76%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (99/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 1 mph from the north. Gusts to 5 mph. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (66/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Wind 1 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (98/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 1 mph from the north. Gusts to 5 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
No verified water temperature source exists for this lake, so a swimming comfort score is not shown.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of IN Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Celebrated for its accessible waters and scenic surroundings, Cecil M. Harden Lake is a standout freshwater reservoir in IN for weekend recreation. Boaters, anglers, and paddlers share its waters while enjoying well-maintained public amenities around the perimeter. Always check local launch ramp conditions and weather windows before arrival.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is required for anglers age 17+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Rainbow Trout. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Cecil M. Harden Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 4:07 AM EDT