J.C. Murphey Lake (IN): Motor and Boating Rules

Rules at a glance

What this means in practice

Electric-only means the hull can be almost anything — the power source is what matters. The typical setup on J.C. Murphey Lake is a transom-mount trolling motor in the 30–55 lb thrust range on a deep-cycle 12 V battery. Thrust is not horsepower: 55 lb of thrust moves a small boat at roughly walking pace. Our guide on what electric-only really means covers setups and run time.

Watch the detail that trips people up: a gas outboard left tilted up on the transom is still a gas motor on the boat. Some agencies tolerate it unused; others treat any attached combustion engine as a violation. On J.C. Murphey Lake, the safe play is to leave the gas motor at home unless Indiana Department of Natural Resources says otherwise in writing.

Worth knowing about J.C. Murphey Lake: Shallow lake of more than 1200 acres at Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area. DNR: electric trolling motors (24 volts or less) and self-propulsion only; no outboard motors are allowed, including electric outboards. Lake access closes around waterfowl seasons..

Two more Indiana waters worth a look while you plan: Hardy Lake (Zoned, Scott County) and Lake Lenape (Electric only, Greene County). For the complete picture, all verified Indiana lake motor rules sit on one sortable page.

Common mistakes on Electric only water

Ignoring the fine print. Most electric-only rules cap the power source, not the motor's size — but a few local rules do add size or mounting conditions. The notes on this page carry anything lake-specific we verified for J.C. Murphey Lake.

Forgetting registration. In most states a kayak becomes a registrable motorboat the moment a trolling motor goes on. Paperwork stops here are more common than speed stops.