Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
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(Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Brendon Sutter of the Tackle Shack.)
Cooper Schwartz with big trout
Eleven-year-old Cooper Schwartz will never forget his first trout fishing experience.
The young man joined his uncle Matt for some trout fishing on opening day. The pair headed to the Little Elkhart River at Riverbend Park in Middlebury, Ind.
Cooper had never been trout fishing. His uncle rigged him with a little Mepps Spinner and the lad began fishing.
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IDNR/MDNR Reports
Fisherman Holding Trout
In addition to Michigan’s walleye and pike seasons, Indiana and Michigan kicks off their inland trout fishing seasons Saturday.
Anglers are reminded that in Upper Peninsula waters, the walleye and northern pike possession seasons openers are delayed until Sunday, May 15. Michigan’s muskellunge possession season on all Great Lakes, inland waters, the St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair, and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers opens Saturday, June 4. Remember that catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year.
In Indiana, nearly 22,000 trout are being stocked by the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife in 16 different streams across Indiana for inland trout season.
Indiana’s trout come from Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station near Howe in LaGrange County and average roughly 11 inches in length. To find a stocked stream near you, see the trout stocking plan at bit.ly/36XmSgi.
One body of water that is absent from this year’s April stocking list is the tailwater of Brookville Lake in Franklin County. Scheduled maintenance by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is delaying rainbow trout stockings there until fall.
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MDNR Report
DNR Staff with Chinook
The Michigan DNR worked hard this fall and winter to gather the eggs necessary for the continued production of hatchery fish that support Michigan’s world-class fisheries.
Chinook salmon eggs were collected Sept. 30 through Oct. 7 at the Little Manistee River Weir, and coho salmon eggs were collected Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 at the Platte River State Fish Hatchery Weir.
“We had a decent run of wild Chinook salmon this year,” said Aaron Switzer, manager of the state fish hatcheries located in the Lower Peninsula. “The run at the Little Manistee was healthy enough to provide all of Michigan’s egg needs. We were also able to provide eggs to Indiana and Illinois. Once hatched, reared and stocked, all of these Chinook salmon will contribute to the Lake Michigan salmon fishery.”
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By JOHN BAUMAN, Michigan DNR
Michigan Inland Lake
The Michigan DNR manages many inland lakes in the Upper Peninsula for brook, brown and rainbow trout.
These trout lakes - less than 100 acres each - are often considered small compared with other inland lakes.
Depending on the lake, various regulations are in effect for anglers hoping to catch trout. In some of these lakes, anglers are restricted to the use of only artificial lures or all tackle is permitted, except minnows. On other lakes, all tackle is allowed.
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IDNR Report
The Indiana DNR stocked 5,228 rainbow trout in five different lakes and streams across Indiana in November.
Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station had a surplus of trout, which allowed for these additional stockings. The stocked surplus trout are greater than 7 inches on average.
Stocking locations included:
- Pinhook Lake (South Bend, St. Joseph County) – 400 fish
- Fancher Lake (Crown Point, Lake County) – 1,000 fish
- Delaware Lake (Fort Harrison State Park, Marion County) – 700 fish
- Cedar Lake (Whitley County) – 2,128 fish
- Brookville Reservoir Tailwater (Franklin County) – 1,000 fish
Anglers age 18 and older need an Indiana fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout. The bag limit for trout in inland waters, other than Lake Michigan and its tributaries, is five fish per day with a minimum size limit of 7 inches. There is no closed season for taking trout from inland lakes. Review inland trout regulations: eregulations.com/indiana/fishing/inland-trout-regulations/.
For more information about stockings visit wildlife.IN.gov/fishing/indiana-fish-stocking.