Leaping SteelheadThe steelhead run has hit the skids.

Rising St. Joseph River water temperatures have forced migrating steelhead to put on the brakes and take refuge around mouths of cooler, incoming creeks and water discharges.

Some fish are still being caught, said Dick Parker of Central Park Bait in Mishawaka.

“You have to work for them right now, but as soon as the water temperatures drop, it’s going to turn on again,” he added.

If you’re eager to get out, Trail Creek in Michigan City might offer more. The smaller stream is a lot cooler than the sluggish St. Joe and there’s been a steady stream of steelhead, coho, browns and even a few kings pushing through there.

“We’ve got photos and videos of the steelhead jumping over the weir we have set there,” said Lake Michigan biologist Brian Breidert.

The video, provided by Breidert, appears on this page.

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