Cooler weather and recent rains have lured more salmon and trout up the St. Joseph River into South Bend and Trail Creek in Michigan City.
However, the steelhead counts at South Bend remain well below average.
Lake Michigan biologist Brian Breidert said that tape readings through Oct. 9 showed 207 steelhead, 78 kings, 64 coho and 2 browns moved through the South Bend ladder during the previous two weeks. Fall run counts now show 797 Skamania, 122 kings, 155 coho and 3 browns have moved above the ladder.
Dick Parker of Central Park Bait in Mishawaka said fish are being caught at Central Park and the Twin Branch dam on spinners, spawn and shrimp.
A lot of the kings are coming from Central Park and down river from there, he added.
In Trail Creek where the fish numbers are higher, fish managers moved 150 kings and 60 coho over the sea lamprey trap last Wednesday alone.
The largest was a 20 pounder and several others averaged in the middle teens, said Breidert. Some fresh steelhead are moving in as well. This weekends rain should bring more in.