Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
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IDNR Report
The Indiana DNR stocked approximately 120,000 Michigan-strain steelhead into three Lake Michigan tributaries this week.
On Dec. 16, approximately 40,000 fish were stocked into the Little Calumet at Mineral Springs Road. On Dec. 17, another 40,000 were stocked into Trail Creek at Meer Road and Salt Creek at West County Road 600 North.
These fish measure approximately 4.25 inches and will stay in the streams until spring before migrating to Lake Michigan. Once there, the fish will spend two to three years in Lake Michigan and return to the streams they were stocked into to spawn.
Anglers should take care when fishing these areas if they catch undersized trout. These fish are under the legal size limit and are sensitive to being caught. If you are catching these fish, consider moving to a different area of the stream or try switching your method of fishing. These new fish are crucial to the continued existence of the fishery.
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By Louie Stout
When Lake Michigan fish managers decided to cut king salmon stockings a few years ago, it didn’t set well with a lot of trollers.
Who could blame them? There are a lot of cool fish stocked in Lake Michigan, but none gets bigger or puts up a better fight than kings.
But those big salmon are eating machines, and with the alewife population diminishing – coupled with evidence that the kings were reproducing naturally - fish scientists felt it was necessary to cut back on stocking numbers.
Well, if you look at what’s happened on the lake since the cutbacks, that decision may have been the right one.
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IDNR Report
Brown Trout Stocked in Northern Indiana WatersSeveral northeast Indiana water bodies have been stocked with nearly 4,000 brown trout averaging 8 inches in length.
Trout from Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery in Kentucky were stocked by DNR fisheries biologists into the Oliver Lake chain in LaGrange County (Oliver, Olin, Martin lakes), Pigeon River at County Road 1100 West on the LaGrange-Steuben County line, Solomon Creek at County Road 33 in Elkhart County, and the Little Elkhart River at County Road 10 in Elkhart County.
The bag limit for trout in inland waters, not including Lake Michigan or its tributaries, is five fish per day with a minimum size of 7 inches. No more than one of these can be a brown trout. Anglers 18 years and older will need an Indiana fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout.
Anglers are advised that sections of Solomon Creek and The Little Elkhart River are designated as year-round "catch-and-release" only and "artificial lures or flies only" trout fishing areas. These sections include Solomon Creek from County Road 33 downstream to the Elkhart River and the Little Elkhart River from County Road 43 downstream to County Road 16, except for waters along Riverbend Park from C.R. 16 upstream to the pedestrian footbridge.
Brown trout taken from the Oliver Lake chain must be at least 18 inches in length.
For additional information on area trout stockings visit www.wildlife.IN.gov/5457.htm.
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Hoosier anglers can expect additional rainbow trout in northern Indiana streams in the upcoming weeks.
Streams that will receive additional trout include:
- Pigeon River in Steuben County and at the LaGrange-Steuben county line will receive bonus stockings at County Road 175 N and County Road 1100 W, Turkey Creek in LaGrange County at County Road 150 N.
- Little Elkhart River in Elkhart County at Bonneyville Mill Park
- Little Kankakee River and Slocum Ditch in LaPorte County at Slocum Ditch in Hunt Park in Wanatah for Slocum Ditch and County Road 500 E, County Road 100 S, and State Road 4 for Little Kankakee River
- Potato Creek in St. Joseph County at Potato Creek State Park and North Liberty Town Park
Pigeon River, Turkey Creek and Little Elkhart River will be stocked for the weekend of May 11-12 and Memorial Day weekend, May 25-26.
Little Kankakee River, Potato Creek and Slocum Ditch will only be stocked for Memorial Day weekend, May 25-26.
The bag limit for trout in inland waters, other than Lake Michigan and its tributaries, is five fish per day with a minimum size of 7 inches. No more than one of these can be a brown trout. In addition, brown trout taken from the Oliver Lake chain must be at least 18 inches in length.
Anglers ages 18 years and older will need an Indiana fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout. For additional information on trout stockings in the state, see the Trout Stocking Plan on the DNR website.
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IDNR Report
Trout Season on Inland Streams Opens Saturday
Thousands of stocked trout will be available to Indiana anglers on opening day of inland stream trout fishing on Saturday, April 27.
In order to protect stocked trout, certain streams are closed to all fishing from April 15 until opening day. In addition, some sections of streams are designated as year-round "catch and release only" and "artificial lures or flies only."
The DNR will have stocked 23,425 rainbow trout in 17 streams covering 12 counties for the opener. The stocked trout come from Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station near Howe in LaGrange County and average roughly 11 inches in length.
Anglers can catch trout on natural live bait such as worms and wax worms. Corn and small marshmallows, either plain white or colored, are also popular. Artificial lures such as spinners and flies entice trout as well.