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By Louie Stout
Pine and Stone lakes continue to rank right up there with some of the best lakes in northern Indiana.
The two lakes within LaPorte city limits turned up big pike, bass and bluegill populations and a walleye fishery that remains worthy of attention.
An Indiana DNR Fisheries survey, conducted last summer and during the fall, indicates a very healthy fishery.
District biologist Courtney Weldon was there last fall to check survival of walleye stocked the previous fall. While the results weren’t great – similar to the previous year – those stocked in the early 2020s seem to be doing just fine.
“Growth still looks good and we caught several adult walleye during the survey,” she says. “The walleye population seems to be doing fine.”
Adult age groups were “all over the board,” she says, with a lot of fish in the 4 to 5 age group.
The summer survey was conducted in June. Nets were placed 6-foot-tall nets in water depths ranging from 8 feet to 20 feet where they captured numerous sportfish.
It produced a good spread of largemouth bass up to 19 inches.
“It’s interesting,” says Weldon. “Bass (size) growth in those lakes is slow the first couple of years and then it takes off to be above average after they hit age 4. We kinda see the same thing with walleyes.”
Pike numbers are high, she adds, noting that they caught more than they expected. The largest caught in nets was 37 inches “and we rolled another that was probably bigger.”
The bluegill and redear populations also are very healthy. The survey turned up a lot of 6 ½ to 8 ½ inch bluegill and the redears averaged 7 ½ inches.
“Bluegill is the most common species in the lake and redear is second,” Weldon says.
She speculates that the quality panfish population can be attributed to the strong predator population.
“When you have a strong predator population, you see bigger panfish,” she explains.
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IDNR Report
Indiana Conservation Officer Tyler Brock, who serves Porter County, has been selected as the 2025 District 10 Officer of the Year.
"Across Indiana, conservation officers are on the front lines promoting public safety in the outdoors and protecting our state's vital natural resources,” said Governor Mike Braun. “I congratulate the officers from each of the 10 districts who have earned this distinguished honor for their exceptional service on behalf of Hoosiers in 2025."
Brock has served as a conservation officer for 14 years. He served in LaGrange, St. Joseph, Kosciusko, and LaPorte counties before transferring to Porter County, where he has served since 2015.
In addition to his normal duties as a field officer, Brock serves as a field training officer, background investigator, ROV/sonar operator, public information officer, Emergency Vehicle Operator (EVO) instructor, and passenger for hire inspector for the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement.
District 10 includes LaPorte, Porter, Lake, Newton, Jasper, Starke, and Pulaski counties.
The district award puts Brock in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is presented to the top overall conservation officer in the state and is selected from the 10 district winners.
The Pitzer Award is named after Conservation Officer James D. Pitzer, who was fatally shot while investigating illegal hunting activity on Jan. 2, 1961, in Jay County.
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IDNR Report
The Indiana DNR has been awarded a $49,377 grant by the Community Amenities Program (CAP) to support the construction of a 3D archery range and walking trail at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA).
“Getting outside and enjoying recreational pursuits like archery and hiking are core to our identity as Hoosiers,” said Governor Mike Braun. “I’m thankful for the partnership between the state, community, and private industry to bring this great new amenity to at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area.”
The archery range will have 25 target stations, allowing archers to hone their skills in an outdoor setting. The trail will be 1.5 miles long through an oak-hickory woodlands with scenic lake views and have three rest areas.
Located north of North Webster, Tri-County FWA is the largest publicly accessible green space in Kosciusko County, encompassing 3,546 acres of land with more than 650 acres of lakes and streams. The property also includes upland fields, wetlands, and 10 natural lakes, making it a unique destination for residents and visitors alike.
Trail construction is currently underway with plans for completion by mid-2026.
CAP is a countywide initiative designed to enhance the quality of life across Kosciusko County by investing in shared spaces and projects that strengthen community connection. Backed by a portion of the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative’s $30 million commitment from the State of Indiana, CAP helps bring bold community visions to life by combining local, state, and philanthropic resources.
For more information on Tri-County FWA, see on.IN.gov/tricountyfwa.
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IDNR Report
Indiana Conservation Officer Jordan Boggs, who serves Kosciusko County, has been selected as the 2025 District 1 Officer of the Year.
"Across Indiana, conservation officers are on the front lines promoting public safety in the outdoors and protecting our state's vital natural resources,” said Governor Mike Braun. “I congratulate the officers from each of the 10 districts who have earned this distinguished honor for their exceptional service on behalf of Hoosiers in 2025."
Boggs has served as a conservation officer for 10 years, all in Kosciusko County. I
n addition to his normal duties as a field officer, Boggs serves as a field training officer, river rescue instructor, and standardized field sobriety instructor for the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement.
District 1 includes Wabash, Miami, Fulton, Marshall, Kosciusko, Elkhart, and St. Joseph counties. The district award puts Boggs in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is presented to the top overall conservation officer in the state and is selected from the 10 district winners. The Pitzer Award is named after Conservation Officer James D. Pitzer, who was fatally shot while investigating illegal hunting activity on Jan. 2, 1961, in Jay County.
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IDNR Report
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fish of the Year program (FOTY), recognizes anglers who have caught the longest fish of each species DNR tracks in that year.
For 2025, Steven Kellett, a Linton (Greene County) dentist, set a new FOTY record with 17 FOTY winning catches, eclipsing the mark of 15 FOTY winning catches set by Liu He of West Lafayette in 2022. The Kellett name also appears five more times on the 2025 FOTY list, as Landon, Steven’s 9-year-old son, caught five winning fish.
To see the complete list of FOTY winners, click here.
The elder Kellett said fishing with his son makes him think back to his childhood and helps him shape his son’s future.
“Spending father/son time away from the everyday stresses of life means everything to me,” Steven Kellett said. “I have awesome memories fishing with my dad and grandfather, and I want Landon to have some of the same experiences that I did.
“A lot of kids these days do not get to experience the outdoors, living in our tech driven culture. When I’m not working or at a sporting event, we make an effort to go fishing! These memories will last a lifetime!”
Steven’s FOTY catches for species that are most commonly pursued by anglers included a 25.5-inch channel catfish he caught at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, a 22.25-inch saugeye from the Whitewater River in Franklin, and a 21.5-inch brown trout from a private pond in Greene County.
The largest of Landon’s catches were a 28-inch black buffalo from the Wabash River in Sullivan County and an 18.5-inch shorthead redhorse from the Tippecanoe River in White County.
The elder Kellett said the FOTY program serves as extra motivation to fish for both he and his son.
“The FOTY competition offers a unique opportunity to either specialize in a single species or diversify into multiple,” he said. “I enjoy teaching my son to identify different species of fish and learn what is around us.
“We are both goal driven, and we like to log our catches, not only to send in for the competition, but to chart trends, locations, baits, and our own personal bests. This helps us find fish in the future, too.”
To learn more about DNR’s FOTY and Record Fish programs, see on.IN.gov/recordfish. To buy a fishing license and start your next fishing trip, go to GoOutdoorsIN.com or visit one of more than 500 retailers statewide listed at on.IN.gov/HuntFishLicenseRetailers.