- The State of Indiana's Volunteer Angler Surveys
Here is your chance to directly help in fisheries management. The information you provide is essential in understanding this valuable species and helps the Department of Natural Resources monitor harvest and catch data.
Division of Fish & Wildlife staff collect reports as time permits. Only those water bodies with a current report are included.
| Waterbody | Report | Date |
|---|---|---|
| JC Murphey (Willow Slough) | Fish were stocked into the lake in the fall of 2023 with more stocking occurring in 2024. Fish salvaged from the lake before draining have been stocked back into the lake, with some catchable size bluegill, crappie, and largemouth bass. There will be limited angling opportunities for harvestable sized fish in 2024 except for the larger spawning sized fish from the salvage units. Please release these larger fish as they are the spawners for future. More information can be found in the link below. | 8/28/2024 |
| Lake Michigan (boat) | Fishing effort has been pretty low. There's no thermocline right now, but the water is still relatively warm, which is hurting the fishing. There are still mature salmon around - target the lower portions of the water column, staging salmon are usually tight to bottom when there is no thermocline. Spoons, flashers and flies, meat rigs, and J-plugs are the best baits right now for mature salmon. Offshore fishing in 100+ feet of water has been better than nearshore. Some 2 year old kings and steelhead are being caught out deep with the lake trout. The buoys are deployed for the season, so check water temps (on UGLOS or Seagull sites) before heading out. Remember, if salmon fishing offshore you are looking for the depth at which water temps under 55 degrees, and ideally 48-54 degrees. If fishing in close for staging kings/coho, 70 or below is preferred, and the warmer the water, the harder you'll have to work to aggravate sluggish salmon into biting. Perch fishing is usually best in temps 60-70 degrees, and optimally 62-66, but they can be found in much warmer or colder water at times. | 10/4/2024 |
| Lake Michigan (shore) | Same old story, with water on the warm side, and lack of rain, the action is slow. Some coho and kings have been caught by anglers tossing glow spoons and deep diving cranks after dark at East Chicago, Portage, and Michigan City. Fish have not been staging very well, so anglers are grinding for a few bites. Anglers targeting carp are doing pretty well. A few bass and pike were caught along the Portage Riverwalk, and off the high wall in Michigan City marina. The shore fishing site at the Port of Indiana is back open after construction | 10/4/2024 |
| Lake Michigan Tributaries (Trail Creek, Little Calumet River, Salt Creek) | Water continues to be very low and clear. The lack of rain is making the run very slow, and the push of fish that came in a while back with the rain has diminished and been worked over hard by angling pressure. Covering water is the name of the game when there are few fresh fish coming in - try a variety of different spots and don't spend too long in one hole. Downsize your baits in clear water, the fish get very spooky and pressured. Please respect fellow anglers, private property, and please do not litter! For links to stream flow, see the links below the report tables | 10/4/2024 |
| LaPorte Area Lakes | Look for largemouth on deep weedlines or dropoffs, or in thick vegetation and near docks. Bluegill are on the deep weedlines, and suspended. Look for crappies near weedbeds or suspended over structure. A couple pike have been reported on Pine Lake over the last several weeks as well | 9/20/2024 |
| Valpo Area Lakes | Bluegill and redear are being caught on deep weed edges, especially in morning and evenings. A few crappies on minnows as well | 9/20/2024 |
| St. Joseph River (below Twin Branch Dam) | The river is in still pretty low and clear. Water temps are in the high 60s to low 70s and late-summer patterns are in full swing. Low and clear water have made for great bass fishing. Smallmouth bass and rock bass are being caught on a variety of lures, and a few walleye are being caught on live bait and jerkbaits. Try topwaters like Spooks, Heddon Tiny Torpedos, poppers, and small buzzbaits early and late in the day, along with jerkbaits worked erratically, crankbaits banged off the bottom, and soft plastics like ned rigs in slower, deeper sections. Pike and largemouth are being caught in the slower sections near wood and weeds. Use cut bait and crawlers for catfish near logjams and in deeper slower pools. With cooler weather, a big push of trout and salmon have come in, with nearly 600 steelhead and 1,700 coho swimming through South Bend since the start of September. However, with the low and clear water, they are skittish and not biting well in marginal temps. Downsize your baits and think stealthy. Monitor the river temp and flow at the closest USGS gauge in Niles, MI using the links below the report table | 10/4/2024 |
| Hudson Lake | Crappie and bluegill are biting on deep weed edges and suspended over 20+ feet of water. Pike are being caught by trolling deep diving crankbaits. Bass are still in their summer pattern of shallow weeds/docks, or on deep dropoffs. Anglers should be aware that dredging the channel at the access site will be occurring this fall and may interrupt access at times | 9/20/2024 |
| Summit Lake | Anglers are currently reporting they are catching: Bluegill (up to 8 inches) and Largemouth Bass (up to 4 lbs). Please contact the property for lake levels: (765)766-5873. Fishing licenses are available for purchase at the Property Office. Property Office hours are 8:30-4:00 p.m. daily. Summit Lake State Park is located in Henry County, Indiana. | 8/29/2024 |
| Monroe Lake | Surface temperature is in the upper 70s to low 80s. Anglers are doing well on suspended crappie, as well as catching a few catfish on cut bait, and hybrid striped bass by trolling near bait balls in low-light hours | 9/10/2024 |
| Patoka Lake | Largemouth Bass are being caught in low light periods on main lake points pushing bait, slide up to the standing timber to target them when the sun is up. White and Black Crappie are loaded around standing timber in 7-13ftow. Hybrid Striped bass are using main lake points and weed edges during low light periods. | 9/20/2024 |
| Ohio River | Largemouth Bass are being caught in various tributaries of the Ohio River target laydowns or any hard cover available. | 9/20/2024 |
