I N D I A N A

REGULATION GUIDE
2018-2019

LITTLE
KINGS
Bluegills still
most popular fish

INSIDE
• FREE Fishing Weekends • Building Fish Habitat
• '17 Fish of the Year winners • 2017 Fishing Survey Results
• 4 New Public Access Sites • State Record Fish

Indiana Department of
Natural Resources
 ATTRACTIONS
Covered Bridge Festival 765-569-5226 TOURS
Turkey Run State Park 765-597-2635
Raccoon Lake 765-344-1412
Discover 5 signed covered bridge routes.
Rockville Lake Park 765-569-6541
Covered Bridge Art Gallery 765-569-9422
Bridgeton Mill 765-548-0106
Mansfield Roller Mill 765-344-0741
Turkey Run Canoes & Camping 765-597-2029
Sugar Valley Canoes 765-597-2364
Thirty-Six Saloon 765-569-9441
Shades State Park 765-435-2810
Festivals & Events 765-569-5226

Fishing Feet From Your Door Locked Motorcycle Parking Horse Friendly

LODGING
Pet Friendly
CABINS
Turkey Run State Park Cabins 877-563-4371
INNS Wilkins Mill Guest House 765-597-2046
Turkey Run Inn 877-563-4371 Rockville Lake Park Cabins 765-569-6541
Raccoon Lakeside Lodge 765-344-1162 Turkey Run Cabins 765-597-2029
Antique, Primitive & Vintage Shops Old Jail Inn Parke County 217-808-1309 Peaceful Waters Cabins 765-592-6458
EconoLodge 765-569-3430 Hilltop Guesthouse 765-597-2046
MOTELS Pat’s Pad 765-569-2605
Parke Bridge Motel 765-569-3525 Bear Cub Cabins 765-344-1436
Covered Bridge Motel 765-569-2833 Raccoon Lake House Rentals 765-592-0393
Motel Forrest 765-569-5250 Fallen Rock Parke 765-672-4301
Sugar Valley Cabins 765-597-2355
BED & BREAKFASTS The Dragonfly Guesthouse 765-592-0393
Granny’s Farm B & B 765-597-2248 Gobbler’s Knob Cabins 812-236-4132
Owl Nest B & B 765-569-1803 Raccoon Lake Sunset Rentals 765-592-0393
Bubble Gum B & B 765-569-6630 The Cabins at Hobson Farms 765-376-7663
Cherrywood Farm B & B 765-548-0582 CANOE CAMP
Mansfield Guest Inn 812-877-9831 Sugar Valley 765-597-2364
Red Brick Inn 765-592-7818
Knoll Inn 765-344-1162 LARGE GROUP FACILITY
Canoeing on Sugar Creek Granny’s Farmhouse 765-597-2248 Covered Bridge Retreat 866-622-6746

STATE RECORD
TM
PARKE COUNTY COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL

STRI PED BASS

May 25, 2010 at Raccoon Lake
caught
WEIGHING 39.08 LBS October 12-21, 2018
2018 FESTIVALS Bridgeton Quilt & Woodworking Show
- June 9-10
Parke County Maple Syrup Fair TM
Feb 24-25 and March 3-4 Covered Bridge Antique Power Club
Tractor Drive - June 23 & 24
Bridgeton Art & Wine Fair - May 12
Fireworks - Montezuma - July 4
Zoom Town 5K Run - May 19
Raccoon Lake - July 7
Rosedale Strawberry Festival - June 1-3
Rockville Lake - July 7
Miami Indians All Nations Gathering - June 2-3
 I N D I A N A

Table of
REGULATION GUIDE
Contents
Features

4
Bluegill Feature
23
State Record Fish
26-27
What Fish Is It?
Small game fish continues to be the most Josh Pisowicz set one of two records Color illustrations are a handy tool to help ID
popular fish for Hoosiers. for lake whitefish in 2017. common Indiana fish.

Departments
Back to Basics with Bluegills........................................................... 4
License Information........................................................................ 6
Statewide Size & Bag Limits........................................................... 8
Illegal Stocking/Aquarium Release,
Hooks for Pole Fishing or Hand Lines............................................ 8
Gaffs, Grab Hooks & Landing Nets, Snares, Limb Lines
Snagging Fish, Trot Lines................................................................ 8
Umbrella Rigs, Float Fishing, Ice Fishing, Bow & Spear Fishing.... 9
Wanton Waste, Sale of Aquatic Life, Smelt, Illegal Species.......... 9
Boating, Life Preservers, Sinkers, Illegal Devices, Sorting Fish...... 10
Gifting Fish, Minnows & Crayfish............................................... 10
Gizzard/Threadfin Shad, Walleye Size Limits.............................11
Bass Regulations............................................................................ 12
Lake Sturgeon................................................................................ 13
Inland Trout Regulations.............................................................. 14
Crunching the Survey Numbers................................................... 16
Lake Michigan Regulations.......................................................... 18
Public Enemy No. 1 for Bluegills.................................................. 19
Ohio River Regulations.................................................................20
Reptiles & Amphibians..................................................................21
Anglers Fund Conservation/New Boat Ramps............................22
Indiana State Record Fish List...................................................... 23
2017 Fish of the Year Winners......................................................24
Fish Identification.......................................................................... 26
Eating Fish...................................................................................... 28
Fisheries Biologists, Hatcheries, DNR Law Enforcement...........30
Fish & Wildlife Areas, State Reservoirs & State Forests..............31
Building Fish Habitat, Regulaciones de Pesca............................. 32

Governor: The Indiana Fishing Regulation Guide is a

Eric Holcomb publication of the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources. It is a summary of Indiana fishing
DNR Director:
regulations. It is designed as a service to anglers
Cameron Clark
and is not intended to be a complete digest of all
Fish & Wildlife Director: fishing regulations. Most regulations are subject
Mark Reiter to change by administrative rule. For questions
on the regulations, call (317) 232-4200. To seek
Division of Fish & Wildlife permission to reproduce any part of this booklet,
Indiana Department of Natural Resources call (317) 233-3853.
402 W. Washington St. RM 273 Paid advertisements in this guide do not imply
Indianapolis, IN 46204 endorsement by the DNR or the State of Indiana
for the businesses or products advertised. The
DNR is not responsible for any advertising claims
On the Cover:
Jackson Goins of Greenwood caught his first
contained herein. bluegills from a Brown County pond last October.
Photographed by – J ohn Maxwell, Indiana DNR

2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE 1

 MESSAGES
Even though everyone has their prime times, fishing can be a nearly
year-round way of life in Indiana.
So it makes sense that it takes all 12 months to create the opportuni-
ties you enjoy so much.
Remember, much of what you catch didn’t get there solely by Mother
Nature. A lot of people contribute to the abundant fishing opportuni-
ties we Hoosiers enjoy.
I’m referring to the dedicated individuals who make up the Fisheries
Section of the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. Creating and main-
taining sustainable places to fish is applied science. Of the 74 full-time
fisheries employees, 62 have a bachelor’s degree and 23 of those have master’s degrees. Some Williamstown, MA  |  Birmingham, AL
work on the water, others in one of our seven hatcheries, and still others at regional offices.
Fifteen work at the Central Office in Indianapolis, where my office is.
Their shared goal is to develop and improve fishing in Indiana. That sounds simple. But mak-
ing it happen is not.
Their hard work and research helps develop some of the rules in this guide. Their efforts also
made for some of the incredible results you will see inside on the Record Fish and Fish of the
Year pages.
About This Guide
But of course you do the catching.
So celebrate your successes, post your photos and tell your stories. But please remember, just This high-quality guide is offered to you
as you probably didn’t catch your fish by accident, it probably didn’t get there, at that size, by by the Indiana Department of Natural
chance either. Both were part of carefully hatched plans. Resources through its unique partnership
with J.F. Griffin Publishing, LLC.
The revenue generated through ad sales
significantly lowers production costs and
Cameron Clark generates savings. These savings translate
Director, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
into additional funds for other important
agency programs.
If you have any feedback or are inter-
You can name many reasons why you love fishing. You may even wonder ested in advertising, please contact us at
why anyone need ask.
413.884.1001 or at www.JFGriffin.com
And you probably know how your license and equipment money
not only benefits you and other anglers, but also anyone else who cares
Graphic Design:
about conservation and the outdoors, even if they’ve never gone fishing.
The fees you pay also benefit people who have yet to discover an Jon Gulley, Dane Fay, John Corey,
appreciation of the outdoors. After all, everyone needs clean air and Evelyn Haddad, Chris Sobolowski
clean water, which are direct results of the habitat our funds, from your
license fees, preserve.
But do your friends, family and coworkers who don’t fish know about
these things? If they don’t, please consider informing them, in a diplomatic way.
We don’t have enough anglers to fund the conservation work that’s needed. So invite some-
one to go fishing with you, even if they’ve never gone before. If they aren’t interested in fishing
right then, give them a rain check. Ask them to consider buying a fishing license so they will
be ready the next time, and help fund conservation at the same time.
And tell them the benefits buying a license will bring, even if they never cast a line. Buying
a license means Indiana gets federal funds that translate into $10 for every license sold. That
means buying a $17 license brings Indiana’s aquatic habitat programs $27. That’s a heckuva
rate of return. You can learn more by reading “Angler Dollars” on page 22.
Pass on the heritage. Share your sport. Because we need more people contributing
to conservation.

Mark Reiter
Director, DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife

This program receives federal aid for fish and/or wildlife restoration. Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil
Rights Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex. If you
This guide is also
believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility as described available online at
above, please write to the Office for Human Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI)
Washington, D.C. 20240.

2 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

 BLUEGILLS
Back to Basics
with Bluegills
By Nick Werner, DNR staff
Reflect on the first fish you caught.
If you can’t remember it, scan your mind for
the earliest fishing memory.
For lifelong Hoosier anglers, these impres-
sions are likely to appear remarkably similar.
A small pond. A dirt-filled coffee can. A
red-and-white bobber just past the cattails. A
caring adult. And, at the end of it all, a bluegill.
People who are passionate about fishing
have a tendency to retreat to narrow inter-
est groups. But one thing that unites many
Hoosier anglers, from the muskie nuts in
North Webster to the catfish crazies on the
Ohio River, is a soft spot for bluegills.
“I love bluegills,” said Buzz Arney, a 4-H
sport-fishing instructor from Shelbyville. “I
love to bluegill fish. I love to eat bluegills. I’ve
fished in the Atlantic and Pacific, on Lake
Superior and Lake Michigan. But I come back
to bluegills.”
The bluegill is the ultimate gateway species
for beginners. Yet Arney is among many who
have made fishing for them a lifelong pursuit.
The 2017 survey described on page 16 asked
anglers to identify their three favorite fish, in
no particular order. The bluegill showed up in
62 percent of responses, representing almost
300,000 licensed anglers.
Why would one of the smallest game spe-
cies have such a supersized influence?
“They are ubiquitous,” said Sandy Clark-
Kolaks, southern fisheries research biologist
with the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.
Supply and demand explains some of the
appeal, but not in the conventional meaning
of the phrase. For bluegills, supply has helped
create demand.
4
Bluegills exist in every aquatic environment
in Indiana. Their range includes all 92 Indiana
counties, and much of the United States. And
of Indiana’s 18 sunfish—a figure that includes
black bass and crappie—bluegills are the most
prolific. A single female may contain 30,000
eggs. A single nest can include 18,000 fry.
Because bluegills are so numerous, Indiana
does not have a daily bag limit or a size limit
for bluegills. And while catch-and-release
has become common for larger game fish,
most decent-sized bluegills still end up in the
frying pan.
They are Indiana’s most harvested fish.
“They taste very good,” Clark-Kolaks said.
“You don’t have to worry about contaminants
because they grow fast and don’t bio-accumu-
late contaminants. They are easy to filet and
easy to handle.”
Bluegill fishing doesn’t require expensive
equipment either.
Shoreline fishing can be as effective as using
a boat, and a cane pole often works as well as
an expensive spincaster. Ice fishing is also a
great way to catch ‘gills.
Bee moths and red worms are good for live
bait. Kids or adults who don’t like handling bait
can also use plastic grub jigs, Clark- Kolaks said.
“The biggest thing is what water depth you
fish at during different times of year,” Clark-
Kolaks said. “May-June you are going to be
fishing off the beds in shallow water. Two to 3
feet. As the summer moves on and they finish
spawning and it gets hot, they move deeper.”
While bluegills are almost everywhere, the
fishing quality isn’t uniform.
The species isn’t immune to pressure, espe-
cially in ponds and smaller lakes.
On the contrary, the most common problem
is overabundance, often called stockpiling.
“A lot of people will catch 5-inch bluegills
over and over,” Clark-Kolaks said. “There are
two questions. One: Are there just too many
bluegills? Or, two: Is it that everyone is just
harvesting all the fish over 6 inches?”
On public water managed by the DNR,
answering this mystery requires investiga-
tion by Division of Fish & Wildlife fisheries
biologists.
“A lot of lakes have stockpiling,” Clark-
Kolaks said.
Stockpiling stunts growth as too many
bluegills compete for limited food. The
answer to this problem is to manage a fishery
to promote a balance between bluegills and
largemouth bass. Bass eat small bluegills, help-
ing keep their numbers in check so that food
resources aren’t strained. The result is fewer
but bigger bluegills.
The biggest bluegill in Indiana, 3 pounds
and 4 ounces, came from a Greene County
pond in 1972.
The list on page 23 shows only four older
current species records.
Of course, landing a record isn’t something
bluegill anglers think about. If they wanted to
land big fish, they’d be chasing blue catfish or
striped bass.
If you are one of those big game anglers,
consider returning to your roots. Give blue-
gills a second look.
If the thought of staring at a bobber sounds
boring, grab a fly rod.
Jim Wootton has known how to fly-fish
most his life. And he’s been a bluegill angler all
his life. But it wasn’t until retiring from his job
as an English teacher in Evansville that he put
the two together.
He remembers the first time he caught a
bluegill on a fly rod. He was in his old, 10-foot,
K-Mart johnboat on the public pond that has
become his primary destination. Bee moths
hadn’t been working. On a whim, he cast his
fly rod.
“It was cold,” he said. “It was early March.
I caught this really nice bluegill. So I threw it
out again. I left with 18, all on a fly rod. I was
dumbfounded. After that, it’s all I’ve used.”
Wootton described bluegills as excel-
lent fighters, “ounce for ounce.” And he said
bluegills provide more steady action than bass.
Usually, you don’t wait long for strikes.
Arney agreed.
“With the proper equipment, catching
bluegills is just as exciting as catching a
5-pound bass,” Arney said. “It’s all the per-
spective you have.”
Trying a new method or ultra-light equip-
ment is one way to spice up bluegill fishing.
The other way, maybe the best way, accord-
ing to Arney, is to take a kid with you.
Arney believes anglers have a responsibil-
ity to “pay it forward.” Each generation must
teach the next. Fishing accounts for some of
Arney’s strongest friendships. He wants young
Hoosiers to experience the same joy.
You can be that caring adult in a child’s first
fishing memory.
 ®

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OUTDOORS

5
 LICENSE
INFORMATION
The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife is tasked
by state law to manage fisheries resources for
the benefit of all Hoosiers.
This booklet is a summary of fishing regula-
tions that support that effort. It is designed
as a service to anglers and is not intended to
be a complete digest of all fishing regulations.
Some rules may change after printing of this
booklet, so be sure to check the DNR website
(wildlife.IN.gov/2347.htm) for updates.
These regulations apply only to fish that
originate from, or are taken from, the public
waters of Indiana. Fish from public waters that
migrate into or from private waters are still
covered by these regulations. These regula-
tions do not apply to fish in private waters that
did not originate from public waters.
Who Needs a
Fishing License
With a few exceptions (see License Exemp-
tions), a valid fishing license issued by the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources is
required to fish in public lakes, streams, rivers
or tributaries in Indiana or its boundary waters.
The license must be signed in ink to be
valid, or the licensee must produce an elec-
tronic copy of the license while fishing. You
must carry it with you when fishing and pre-
sent it to an Indiana Conservation Officer (or
any other authorized law enforcement official)
upon request. There are fines and penalties for
fishing without a license.
To qualify for resident fishing licenses, a
person must have established a true fixed
and permanent home and primary residence
in Indiana for 60 consecutive days prior to
purchasing a license or permit, and not claim
residency for fishing, hunting or trapping
in another state or country. All others are
non-residents.
Indiana residents who are 64 years old and
born after March 31, 1943 are eligible to buy a
Senior Annual or Senior Fish for Life License.
The Senior Fish for Life License is valid for the
rest of the holder's life and includes the trout/
salmon stamp. To legally fish for or take trout
and salmon from public waters, you must also
have a valid trout and salmon privilege and a
valid fishing license (signed in ink) , or have
with you an electronic copy of the license
while fishing.
A fishing license may be revoked if the
license holder is convicted of violating fish and
wildlife regulations. Any equipment used in
the violation of Indiana fish and wildlife laws
may be seized for evidence, and be confiscated
upon conviction.
How to Buy a License
Online …
Go to: INHuntFish.com
In Person …
Visit one of more than 525 retailers state-
wide (see wildlife.IN.gov/5334.htm for an
6 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE
Resident Non-Resident
LICENSES Resident¹ Non-Resident
Apprentice Apprentice
Annual Fishing $17 $35 na na
One-Day Fishing (includes Trout/Salmon) $9 $9 na na
Seven-Day Fishing na $20 na na
Senior Annual Fishing
$3 na na na
(includes Trout/Salmon)2
Senior Fish for Life2
$17 na na na
(includes Trout/Salmon)
Trout/Salmon Stamp Privilege $11 $11 na na
Annual Hunting $17 $80 $17 $80
Annual Hunting and Fishing $25 na $25 na
Five-Day Hunting na $31 na $31
Disabled American Veterans Hunt/Fish $2.75 na na na
DAV 10-Year Hunt/Fish $27.50 na na na
All 2018 annual licenses and stamp privileges are valid from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019.
2018 license fees are subject to change by the Natural Resources Commission.
For a list of current license fees, go to Fishing.IN.gov or call (317) 232-4200.
1
See resident description located at the left of this chart.
2
Must be at least 64 years old and born after March 31, 1943.
na = not available
interactive map) or visit the DNR Customer • Residents of any licensed health care facility
Service Center, Indiana Government Center in Indiana taking part in a supervised fish-
South, 402 W. Washington St., Room W160, ing activity sponsored by the facility.
Indianapolis, IN 46204. Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
• Residents that have a developmental dis-
p.m., Monday-Friday.
ability as defined by IC 12-7-2-61.
By Mail …
• Fishing in a private pond that does not allow
Send check, money order (payable to DNR)
fish entry from or exit to public waters.
or Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American
However, an angler must have permission
Express (include number, expiration date) to:
from the property owner to fish.
Licenses
DNR Customer Service Center • Residents of Indiana engaged in full-time
402 W. Washington St., Room W160 military service while on approved military
Indianapolis, IN, 46204 leave. However, the angler must carry leave
Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Include the fol- orders and a valid Indiana Driver’s License
lowing information: or voter registration card.
• Name, date of birth, Indiana Driver’s • Resident owners or lessees of Indiana farm-
License number and Social Security Num- land who farm that land, their spouses and
ber (required by IC 14-22-11-3) children living with them, while fishing on
the farmland they own or lease. This exemp-
• Complete address, city, state, ZIP code, and
tion does not apply to land owned by a busi-
phone number
ness, corporation or partnership unless the
• Height, weight, sex, color of hair and eyes shareholders, partners, members or owners
are composed solely of an immediate fam-
• Specify the licenses you need and dates for
ily and farm that land. Farmland means
one-day or multi-day licenses
agricultural land that is devoted to or best
By Phone … adaptable to the production of crops, fruits,
Call (317) 232-4200. timber or raising livestock, or is assessed as
agricultural land for property tax purposes.
License Exemptions • Some non-resident landowners, while fish-
ing in public waters from the farmland they
A fishing license and trout/salmon stamp are
own, according to the exemptions that their
NOT required for:
state provides to Indiana residents.
• Indiana residents born before April 1, 1943.
NOTE: Non-resident military personnel on
Such residents should carry their driver’s
active duty and stationed in Indiana may
license or other identification to verify age
purchase an Indiana resident license.) Indiana
and residency.
disabled American veterans can get a DAV fish-
• Residents and non-residents under age 18. ing and hunting license application form from
the County Service Officer where they live or
• Residents who are legally blind.
download the application form at wildlife.
• Residents of a state-owned mental rehabili- IN.gov/2376.htm. Place the form in a stamped
tation facility. self-addressed envelope and mail to the DNR
Customer Service Center: 402 W. Washington
St., Room W160, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
 FISHING
REGULATIONS
INDIANA’S STATEWIDE SIZE AND BAG LIMITS Hooks for Pole Fishing
or Hand Lines
Species Daily Bag Limit Minimum Size
You may not fish with more than three poles or
Bluegill 3 None 3 (exceptions: page 11) None hand lines at any one time. Each line may have
Redear Sunfish 3 253 None no more than three single or multi-pronged
hooks, three artificial lures, or no more than
14 inches three of a combination of hooks and artificial
Black Bass (in lakes) 2 5 singly or in aggregate1
(exceptions: page 12) lures.
A multi-prong hook, or two or more single-
Black Bass 5 singly or in aggregate1 12 to 15 inch slot limit 4
prong hooks used to hold a single bait is consid-
(in rivers and streams) 2 (no more than two over 15 inches) (exceptions: page 12) ered one hook.
Black Bass (in Lake Michigan) 2 3 singly or in aggregate1 14 inches Single- or multi-barbed hooks may be used
Yellow Bass None None for hand or pole lines, float or jug fishing, limb,
drop or trot lines. Special hook size and barb
White Bass, 12 singly or in aggregate1, no more regulations apply to Lake Michigan and its
None
Hybrid Striped Bass than two fish may exceed 17 inches
tributaries. Refer to page 18 for hook informa-
Striped Bass 2 None tion for these waters.
Rock Bass 25 None
Crappie 3 253 (exceptions: page 11) None7 Gaffs, Grab Hooks
For Walleye: 14 inches south of and Landing Nets
Walleye, SR 26, 16 inches north of SR 26
(exceptions on Pg. 11)
Landing nets, gaff hooks or grab hooks may
Walleye-Sauger Hybrid (Saug- 6 singly or in aggregate1
eye), Sauger
be used only to assist in the landing of legally
For sauger and saugeye: No
size limit (exceptions on Pg. 11)
caught fish. They may not be used as the
method of catching fish.
Muskellunge
1 singly 36 inches8
and Tiger Muskellunge
Northern Pike 311 24 inches10, 12 Snares
Yellow Perch None (15 only on Lake Michigan) None You may use no more than one snare to take
suckers, carp, gar, and bowfin. Snaring these
Catfish: Channel, Blue, fish may be done only between sunrise and
None 13 inches 5,6, 10
Flathead (in streams)
sunset.
Catfish: Channel, Blue,
109 (exceptions: page 11) None 5,6
Flathead (in lakes, reservoirs)
Bullhead None None
Limb Lines
Lake Whitefish 12 None A limb line (or drop line) involves suspending a
fishing line from a tree limb extending beyond
Shovelnose Sturgeon None 25 inches the bank of a body of water. You may fish with
1
Singly or in aggregate means that the daily bag limit includes any combination of the species. no more than 10 limb lines or drop lines at any
2
Black bass includes largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. one time. Each line may have no more than
3
Daily bag limit for sunfish at J.C. Murphey Lake (Newton County) is 25 singly or in aggregate. one single- or multi-barbed hook attached to
4
No black bass between 12 and 15 inches may be harvested. it. Each line must have a readable tag showing
5
No more than one blue catfish and one flathead catfish that is 35 inches or longer.
the name and address of the user, or the DNR-
6
No more than one channel catfish that is 28 inches or longer.
issued Customer ID number. All lines must
7
9-inch minimum size at Dogwood Lake (Daviess County) and Hardy Lake (Scott County).
be checked at least every 24 hours. It is illegal
to use a limb or drop line within 300 yards of
8
44-inch minimum size at Backwater, Kiser and Webster lakes (Kosciusko County).
a partial or full dam structure located on any
9
No bag limit for catfish at Turtle Creek Reservoir.
stream, river, ditch, canal or reservoir.
10
No more than 1 per day more than 30 inches long.
No more than 6 per day from Hamilton Lake in Steuben County.
Snagging Fish
11

12
 o minimum size limit for Northern pike at Hamilton Lake in Steuben County, with no more than 1 per day more than
N
30 inches long.
Snagging is the practice of dragging or jerking
a hook (or hooks), baited or unbaited, through
Bag and Possession Limits Illegal Stocking, the water with the intention of hooking a fish
on contact. It is illegal to snag fish from public
It is illegal to take more than the daily bag limit Aquarium Release waters in Indiana, including the Ohio River.
of a wild fish in a calendar day. Trout and salmon that are foul-hooked — not
It is illegal to take any live fish (native or non-
The possession limit is two times the daily caught in the mouth — must be released to the
native) and release it into any other public
bag limit. water and not kept.
waters without a stocking permit. DNR fisheries
The possession limit does not apply to a wild
biologists approve stocking of fish only after
fish that is processed and stored at an individu-
al’s primary residence.
careful consideration of the potential impacts of Trot Lines
new fish on the existing habitat and fish popula-
It is illegal to carry, transport or ship outside A trot line (also called a set line or throw line)
tion. The release of fish from an aquarium
Indiana, in open season, in one day, a wild fish is a fishing line with smaller lines attached to it
would be considered the stocking of fish, and a
that the individual has taken in open season in that extends into the water from a fixed point,
permit is required to do so.
excess of the possession limit. such as a boat dock or tree. You may fish with no
more than one trot line at any one time. The trot

8 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

line must have no more than 50 single- or multi-
barbed hooks. Each drop line on a trot line may
have only one hook. Trot lines must bear a read-
able tag showing the name and address of the
user, or the DNR-issued Customer ID number.
Trot lines must be checked at least once every
24 hours. It is illegal to use a trot line in Lake
Michigan or within 300 yards of any partial or
full dam structure located on any stream, river,
ditch, canal or reservoir.
Umbrella Rigs
You may use an umbrella rig (sometimes
referred to as an Alabama rig), but hooks
or lures can be attached to only three arms.
Any additional arms must be left empty or
can be fitted with a spinner blade or other
hookless attractor.
Float Fishing
Float or jug fishing is the use of any buoyed
container (made of any material other than
glass) that suspends a single fishing line and a
single- or multi-barbed hook.
As many as five floats may be used but only
one hook may be attached to each float line.
Each float must be marked with the user’s name
and address, or the DNR-issued Customer ID
number. All lines must be in constant visual
contact of the person using them. Float fishing
is not allowed on lakes and reservoirs for public
safety reasons.
Ice Fishing
When ice fishing, no more than three lines may
be used at any one time. Each line may contain
no more than three hooks (single, double or
treble) or three artificial lures.
Holes cut for ice fishing cannot be more than
12 inches in diameter.
Tip-ups must be identified with the name
and address of the user or the DNR-issued Cus-
tomer ID number. Tip-ups must be in constant
visual contact of the person using them.
Ice shanties or portable ice-fishing shelters
must have the owner’s name and address or the
DNR-issued Customer ID number in 3-inch
block letters on the outside of the door. Between
sunset and sunrise, any ice fishing shelter or
portable shelter must have at least one red
reflector or a 3-inch by 3-inch reflector strip on
each side of the structure.
Ice shanties and portable shelters must be
removed from public waters before ice-out. If
used before Jan. 1 and after Feb. 15, all struc-
tures must be removed daily.
Freshwater Mussels
It is illegal to collect or take live mussels or dead
mussel shells from public waters. A ban on
harvesting shells has been in effect since 1991 to
protect against a rapid decrease in the abun-
dance and distribution of freshwater mussels.
Please do not disturb living mussels.
Bow Fishing
A bow and arrow or crossbow can be used
any time of day year-round to take Asian carp,
bowfin, buffalo, common carp, gar, shad, and
suckers from streams, rivers and non-flowing
waters (including lakes, ponds, and reservoirs).
A fishing license is required to use a bow and
arrow or crossbow as fishing equipment.
Spear Fishing
A gig, fish spear, spear gun, or underwater spear
can be used any time of day year-round to take
Asian carp, bowfin, buffalo, common carp,
gar, shad, and suckers from non-flowing waters
(including lakes, ponds, and reservoirs) and the
following large streams:
• Kankakee River, upstream to the State Road
55 bridge
• Maumee River, upstream to the Anthony
Boulevard bridge in Fort Wayne
• St. Joseph River, upstream from Twin Branch
Dam in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties
• Tippecanoe River, upstream to one-half mile
below its confluence with Big Creek in Car-
roll County (Fish spears and fish gigs cannot
be used in, on, or adjacent to Tippecanoe
River from 1/2 mile below its juncture with
Big Creek in Carroll County upstream to the
Oakdale Dam.)
• Wabash River, upstream to State Road 13 in
Wabash
• White River, upstream from the Wabash
River to the junction of East and West forks
• White River/East Fork, upstream to the dam
at the south edge of Columbus
• White River/West Fork, upstream to the dam
below Harding Street in Indianapolis
Fishing Below Dams
State law does not allow the taking of fish by
trot line, set line, throw line, net, trap, or seine
(except legal minnow seines or dip nets) within
300 yards of a dam on an Indiana waterway
or boundary water (which includes the Ohio
River).
Wanton Waste
The intentional waste and destruction of fish
is prohibited unless the fish is required by law
to be killed. Fish must not be mutilated and
returned to the water unless the fish is law-
fully used as bait. Fish parts, including entrails,
must not be discarded into any state waters but
should be disposed of in a sanitary manner that
does not pollute the water or become detrimen-
tal to public health or comfort.
Sale of Aquatic Life
No fish, frogs, turtles, or other reptile or
amphibian taken under a fishing or hunting
2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE
Free Fishing Days
Indiana residents can enjoy four free
fishing days in 2018 without having to
buy a fishing license — April 21, May 19,
and June 2 and 3.
This year, take a friend along and intro-
duce him or her to a new activity that
could become a lifelong passion.
(All other fishing rules and regulations
apply.)
See dnr.IN.gov/fishfree for more
information.
license may be bought, sold, or bartered. You
may keep fish that you catch for an aquarium
if that fish meets legal size and bag limit
requirements.
If you give your catch away, it’s a good idea
to provide the recipient a note identifying the
fish you gave them. This avoids confusion with
exceeding the daily bag limit or possessing fish
without a fishing license.
Smelt Fishing
Smelt may be taken from Lake Michigan from
March 1 through May 30. Smelt may be taken
only with a single seine or net. The seine or
net may not exceed 12 feet in length and 6 feet
in depth, nor have a stretch mesh larger than
1½ inches. A dip net may not exceed 12 feet in
diameter.
Endangered Fish
The following fish species are classified as
endangered in Indiana: bantam sunfish,
Hoosier cavefish (formerly Northern cavefish),
channel darter, gilt darter, greater redhorse, lake
sturgeon (see page 13), Northern brook lamprey,
pallid shiner, redside dace, and variegate darter.
It is illegal to take or possess these fish at any
time. Most of these species are small and would
not be caught while angling.
If captured during baitfish collection, imme-
diately return them unharmed to the water in
which they were found.
Species Illegal to Possess
The following fish and mussels are illegal to
possess: Asiatic clam, bighead carp, black carp,
silver carp, quagga mussel, round goby, rudd,
ruffe, snakehead (of the family Channidae),
stone moroko, tubenose goby, walking catfish
(of the family Clariidae), Wels catfish, white
perch (not freshwater drum), zander, and zebra
mussel.
If any of these species are taken into posses-
sion, they must be killed immediately by either
removing their head, removing gills from at
least one side of the fish, or gutted. Your coop-
eration is essential.
9
 BASIC FISHING
INFORMATION
Boating
All motorboats used in public waters must
be registered. For a copy of Indiana boat-
ing laws, write to DNR Division of Law
Enforcement, 402 W. Washington St.,
Room W255D, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or go
to boat-ed.com/indiana/handbook.
On state-owned, leased or licensed lakes
smaller than 300 acres, only electric motors
may be used. No more than two 12-volt bat-
teries can be used to power trolling motors on
these waters.
Life Preservers
A U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable flotation
device (PFD) is required for each person on any
boat. Boats 16 feet and longer, except for canoes
or kayaks, must also have one USCG-approved
throwable PFD on board.
Lake Michigan, the Ohio River, and Indiana-
Illinois boundary waters of the Wabash River
have special regulations. Call the USCG at (219)
879-8371 for Lake Michigan, (502) 779-5400 for
southern Indiana, or see uscgboating.org for a
copy of federal boating regulations.
Sinkers
You may want to consider using lead-free fish-
ing sinkers if you are concerned about your
exposure to lead. Alternative sinkers are made
of steel, bismuth, tungsten, and resin. Fish or
wildlife health may be affected if they ingest
lead or zinc sinkers.
Tagging and Marking
Anyone interested in marking or tagging fish in
public water must get approval from the DNR
Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) before mark-
ing or tagging occurs.
An application, available from DFW, must
be processed 21 days before the scheduled start
date. Call (317) 232-4080 for more information.
How To Measure
Your Fish
To determine the accurate length of
a fish, measure a straight line from
the tip of the jaw (mouth closed) to
the tip of the compressed tail fin.
Measure with mouth closed and
tail compressed to determine total
length.
Measure shovelnose sturgeon from
nose to fork in tail fin to determine
length.
10
Lake Michigan Trout
and Salmon
Trout or salmon with a missing adipose fin
contain a small micro wire tag in the head of
the fish with information important to DNR
research. Please save the head from your
marked (adipose fin-clipped) trout and salmon
and call the Division of Fish & Wildlife at (219)
874-6824 for instructions on drop-off locations.
Only trout and salmon with a missing
adipose fin have micro tags. The adipose fin
is along the fish’s spine between the dorsal fin
and caudal (tail) fin.
Illegal Devices
It is illegal to use the following devices to take
fish from public waters: a weir, electric cur-
rent, dynamite or other explosive, a firearm,
hands alone, or any substance that may
weaken or poison fish.
Sorting Fish
Anglers are responsible for maintaining fish
in a healthy condition if they wish to return
fish to the water. Dead and dying fish already
kept cannot be released back into the water.
At no time may anglers have more than a bag
limit in their possession while engaged in a
day’s fishing. However, sorting of fish may
be allowed within the bag limit if fish are in
healthy condition at the time of release. For
example, if you catch five largemouth bass
(daily bag limit is five) and catch a bigger
largemouth bass later that day, it is legal to
release any of the other fish in good condition
in order to keep the larger one. Fish must be
released into the water from which they were
taken and be able to swim away normally. All
fish in possession must meet legal size limits.
Total Length
Fork Length
Fork Length
2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE
Gifting Fish
A person cannot gift fish taken under a sport-
fishing license to another person knowingly
or intentionally for the purpose of stocking a
private lake for which customers pay for the
opportunity to fish.
Holding Baskets, Live
Boxes, Live Nets, Etc.
A fish-holding basket, live box, live net, or any
other structure in which fish or other aquatic
life are contained or held and left unattended
must be plainly labeled with the name and
address of the owner. This does not include
live wells or other devices that hang over the
side of a boat or are located within the boat.
Minnows, Crayfish
Minnows and crayfish may be collected any
time through the year if you have a valid sport
fishing license. Minnows and crayfish collected
from public waters cannot be sold.
“Minnow” is defined as a species of the min-
now family Cyprinidae, except for exotic species
identified in 312 IAC 9-6-7 and endangered
species identified in 312 IAC 9-6-9, as well as
sucker, brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans),
gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and alewife. Live
gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and alewife may
only be collected, used, possessed, and disposed
of in accordance with 312 IAC 9-6-8.
You cannot transport more than 100 crayfish
across the state line in a 24-hour period unless
you are commercially raising crayfish. You may
use artificial lighting to take crayfish.
If you plan to catch your own minnows or
crayfish, the following rules apply. (See page 20
for special minnow and crayfish collecting
regulations on the Ohio River.)
• S
eines cannot be larger than 12 feet in length
and 4 feet deep with mesh no larger than ½
inch stretch. (Stretch is the distance between
two opposite knots of a net mesh when the
net is stretched tight.)
• Minnow dip nets cannot exceed 3 feet
square, without sides or walls, and may not
have mesh larger than ½ inch stretch.
• M
innow traps cannot exceed 24 inches in
length, with the opening of the trap no larger
than 2 inches in diameter. Traps for crayfish
also must comply with these requirements.
• Cast nets may be used, provided the net is no
larger than 20 feet in diameter and the mesh
stretch is no larger than ¾ inch.
• A person cannot use a cast net, seine or any
other device to collect minnows extending
from a dam downstream 500 yards on inland
waters, except on the Ohio River.
Do not release minnows into the water after
you finish fishing. Emptying bait buckets can
contaminate a body of water with undesirable
fish. In addition, bait and bait buckets exposed
to lake or stream water could get contaminated
with zebra mussel larvae, fish pathogens, or
other aquatic invasive species. Anglers are
encouraged to dispense of baitfish in the trash
after each outing and buy new bait for the next
outing. Fishing worms should be discarded in
trash containers.
Wild fish may be used as live bait as long as
the fish was caught legally and meets any size,
catch, or possession limits established for that
species. Goldfish may be used as live bait.
Carp cannot be used as live bait at any
location.
Live alewives may be collected, possessed
and used on Lake Michigan only, and may
not be transported away from Lake Michigan.
Any unused alewives must be killed. You must
immediately kill alewives collected from waters
other than Lake Michigan.
Gizzard Shad,
Threadfin Shad
Gizzard shad and threadfin shad can be col-
lected and used as live bait on the following
waters but may not be transported live away
from the location where collected: Brookville,
Cecil M. Harden, Freeman, Hardy, Monroe,
Patoka, and Shafer lakes, and the Ohio River
mainstream (excluding all embayments).
Cast nets with a maximum mesh size of
2 inches stretch can be used to collect live
gizzard shad and threadfin shad at these bod- • Wall Lake (LaGrange County); minimum
ies of water. size 16 inches with a daily bag limit of two
Live gizzard shad or threadfin shad col-
Walleye taken from public waters (lakes,
lected from the tailwaters of a lake or col-
rivers and streams) south of State Road 26
lected from other water bodies must be killed
must be 14 inches or longer, except:
immediately upon capture and cannot be
possessed alive. • The Ohio River, where there is no mini-
mum size
Hooks on EF White River There is no minimum size requirement for
saugeye on all state waters, except for Hunt-
Hook restrictions are in place from March 15
ingburg Lake (Dubois County) and Sullivan
through April 20 on the East Fork White River
Lake (Sullivan County), where saugeye must
from Williams Dam to the Huron and Wil-
be 14 inches in length or longer.
liams Road bridge in Lawrence County.
Except for the Ohio River, sauger are added to
During that time, you cannot fish with
the aggregate bag limit for walleye and saugeye.
more than one single hook per line or one
artificial lure. Single hooks, including those
on artificial lures, shall not exceed one-half Special Regulation Waters
(1/2) inch from point to shank. Double and
On Fidler Pond in Elkhart County, Failing
treble hooks on artificial lures shall not exceed
Lake (also known as Gentian Lake) in Steuben
three-eighths (3/8) inch from point to shank.
County, and Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A and
Walleye Size Limits
B in Hamilton County, a person cannot take
more than:
Walleye taken from all public waters (lakes, riv- • 5 channel catfish per day.
ers and streams) north of State Road 26 must be
• 2 largemouth bass per day, and the large-
16 inches in length or longer, except for:
mouth bass must be at least 18 inches long.
• Bass Lake (Starke County) and Wolf Lake
• 15 of any combination of bluegill, redear
(Lake County); minimum size 14 inches
sunfish, and crappie per day.
• Lake George (Steuben County); minimum
size 15 inches
11
 BASS
REGULATIONS
• Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area, all lakes
STATEWIDE BLACK BASS* REGULATIONS
20-inch minimum size limit and one fish
daily bag limit:
Type of Water Daily Bag Limit Minimum Size
Lakes 5 singly or in aggregate 14 inches
• Turtle Creek Reservoir (Sullivan County)
5 singly or in aggregate 12- to 15-inch slot size limits:
Rivers/Streams 12 to 15 inch slot limit** At the following lakes, largemouth bass that
(no more than 2 bass over 15 inches)
Lake Michigan 3 singly or in aggregate 14 inches
are from 12 to 15 inches in length may not be
harvested. The daily bag limit applies to bass
* Black bass is a term for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. Certain waters have special bag limits and minimum size under 12 inches and over 15 inches.
limits that apply to black bass. See information on this page.
** No black bass between 12 and 15 inches may be harvested. • Buffalo Trace Lake (Harrison County)
The possession limit is two times the daily bag limit. The possession limit does not apply to fish that are processed and stored
at an individual’s primary residence.
• Ferdinand State Forest Lake (Dubois County)
• Montgomery City Park Lake (Daviess County)
16-inch minimum size limit:
Special Lake Regulations 12- to 15-inch slot size limit (no more than
• Cecil M. Harden Lake (Parke County) two bass larger than 15 inches):
Special largemouth bass regulations are in effect
for many Indiana waters. 18-inch minimum size limit and two fish • Big Long Lake (LaGrange County)
The expected benefits of size limits are daily bag limit:
No-minimum-size-limit waters:
an increase in the number of bass caught • Ball Lake (Steuben County)
(although many must be released); an increase • Brownstown Pit (Jackson County)
in size of bass; and in some cases, improve- • Blue Grass, Loon Pit (Warrick County)
• Burdette Park lakes (Vanderburgh County)
ment in bluegill size and increased predation • Fidler Pond in Elkhart County, Failing Lake
on abundant prey like gizzard shad. (also known as Gentian Lake) in Steuben • Chandler Town Lake (Warrick County)
Regulations on bass fishing differ on the County, and Flat Fork Creek Park ponds A • Cypress Lake (Jackson County)
Ohio River. See page 20.
and B in Hamilton County • Deming Park lakes (Vigo County)
Lake Limits (county) • J.C. Murphey Lake (Newton County) • Garvin Park Lake (Vanderburgh County)
15-inch minimum size limit: • Kunkel Lake (Wells County) • Glen Miller Pond (Wayne County)
• Patoka Lake (Orange, Dubois and Crawford • Robinson Lake (Whitley and Kosciusko
counties) • Hayswood Lake (Harrison County)
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No-minimum-size-limit waters (cont.):
• Henry County Memorial Park Lake (Henry
County)
• Hovey Lake at Hovey Lake Fish & Wildlife
Area (Posey County)
• Krannert Lake (Marion County)
• Lake Sullivan (Marion County)
• Ruster Lake (Marion County)
• Schnebelt Pond (Dearborn County)
Special Regulations
for Rivers & Streams
20-inch minimum size limit and one fish
daily bag limit:
• Sugar Creek (Montgomery, Parke, Boone,
Clinton and Tipton counties)
12-inch minimum size limit (5 bass daily limit):
• All rivers and streams in Posey, Vander-
burgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Crawford,
Harrison, Floyd, Clark, Jefferson, Switzer-
land, Ohio and Dearborn counties (with the
exception of the Blue River, where the slot
limit applies in Crawford, Harrison, and
Washington counties).
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Lake Sturgeon – Endangered Species
Lake Sturgeon Shovelnose Sturgeon
Mouth: Upper lip without lobes, Mouth: Upper lip with four lobes,
lower lip with two lobes. lower lip with four lobes.
Snout: Cone-shaped, rounded. Snout: Shovel-shaped, flattened.
Tail: Rounded, thick caudal Tail: Long, thin caudal peduncle
peduncle not fully scaled; smooth areas fully scaled with bony plates.
between rows of bony plates.
Size: Adults normally caught at 30–40
Size: Adults normally caught at 45–55 inches inches and 3–7 lbs., rarely larger.
and 25–45 lbs.; can reach lengths greater
Range: Wabash and White rivers and occa-
than 6 feet and weights over 100 lbs.
Range: Lower Wabash and White rivers and
sionally in other large rivers.
Lake Michigan, possibly in other large lakes
or rivers.
Lake sturgeon: may have small metal tag Shovelnose sturgeon.
with number on base of dorsal fin.
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14
INLAND TROUT
REGULATIONS
INLAND TROUT SIZES AND LIMITS
Species Daily Bag Limit Minimum Size
Brook Trout 5 singly or in aggregate
for all trout.
Rainbow Trout 7 inches*
No more than 1 may
Brown Trout be brown trout.
*18-inch minimum size limit for brown trout at Oliver, Olin and Martin lakes in LaGrange
Co., and Brookville Lake tailwater in Franklin Co.
Indiana anglers have two options when it comes to trout fishing —
inland waters and Lake Michigan.
The following information covers regulations for inland trout fishing.
Lake Michigan trout and salmon regulations are on page 18.
Lakes: No closed season for taking trout from inland lakes except
March 15 to April 1 at Greene-Sullivan State Forest.
Streams: The opening day of trout season for inland streams, other
than Lake Michigan tributaries, is the last Saturday in April and runs
through Dec. 31.
The starting time is 6 a.m. local time.
For a list of trout stockings, see wildlife.IN.gov/5457.htm
Catch-and-release applies to all trout streams from Jan. 1 through
April 14. See page 18 for special tributary restrictions and closure
information for Lake Michigan streams.
A closed season for selected trout streams (see below) runs from
April 15 to the last Saturday in April (opening day) while DNR staff
complete the annual trout stockings.
• Pigeon River and Pigeon Creek in LaGrange County from the Steu-
ben County line to CR 410 E (Troxel’s Bridge). This does not include
the impoundment known as Mongo Mill Pond
• Harding Run, Curtis Creek, Bloody Run, and Graveyard Run (tribu-
taries of Pigeon River) in LaGrange County
• Turkey Creek north of CR 100 S in LaGrange County
• Rainbow Pit located on Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area, approxi-
mately one mile east of Ontario in LaGrange County
• Little Elkhart River and Rowe-Eden Ditch in LaGrange County
• Solomon Creek and Cobus Creek in Elkhart County
• L
ittle Kankakee River in LaPorte County from CR 800 E upstream
to Division Road
• Spy Run Creek within Franke Park in Allen County
• Mississinewa River within the boundaries of the Randolph County
Wildlife Management Area
• B
ig Blue River within the boundaries of Wilbur Wright Fish & Wild-
life Area in Henry County
Three streams in Elkhart County (totaling 2.8 miles) are designated as
year-round “catch-and-release only” and “artificial lures or flies only”
trout fishing areas. Only artificial lures and artificial flies can be used
in the following catch-and-release waters in Elkhart County:
• Little Elkhart River from CR 43 downstream to CR 16, except for
waters along Riverbend Park from CR 16 upstream to the pedestrian
footbridge
• Solomon Creek from CR 33 downstream to the Elkhart River
• Cobus Creek from Old U.S. 20 downstream to the St. Joseph River
Brown Trout Minimum Size Limit Waters: An 18-inch minimum
size limit exists at Oliver, Olin, and Martin lakes in LaGrange County,
and the Brookville Lake tailwater in Franklin County.
2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE
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 CRUNCHING
NUMBERS
Crunching the Survey Numbers
Anglers have no qualms about telling the DNR
what they think, and that’s as it should be.
But some years the feedback is collected in a
more formal way than in others. That happened
in 2017. The reason was that, starting in 1977,
the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife has con-
ducted an angler survey about every 10 years,
and the calendar said it was time for another.
If you didn’t get surveyed, that may have
been by design. No, we didn’t intentionally
exclude you, personally, but research methods
show that if a scientifically random sample
of a certain size is obtained, the results are
16
considered valid. All licensed anglers had an
equal chance of being chosen, even if they had
only one way of being contacted.
The response rate was 30 percent, which is
considered high in the research world. If you
participated, thank you for your time. Your
input will help us greatly.
This year some more-specific questions
were asked. Among these were county most
often fished, top three water sources you’d
like stocked (in addition to what species), and
which fisheries management and research
efforts were most beneficial. We also asked
if anglers owned property on certain water
bodies. This helped us determine how their
opinions might differ, particularly on aquatic
vegetation, from those who did not own
waterfront property.
In terms of findings, Matt Burlingame,
DNR fisheries biometrician, said overall find-
ings were similar to those from 2005.
“One thing that stood out is how much
value our anglers place on habitat,” he said.
Anglers rated the management of aquatic
habitat projects as one of their highest priori-
ties and identified “improvement of aquatic
habitat” as one of the top research priorities.
OUTDOOR INDIANA
DNR’s official magazine since 1934
Outdoor
Subscribe at OutdoorIndiana.org
Only “impacts of aquatic invasive species”
ranked higher. Habitat enhancement was
also ranked a high priority for the fisheries
program in general.
“If we can’t sustain good habitat (includ-
ing water quality), we’re going to struggle to
provide quality fishing opportunities, and the
findings show that anglers seem to understand
that,” Burlingame said. “That’s encouraging.”
Burlingame said he was surprised by how
high commercial fishing ranked among
anglers’ research priorities. Fifty-one percent
and 48% of our anglers rated the management
of commercial fishing and the impacts of it as
a 9 or 10 (out of 10, with 10 being most impor-
tant). Research on commercial fishing was
ranked more important than understanding
the impacts of regulation changes, monitor-
ing trends in fisheries communities, predator
stockings and interactions with prey, and
three other activities.
In terms of species fished for most, look
at the boy's catch on this guidebook’s cover.
Bluegill ranked first again, just as in 1994 and
2005. Largemouth bass ranked first in 1984.
Complete survey results are at wildlife.
IN.gov/files/fw-2017anglersurvey.pdf.
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17
 LAKE MICHIGAN
REGULATIONS
• N
o fishing is allowed within 100 feet of the
LAKE MICHIGAN AND TRIBUTARIES SIZES AND LIMITS entrances and exits of the fish ladders.
• N
o fishing is allowed by boat or other
Species Daily Bag Limit Minimum Size
watercraft in the St. Joseph River below the
Atlantic Salmon South Bend dam for a distance of 200 feet,
and from the Mishawaka Central Park Dam
Chinook Salmon
downstream to the Main Street Bridge,
Coho Salmon 14 inches Mishawaka.
5 total salmon and trout Lake Michigan,
Pink Salmon
Brown Trout
No more than 3 may be lake trout streams, and Tributary Closures
St. Joseph River
No fishing is allowed within 100 feet upstream
Lake Trout of the Trail Creek sea lamprey barrier or
Steelhead Trout downstream to the Pottawatomie Country
Club Golf Course property line located adja-
Yellow Perch 15 on Lake Michigan only None cent to Springland Avenue in Michigan City.
Lake Whitefish 12 (statewide) None Fishing is not allowed within 100 feet above
or below the Praxair Dam on the East Branch
of the Little Calumet River.

Lake Michigan and its tributaries in Indiana

provide a number of fishing opportunities
for salmon, trout, perch, whitefish and other
species.
Any trout or salmon taken from the Lake
Michigan tributaries defined in this section
must be hooked in the mouth. Foul-hooked
fish must be returned to the water.
Additional regulations include:
• The bag limit for yellow perch is 15 while
fishing Indiana waters (even if you have a
fishing license from a neighboring state).
• You can take bowfin, buffalo, carp, gar,
shad, and sucker from Lake Michigan with
a bow and arrow.
• You cannot use a trot line (power line), set
line or throw line to take fish from Lake
Michigan.
• See page 12 for Lake Michigan bass
regulations.
We Provide Hunting
Opportunities to
Law Enforcement Agents
Injured in the Line of Duty.
To Volunteer Or Donate, Please Visit Our Website
Tributary Restrictions
You may not possess a fish spear, gig, gaff, Fishing Reports
bowfishing equipment, crossbow, grab hook,
spear gun, club, snag hook or underwater and More
spear in or adjacent to the Galena River Fishing reports, public access sites
(LaPorte County), Trail Creek (LaPorte and much more can be found at
County), the East Branch of the Little Calu- wildlife.IN.gov/3591.htm.
met River (LaPorte and Porter counties), Salt
Creek (Porter County), the West Branch of the
Little Calumet River (Lake and Porter coun-
ties), Burns Ditch (Lake and Porter counties),
Deep River downstream from the dam at
Camp 133 (Lake County), or the tributaries to
these waters.
Hook Restrictions
You may not fish with more than one single
hook per line or one artificial lure in the waters
including Lake Michigan tributaries, and the
St. Joseph River and its tributary streams from
the Twin Branch Dam downstream to the
Michigan state line (St. Joseph County).
Single hooks, including those on artificial
lures, cannot exceed ½ inch from point to
shank. Double and treble hooks are allowed
only on artificial lures and shall not exceed 3/8
inch from point to shank. Prevent transport of aquatic invasive species.
Clean all recreational equipment.
St. Joseph River www.ProtectYourWaters.net
Special regulations apply to fishing the • INSPECT and REMOVE aquatic plants,
St. Joseph River and its tributaries from Twin
animals, and mud from boat, motor, trailer,
Branch Dam in Mishawaka downstream to and equipment.
the Michigan state line. These include: • DRAIN water from boat, motor, bilge,
• M
inimum size limit for trout and salmon is livewell, and bait containers away from
14 inches. landing.
• DISPOSE of unwanted live bait, fish parts,

HuntingForHeroes.org • N
o fishing is allowed at any time in the East
Race Waterway in South Bend. No fishing is
allowed within 100 feet of the entrance and
exit of the East Race.
and worms in the trash.
• SPRAY/RINSE boat and equipment with
high-pressure or hot water, OR
• DRY everything for at least five days before

going into another body of water.

• N
o fishing is allowed at any time from the
Making Hunting & Fishing Dreams Come True • NEVER release organisms from one
fish ladders located on the South Bend or
for YoungsTers, 21 & unDer, with waterbody into another.
LiFe-THreaTening iLLnesses
Mishawaka Central Park dams.
Toll Free: 866-345-4455
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18 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

Public Enemy No. 1 for Bluegills
Bluegill are the No. 1 pursued fish in Indiana.
That’s why the fish and one of its newest fans
grace the cover of this guide, and why it’s the
cover feature story.
Public enemy No. 1 for bluegill fishing is
gizzard shad. Shad compete for the same
food as the state’s favorite fish. In waters that
include both species, this tussle inevitably
results in smaller bluegill. The biggest bluegill
in a shad-dominated lake is usually no more
than 7 inches. Most won’t see 6 inches.
Shad grow and reproduce faster than
bluegill. Even though shad are native to nearly
all of Indiana, there are many lakes where
shad don’t dominate. But it doesn’t take much
to tip that balance in favor of shad, which are
commonly 7 to 14 inches long and can reach
lengths of 20 inches. That’s too big to eat for
most predatory fish, such as largemouth bass
and crappie.
Sometimes shad enter lakes from other
water bodies through flooding. That’s tough to
control. The main way they get from one body
of water to another is by stocking—either
intentionally or unintentionally, and by bait
buckets being dumped. Making sure those
things don’t happen is the responsibility of all
of those who enjoy fishing.
Some people intentionally transfer live shad
to other waters thinking it will fatten that
lake’s largemouth bass. That may happen in
the short term but it’s fool’s gold. Once shad
take over, the survival of bass fry will stagnate
because the competition for food and space is a
game they can’t win. And neither can bluegill.
“The negative impacts of the reduced large-
mouth bass population size and poor bluegill
growth far outweigh the positives of a gizzard
shad population,” said Dan Carnahan, south
region fisheries supervisor.
Shad are legal live bait only in the follow-
ing shad-positive waters: Patoka, Monroe,
Brookville, Cecil M. Harden (Raccoon), Free-
man, Hardy and Shafer lakes, and in the Ohio
River, but they have to have been collected from
the water body in which they are used. It is
illegal transport live shad on the road. The only
legal way to transport shad is to kill them first.
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Preventing unintentional shad stocking is
easy but sometimes requires a reminder.
“Anglers should never dump their bait
bucket in the water,” Carnahan said. “Leftover
bait needs to go in the trash.”
Preventing intentional stockings is tougher.
It requires help from ethical fishermen and
an understanding that it’s counterproduc-
tive from those who may be tempted. And
it’s illegal, carrying a penalty of a Class C
misdemeanor.
Still, introduced populations of shad have
been found at Shakamak State Park’s three
lakes (Sullivan County), Beaver Dam (Dubois
County), West Boggs (Daviess County), Patoka
(Dubois County), Worster (St. Joseph County),
and Indian (Perry County) lakes.
Correcting the problem is expensive and
time-consuming. Either the lake’s entire fishery
as well as those of its incoming streams need to
be renovated or the lake needs to be drained to
a completely dry bottom, and every fish must be
killed with a fish toxicant. After that happens,
the lake must be re-stocked with a popular sport
fish, like bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth
bass, black crappie and channel catfish.
The most recent fisheries renovation by DNR
fisheries biologists occurred at West Boggs
Lake in 2014.
Don’t allow another such project to become
necessary. If you use live bait, don’t dump
your leftovers in the water. If you see someone
transferring shad, call the DNR Law Enforce-
ment Tip Line at 1-800-TIP-IDNR (847-4367).
If you suspect a shad problem where you are
fishing, call your district biologist, as listed in
this guide on page 30.
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19
 OHIO RIVER
REGULATIONS
Paddlefish may not be taken from any por-
OHIO RIVER DAILY BAG AND SIZE LIMITS tion of Indiana waters of the Ohio River on a
sport fishing license. It is also illegal to take
Species Daily Bag Limit Minimum Size paddlefish from any other waters of Indiana
Largemouth Bass on a sport fishing license.
12 inches All other fish, except those classified as
Smallmouth Bass 6*
No size limit on spotted bass threatened or endangered, may be taken with
Spotted Bass the same sport fishing methods described
Hybrid Bass above, as well as with the following methods:
Striped Bass No more than four fish may be 15 • Long or compound bow with an arrow
30*
White Bass inches or longer having one or more barbs and an attached
Yellow Bass line. Catfish cannot be taken with bow and
Rock Bass 15 None arrow during nighttime hours (½ hour after
Blue Catfish None** 13 inches
sunset until ½ hour before sunrise).
Channel Catfish None*** 13 inches • G
igging from Feb. 1 to May 10 with any
Flathead Catfish None** 13 inches pronged or barbed instrument attached
to the end of a rigid object. You cannot
Crappie 30 None
take a fish by gigging from either a boat or
Muskellunge platform.
2* 30 inches
Tiger Muskellunge
Walleye Where to Fish on the Ohio
Sauger 10* None
Much of the best fishing on the Ohio River is
Hybrid Walleye (Sauger)
concentrated near dams; however, a person
Shovelnose Sturgeon None 25 inches shall not take fish within 200 yards below any
*Singly or in aggregate means that the daily bag limit includes any combination of the species. dam on the Ohio River except by fishing pole
** No more than one may be 35 inches or longer. or hand line.
*** No more than one may be 28 inches or longer. Access fees may be charged at some sites.
• J .T. Myers Dam (Uniontown Dam), 15
miles southwest of Mount Vernon in Posey
Sport Fishing on the Ohio While fishing for sport fish, you may use
only poles or hand lines, float-fishing meth-
County, accessible at Hovey Lake FWA
• N
ewburgh Dam—in the town of Newburgh
These regulations are the result of a coopera- ods, set lines with one single- or multi-barbed
off State Road 66
tive effort by Indiana and five other Ohio River hooks, or up to two trot lines with no more
states. In many cases, these rules differ sig- than 50 single- or multi-barbed hooks per • C
annelton Dam—follow Taylor Street
nificantly from other laws and regulations in line. These lines must be spaced at least 18 south from State Road 66 in Cannelton
Indiana. These rules and regulations apply only inches apart. Trot lines must be check at least
• McAlpine Dam—located at Clarksville
to the main stem of the Ohio River and do not once every 24 hours. Each set line and trot
include any tributaries or embayments, where line must have affixed at least one legible tag • F
alls of the Ohio State Park—accessible
general Indiana fishing regulations apply. marked with the name and address of the user boat ramp located at George Rogers Clark
An agreement between Indiana and Ken- or the individual’s customer identification Homesite in Clarksville (Access at New
tucky allows that each state will recognize number (issued by the DNR). Albany off of Water Street in Jaycee River-
the fishing license issued by the other state Trot lines can be attached only to a tree front Park)
on the main stem of the Ohio River, exclud- limb, a tree trunk, a bank pole or the bank
• M
arkland Dam—near Markland in Swit-
ing embayments and tributaries. This means itself. Each drop line on a trot line can bear
zerland County. Accessible at DamVue
you can fish the Ohio River bank to bank only one single or multi-barbed hook.
River Camp or Vevay boat ramp
with a license issued by either state. To fish Snagging is prohibited as a sport fishing
embayments or tributaries, you must obtain a method on the Ohio River. Minnows and Crayfish
license from that state. An angler must abide Ohio River sport fish include largemouth You may take minnows or crayfish from the
by the regulations of the state by which they bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, yellow Ohio River by the following methods only:
are licensed except that when fishing from the bass, blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead cat-
• A
minnow trap not to exceed 3 feet long
bank they shall follow the regulations of the fish, black crappie, white crappie, tiger mus-
and 18 inches in diameter nor having a
state in which they are fishing. kellunge, northern pike, trout, and paddlefish.
throat opening greater than 2 inches in
diameter
Wabash • A dip net no more than 3 feet in diameter
River • A
minnow seine no more than 30 feet long
and 6 feet deep nor having mesh size larger
than ¼ inch bar mesh
Ohio • A
cast net not to exceed 20 feet in diameter
River nor having mesh size larger than ¾ inch
stretch
• L
egal sportfishing methods listed on this
J.T. Myers Dam Newburgh Cannelton McAlpine Markland page
(Uniontown Dam) Dam Dam Dam Dam

20 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

 REPTILES
& AMPHIBIANS

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS SEASONS AND LIMITS

Possession
Species Season Daily Bag Limit Restrictions
Limit

Game turtles
Eastern Snapping Turtle
July 1, 2017 to Turtle traps may be used but may not have an opening below the
Smooth Softshell Turtle 4** 8**
March 31, 2018 water surface.
Spiny Softshell Turtle
Game frogs
Frogs may be taken with gig or spear with a head not more than 3
Bull Frog inches in width and a single row of tines; long bow and arrow; club;
June 15, 2017 to hands alone; or pole or hand line with not more than one hook or
25* 50*
April 30, 2018 artificial lure attached. Firearms for frog hunting are restricted to
Green Frog .22-caliber loaded with bird shot only , or an air rifle that fires a lead
pellet (.177 diameter minimum) at least 500 feet per second.
* Singly or in aggregate, which means the catch limit includes any combination of the species. ** 12-inch minimum carapace length

All reptiles and amphibians native to Indiana
are regulated species.
Species of frogs, lizards, salamanders,
snakes, toads, or turtles on the state- or
federal-endangered species list may not be
taken at any time. Eastern box turtles cannot
be collected from the wild at any time.
Eastern snapping turtles, smooth softshell
turtles, and spiny softshell turtles can be
taken only between July 1 and March 31 of
the following year and must have a carapace
(shell) length of at least 12 inches.
Carapace length is the straight-line meas-
ure along the top surface of the shell from the
central point of the front edge directly behind
the turtle's neck to a central point on the back
edge directly above the turtle's tail.
A license is required to take a reptile or
amphibian from the wild (see table above).
Indiana residents older than 17 must pos-
sess a valid fishing or hunting license while
collecting species of reptiles or amphibians
from the wild.
All nonresident adults and nonresident
youth must possess a nonresident annual fish-
ing or hunting license while collecting reptiles
or amphibians from the wild.
License holders must obey season dates and
bag limits, and use legal methods. An indi-
vidual with a valid fishing or hunting license
may take game frog and turtle species from a
DNR property where fishing and hunting is
authorized.
Other species of reptiles and amphibians
may not be taken from any DNR property (see
wildlife.IN.gov/3328.htm).
The daily bag limit is 25 for game frog
species and four for game turtle species. The
possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
Reptiles and amphibians collected from the
wild in Indiana may not be sold.
Only legally collected amphibians or
reptiles held for fewer than 30 days may be
released at their original capture site if they
have never been housed with another animal.

Rare Salamanders
Be on the lookout for these salamanders! If caught, please cut the line, release unharmed, and contact (812) 334-1137.

Hellbenders
• A giant aquatic salamander that can • Feed mainly on crayfish, not fish
reach 2 ½ feet in length • They are NOT venomous
Round
prominent • Found in the tributaries of the • Their slime is not poisonous
toes Wabash and Ohio Rivers in South- • They have no negative effects on
ern Indiana fish populations
Wrinkles on side
• Prefer cool, rocky, swiftly flowing • Endangered in Indiana
No external gills
d
streams
Flat and rounded hea
• Their presence indicates good
water quality
Pointed snout
Small pointy toes.

Mudpuppies
• A large aquatic salamander that • Feed on crayfish, larval insects, and
can reach 16 inches in length small fish
External gills. • Found throughout Indiana • They are NOT venomous
Sometimes Stripe from
these will nose through • Live in lakes, ponds, rivers, and • Their slime is not poisonous
appear eye to gills streams • They have no negative effects on
bright red.
• Their presence indicates good fish populations
Photo courtesy of Greg Lipps
water quality • Special concern in Indiana

2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE 21

 WELCOME

Angler Dollars F U N D
Fishing and hunting have a long history in
Indiana, and Hoosiers have contributed to
conservation since the first fishing license was
sold in the early 1900s.
With future generations in mind, regu-
lated fishing and hunting was established to
protect fish and wildlife species from being
overharvested.
Ever since, proceeds generated from
licenses, including habitat and fish stamps,
have gone directly into managing those spe-
cies and their habitats, furthering conserva-
tion and recreation. The success of conserving
our natural resources would not have been
possible without this user-pay, user-benefit
model, which remains in effect today.
In addition to licenses, an excise tax on fish-
ing equipment, boat engines, motorboat fuel,
and hunting equipment is collected for the
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR)
program, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
administers WSFR funds that are dedicated
solely to the conservation of fish and wildlife.
The WSFR program began in 1937 and has
distributed more than $19 billion across the
nation for the conservation of fish and wildlife
species and their habitats, and associated rec-
reational opportunities. Indiana has received
C O N S E R V AT I O N
more than $300 million, including nearly $18
million in 2017 alone.
The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife relies
on the revenue generated from these dedi-
cated funding programs.
License sales and WSFR funds currently
contribute about 87 percent of the Division’s
funding. In total, roughly 96 percent of all
funding for the Division is from sources exclu-
sive for fish and wildlife resources.
The majority of funds are generated from
fishing and hunting activities, but the conser-
vation programs benefit everyone. Whether
it’s launching a canoe at a public access site,
viewing sandhill cranes, or the public benefits
gained from fish and habitat surveys to improve
the quality of aquatic habitats, these are all sup-
ported by the license and WSFR funds.
Recreation related to fish and wildlife
(including wildlife watching) is a $1.7 billion
industry in Indiana that benefits businesses
and contributes to the quality of life that
Hoosiers desire.
Support from anglers and hunters is critical
to sustaining healthy fish and wildlife popula-
tions and to providing recreational opportu-
nities for current and future generations of
Hoosiers.
Where to Fish
Looking for a place to fish?
The DNR can get you there with Where
to Fish, an online interactive map that
provides a wealth of information on hun-
dreds of public access sites in Indiana.
The toolbar features a number of func-
tions that allow you to search for loca-
tions by water body, county or DNR
property; find driving directions; and
print your findings.
Clicking on a specific site provides addi-
tional information about motor restric-
tions, ADA accessibility, shoreline fishing
opportunities, applicable fees, what spe-
cies of fish are common, fishing reports,
and the site’s latitude and longitude
(great for GPS users!).
Check it out.
Wildlife.IN.gov/3591.htm

Four New Public Access Sites Added

The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW)
provides more than 400 public boat ramps
on lakes and rivers, giving Hoosiers access to
hundreds of miles of streams and thousands
of acres of water.
DFW continues to improve water access for
anglers and boaters throughout the state each
year. In 2017, the DFW built four new sites and
relocated another.
The four new sites are in Owen County,
near Gosport, on the White River; in Daviess
County, near French Lick, on the Patoka
Lake tailwater on the Patoka River; in Fayette
County, near Connersville, a canoe launch
area on the Whitewater River; and in Greene
County, near Linton, serving Thousand
Islands Lake.
“Gosport was a great addition to the public
access program,” public access supervisor
Bill Seegers said. “It helps fulfill our goal of
access every 10 navigable river miles on the
White River.”
The Connersville canoe ramp is the first
public access site in Fayette County and
the first on Whitewater River. It was com-
pleted with a lot of help from the City of
Connersville.
The Patoka River site was a partnership
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The
Thousand Islands Lake site is part of an addi-
tion to Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.
The DFW also relocated the Center Lake
public access site in Warsaw in Kosciusko
County. The ramp was moved to the east side
of the lake to allow for a larger parking area.
The public access program began in 1953.
Three-quarters of the funding for public access
comes through the federal sportfish restoration
program, which is derived from excise taxes on
motorboat fuel and fishing equipment. DFW’s
remaining portion is funded through revenue
from fishing and hunting licenses.
While the program continues to improve,
free public access remains unavailable or
inadequate at many state-owned waters. DFW
is always looking to expand access by acquir-
ing sites. DFW can acquire sites by buying
property at fair market value from willing
sellers, leasing property from organizations
and local government agencies, and accepting
suitable donations.
If you have information on a potential
public access site, contact Bill Seegers at
(812) 526-2051.

22 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

 RECORD
FISH PROGRAM

Four Species Weight

INDIANA FISH RECORDS
Water, County Angler Year

Records Set Atlantic Salmon

Bighead Carp
Blue Catfish
14 lb., 4 oz.
53 lb., 8 oz.
104 lb.
Lake Michigan (Lake)
White River (Pike)
Ohio River
Gene Tarrant
Duane Stafford
Bruce Midkiff
1979
2000
1999
Occasionally, the big-fish bite is on. Bluegill 3 lb., 4 oz. Pond (Greene) Harold L. Catey 1972
In the first two months of 2017, it was on for Bowfin (Dogfish) 16.52 lb. Mutton Creek (Jackson) Paul Huber 2009
lake whitefish, big time.
Brook Trout 3 lb., 15 1/2 oz. Lake Gage (Steuben) Sonny Bashore 1973
Two records were set for the species by
anglers fishing Lake Michigan. Brown Trout 29.3 lb. Lake Michigan (Lake) Glen Duesing 2006
First, Josh Pisowicz broke the record set Buffalo 53.9 lb. Oak Hill Pond (Gibson) Kenneth Houchin 2002
by Dan Rostecki the year before. On Feb. Bullhead 4.9 lb. Potato Creek SP (St. Joseph) Darren Robertson 1994
19, Posowicz was targeting whitefish on the Burbot 7 lb., 11 oz. Lake Michigan Larry Milicki 1990
Michigan City pier when he caught a 5-pound, Channel Catfish 37 lb., 8 oz. Lake (Vanderburgh) Randy E. Jones 1980
9-ounce specimen. Pisowicz promptly submit-
Chinook Salmon 38 lb. Trail Creek (LaPorte) Rich Baker 1980
ted the required record-fish application to
DNR officials. The next day, his fish was certi- Cisco 3 lb., 12 oz. Big Cedar Lake (Whitley) Phillip Wisniewski 1980
fied as breaking the record by 1 ounce. Coho Salmon 20 lb., 12 oz. Lake Michigan (LaPorte) John Beutner 1972
On Feb. 28, Alexander Ciesielski submit- Common Carp 43 lb., 4 oz. Pike Lake (Kosciusko) Russell Long 1989
ted a record-fish application for a 5-pound, Crappie 4 lb., 11 oz. Private Lake (Jennings) Willis Halcomb 1994
13-ounce whitefish he had caught near Por- Flathead Catfish 79 lb. 8 oz. White River (Lawrence) Glen T. Simpson 1966
tage Lakefront Park—on Jan. 21.
Flier 3 1/2 oz. Stream (Jackson) Harold H. Otte 1983
Ciesielski was not targeting whitefish, but
said he knew as soon as he landed this one Freshwater Drum 30 lb. White River (Martin) Garland Fellers 1963
that he had a record contender. Goldeye 2.3 lb. Wabash River (Vermillion) Brock Marietta 2008
DNR officials certified Ciesielski’s record on Grass Carp 65.2 lb. Private Pond (Morgan) David Hughes 2002
March 3. Green Sunfish 1 lb., 10 oz. Pit (Fountain) Terry Keller 1987
The state established a category for lake Hybrid Striped Bass 22 lb., 2 oz. Tippecanoe River (Carroll) David G. Coffman 2005
whitefish in 2012. Ciesielski’s fish marked the Hybrid Walleye 8 lb., 8 oz. Scottsburg Reservoir (Scott) Doug Young 1999
fifth record Indiana lake whitefish.
Lake Trout 37.55 lb. Lake Michigan Tyler Kreighbaum 2016
Whitefish have long been targets of com-
mercial fishing operations in northern Lake 5 lb., 13 oz. Lake Michigan (Portage) Alexander Ciesielski 2017
Lake Whitefish
Michigan due to demand for their flaky white 5 lb., 9 oz. Lake Michigan (LaPorte) Joshua Pisowicz 2017
flesh. Recently, sport anglers started targeting Largemouth Bass 14 lb., 12 oz. Lake (Harrison) Jenifer Schultz 1991
them in southern Lake Michigan. Longnose Gar 22.32 lb. White River/East Fork (Pike) Mark Brittain 2008
Whitefish are a great resource for Hoo- Muskellunge 42 lb., 8 oz. James Lake (Kosciusko) Darrin Conley 2002
siers because they are abundant, delicious
Northern Pike 30 lb., 2 oz. Clear Lake (Steuben) Jack Barnes 1992
and accessible to shore anglers, according to
DNR Lake Michigan fisheries biologist Brian Pink Salmon 2 lb., 12 1/2 oz. Lake Michigan (Lake) Richard J. Lisac 1985
Breidert. Rainbow Trout 18 lb., 8 oz. Clear Lake (Steuben) Bill Bigger 1988
“And they can be caught using simple Redear Sunfish 3 lb., 10 oz. Lake (Brown) R. Peckman 1974
techniques, such as bottom fishing with a 1- to Rock Bass 3 lb. Sugar Creek (Hancock) David Thomas 1969
2-ounce weight, a 12- to 24-inch leader, and Sauger 6 lb., 1 oz Tippecanoe River (Carroll) Mark Bigger 1983
a small hook baited with waxworms, salmon
Shortnose Gar 1.58 lb. Wabash River (Wabash) Lindsey Fleshood 2010
eggs or bits of night crawler,” Breidert said.
Whitefish can be caught from most of Indi- Shovelnose Sturgeon 14 lb., 8 oz. Wabash River (Fountain) Mike Latoz 1999
ana’s shore access on Lake Michigan. White River/West Fork
Silver Carp 15 lb, 8 oz. Daniel Keller 2003
Typically, the best fishing occurs between (Greene)
November and April, when near-shore water Skipjack Herring 0.55 lbs Wabash River (Huntington) Joseph Bickel 2017
temperatures are below 50 degrees. Smallmouth Bass 7 lb., 4 oz. Twin Lake (LaGrange) Dana Yoder 1992
Another new species category was added to Spotted Bass 5 lb., 5 oz. (Vigo) Larry Hinesley Jr. 2006
the record book last year. That happened after Spotted Gar 6.78 lb. Gravel Pit (Vermillion) Nick Waugh 2017
Joseph Bickel entered a 0.55-pound, 13-inch
Steelhead Trout 26.62 lb. Trail Creek (LaPorte) Evan Nicholson 1999
skipjack herring he caught on July 23 from the
Wabash River in Huntington County. Striped Bass 39.08 lb. Cecil M. Harden Lake (Parke) Jonathan VanHook 2010
The final record-breaker for 2017 was Sucker 12 lb., 3.3 oz White River (Bartholomew) John Britton 1991
caught on Aug. 3, by Nick Waugh. He pulled Tiger Muskellunge 24 lb. Wolf Lake (Lake) Michael Senics 1995
in a 6.78-pound spotted gar from a gravel pit Tiger Trout 3 lb. Lake Michigan (Lake) Mike Ratter 1978
in Vermillion County. 14 lb., 4 oz. Kakakee River (Lake) Leon Richart 1974
For more information about Indiana’s Walleye
14 lb., 4 oz. Tippecanoe River (Pulaski) Donald Tedford 1977
Record Fish program, which started in 1963
Warmouth 1.4 lb. North Dugger Pit (Sullivan) Jack Tolbert 2002
and is based on weight, go to wildlife.IN.gov/
3577.htm. White Bass 4 lb., 3 oz. Lake Freeman (Carroll) James Wagner 1965
White Catfish 9.72 lb. Pond (Wabash) Melissa Grimes 1985
Yellow Bass 2 lb., 15 oz. Morse Reservoir (Hamilton) Jim Raymer 2000
Yellow Perch 2 lb., 8 oz. Gravel Pit (Vigo) Roy W. Burkel Jr. 1981

2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE 23

 2017
FISH OF THE YEAR

Six Big Fish from

Tippecanoe River
2017 FISH OF THE YEAR CONTEST WINNERS Coho salmon, Tom Berg

Family Common Name Length Water (County) Angler

Of the 82 fish entered, 34 awards were given to
Largemouth Bass 27.00 Private Pond (Morgan) Jared Swint 26 anglers for Fish of the Year in 2017.
Several anglers won multiple categories.
Black Bass Smallmouth Bass 23.00 Tippecanoe River (Pulaski) Mark Holbrook For the second year in a row, Mark Hol-
Spotted Bass 16.50 White Lick Creek (Morgan) Josh Chrenko
brook won for bowfin and walleye, and he
added Northern pike (tie) and smallmouth
Crappie 14.50 Private Lake (Knox) Ethen Francis bass to his list of wins—all caught from the
Tippecanoe River in Pulaski County.
Flier 6.38 Intermittent Creek (Vanderburgh) Isaac Morris Isaac Morris also won four awards for fish
Green Sunfish 10.50 Planut's Lake (Clay) Jeff Thompson caught in southwestern Indiana: flier, grass
carp, redfin pickerel and redspotted sunfish.
Sunfish Longear Sunfish 8.50 Old Lake (Whitley) Mark Buckmaster Michael Cripple won for bighead and silver
carp that he landed from the West Fork of the
Redear Sunfish 12.25 Midland Lake (Greene) Kevin Hamrick
White River in Marion County.
Redspotted Sunfish 4.38 South Fork Patoka Isaac Morris Hao Wu landed the winning hybrid striped
bass and white bass from the Tippecanoe
Rock Bass 12.50 Lake Maxinkuckee (Marshall) Jeff Armstrong River in Carroll County.
15.50 Private Pond (Johnson) Gregory Zentz
It was a competitive year for three species
Bullhead categories in particular.
15.50 Lake Maxinkuckee (Marshall) Stuart West Thirteen entries were submitted for walleye
Catfish ranging between 22.0 and 31.0 inches. Simi-
Channel Catfish 26.00 Woodbridge Estates (Vanderburgh) Cody Pate larly, the largemouth bass category had eight
Flathead Catfish 52.00 Ohio River (Clark) Edwin Brochin entries ranging from 21.0 to 27.0 inches, while
seven entries were recorded for smallmouth
Sauger 22.00 Tippecanoe River (White) Brad Sedam bass ranging from 18.5 to 23.0 inches.
Josh Chrenko won with a 16.5-inch spotted
Perch Walleye 31.00 Tippecanoe River (Pulaski) Mark Holbrook
bass—the largest entered into the program
Yellow Perch 13.50 Lake of the Woods (Marshall) Richard Wood since 2008 and just the 11th spotted bass
recorded in the program since 1966.
Cisco 15.38 Little Crooked Lake (Whitley) Robert Ecenbarger Joseph Bickel won with an 11.5-inch skip-
Trout Coho Salmon 26.50 Salt Creek (Porter) Tom Berg
jack herring, just the second recorded in the
history of the program.
Steelhead Trout 35.50 Lake Michigan (LaPorte) Joey Kogut Entering the annual Fish of the Year contest
is easy, and the rules are simple to follow. Visit
Hybrid Striped Bass 31.50 Tippecanoe River (Carroll) Hao Wu wildlife.IN.gov/3577.htm for more information.
True Bass Striped Bass 37.50 Hardy Lake (Scott) Kody Neece If you think you’ve caught a winner, there are
three easy ways (online, mail, email) to enter
White Bass 21.50 Tippecanoe River (Carroll) Hao Wu after you measure the fish and have at least one
person who is not a relative witness the measure-
Muskellunge 47.00 Lake Webster (Kosciusko) Mike Sawa
ment and include his/her contact information.
41.00 Tippecanoe River (Pulaski) Mark Holbrook • Online, enter the required information
Pike Northern Pike
41.00 Pine Lake (LaPorte) Alan Buvelot using the online entry form (wildlife.
IN.gov/9453.htm) and submit a photo of
Redfin Pickerel 7.50 Bayou Creek (Vanderburgh) Isaac Morris the fish and a copy of your fishing license (if
required) to recordfish@dnr.IN.gov.
Bighead Carp 34.25 WF White River (Marion) Michael Cripple
• B
y mail, print and complete an entry form
Common Carp 37.00 Lake Michigan (LaPorte) Nik Nowak (wildlife.IN.gov/3577.htm) and include a
Minnow
Grass Carp 32.00 South Fork Patoka (Gibson) Isaac Morris photo of the fish and a copy of your fishing
license (if required) to Record Fish Program,
Silver Carp 30.50 WF White River (Marion) Michael Cripple Division of Fish and Wildlife, 402 W. Wash-
ington St., Room 273, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Bowfin (Dogfish) 28.00 Tippecanoe River (Pulaski) Mark Holbrook
• B
y email, submit electronic version of
Other Freshwater Drum 29.00 WF White River (Hamilton) Shawn Mickelson the entry form and attach a photo of the
Skipjack Herring 11.50 Wabash River (Huntington) Joseph Bickel fish and a copy of your fishing license (if
required) to recordfish@dnr.IN.gov.

24 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

 BIG FISH
PHOTOS

Spotted bass, Josh Chrenko

Freshwater drum, Shaw n Mickelson

Wa lleye, Ma rk Holbro
ok

Hybrid striped bass, Hao Wu

Redear sunfish, Kevin Hamrick

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 INDIANA
FISH IDENTIFICATION Unless noted, all illustrations by Rick Hill, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Sunfish

Bluegill Redear Black Crappie White Crappie

5 to 9 vertical bars on sides, Opercle flap (ear) is tipped with 7 to 8 dorsal spines, random 6 dorsal spines, black side
black opercle flat (ear) with no red or orange margin. blotches on sides. markings form vertical bars
margin, dark spot at rear of rather than random spots.
dorsal fin.

Black Bass True Bass

Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Hybrid Striped White Bass

Upper jaw extends beyond Upper jaw does not extend Two tooth patches on back of Single tooth patch on back of
back of eye. beyond back of eye. tongue are joined, first stripe below tongue, first stripe below lateral
lateral line complete to tail, stripes line not complete to tail.
above lateral line usually broken.

Spotted Bass Striped Bass

Red eye, horizontal lines of dark spots Tooth patches on back of tongue in two parallel
on lower sides, upper jaw does not patches, first stripe below lateral line complete
extend beyond back of eye. to tail, stripes above lateral line are unbroken.

Catfish

Blue Catfish Channel Catfish Flathead Catfish

30 to 35 anal fin rays, anal fin 24 to 29 rays in rounded anal fin, 14 to 17 anal fin rays, caudal fin slightly
margin is straight, caudal fin is caudal fin is deeply forked, dark rounded or slightly notched.
deeply forked. spots on sides when young.

Perch Salmon

Sauger Walleye Chinook Salmon or King Salmon Coho Salmon

3 or 4 saddle shaped blotches No spots on dorsal fin, dusky Teeth are set in dark gums, black spots Teeth are set in light color
on back and sides, spotted spot at rear of spiny dorsal fin, on back and both lobes of square caudal gums, black spots on upper
dorsal fin. lower tip of tail and anal fin are fin, 15 to 17 anal fin rays. lobe of slightly forked caudal
white. fin, 12 to 15 anal fin rays.

26 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE


Trout
Brown Trout
White mouth, teeth and gums; caudal fin
margin square with no spots on upper or lower
lobe; stream dwelling browns possess some
orange/red spots on sides; resident brown
trout in Lake Michigan possess black X-shaped
markings on sides.
Northern Pike & Muskellunge
Northern Pike
Elongated body and head with tooth-filled
mouth shaped like a duck bill; white belly
with green to yellow sides featuring rows of
lighter horizontal spots or streaks. Coloration
can vary depending on habitat — light green
from lake to dark green from river.
Fish Identification
Form
Caught a fish but need help
identifying the species?
If you have caught a fish and cannot
determine what species it is, we can
help. Use the form at this web address to
submit a request along with a photo or
video: wildlife.IN.gov/9448.htm.
RAISE
CHICKENS?
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1.866.411.SHED
Illustrations of coho salmon, northern pike courtesy of © Tim Knepp/ USFWS
Illustrations of chinook salmon and lake trout by © Virgil Beck, courtesy of Wisconsin DNR
Rainbow Trout or Steelhead Lake Trout
White mouth, teeth and gums; small White mouth, teeth and
black spots on back, sides, caudal and gums; caudal fin deeply
dorsal fins, caudal fin margin is square; 9 forked, body color light to
to 12 anal fin rays. dark gray with light spots.
Muskellunge
Elongated body and head with tooth-filled
mouth shaped like a duck bill; coloration
varies but typically dark vertical bar mark-
ings on green or brown background.
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 FISH CONSUMPTION
Crappie can make a tasty—
and healthy—meal.
Is it Safe to Eat Your Fish?
Eating recreationally caught fish from Indiana
waters can be healthy and tasty when you have
the proper information. The following section
should alleviate most anglers’ concerns about
eating wild-caught fish.
It’s all about a person’s exposure to con-
taminants over time. The two contaminants
that drive the fish consumption advisory
are mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs). Both contaminants are generally
persistent in the environment at low enough
levels they do not pose a health risk from
direct contact with the water. However, both
contaminants accumulate in fish tissue. The
contaminants accumulate in human tissue
like they do in fish and can build to levels that
could pose a health threat.
The consumption advisory is based on a
model that people are consuming 8 oz. of fish
on 225 days each year over 70 years. A deter-
mination can then be made from concentra-
tions of contaminants in fish tested as to how
frequently they can be safely eaten (note the
fish consumption advisory groups).
The consumption recommendation groups
range from 1 to 5 with 1 being unlimited
consumption and 5 being do not eat. Most
anglers do not eat wild-caught fish nearly this
frequently. As a result, if they are aware of the
contaminant levels that likely are in the fish
they catch, they should have little concern
about eating them.
The primary concern is the sensitive pop-
ulation. This population comprises women
of childbearing years, nursing and pregnant
mothers, and children age 17 and younger.
The reason for extra concern is evidence of
developmental problems in babies and young
children from contaminants at levels lower
than what can be safely eaten by male adults
and women who cannot become pregnant.
The advisory reflects this concern.
However, it is also important for this popu-
lation to obtain the nutrients from eating the
right fish during this time period. Combining
consumption of wild-caught fish with fre-
quently eaten commercial sources of fish con-
taining contaminants could pose a health risk.
Making the best choices in both sources of
fish can help women and children obtain the
benefits from fish while avoiding the health
risks. Note the commercial fish consumption
table for the at-risk group and for people that
frequently consume commercial fish.
Eating fish from lakes and reservoirs is
generally less of a concern. Contaminant
levels are generally very low in lakes and reser-
voirs (note major group 1 and 2 fishing waters
table). Also note the table containing all of the
sampled lakes and reservoirs in Indiana that
had species of fish in groups 4 and 5.
Eating fish from rivers and streams is
generally a much higher concern. Most
water bodies carrying do-not-eat consump-
tion advisories for all species are streams. The
fish consumption advisory has an extensive
list of rivers and streams that have species
with group 4 and 5 consumption advisories;
however, many streams contain species with
low levels of contaminants. Several of the
major fished rivers that have some group 4 and
5 species are listed. Many of these rivers and
streams contain some very good catch-and-
release fisheries.
Consult the Indiana Fish Consumption
Advisory for much more detailed information
at https://secure.in.gov/isdh/23650.htm.
For more information on the fish consump-
tion advisory or answers to questions con-
cerning the advisory, contact:
Indiana State Department of Health
Division of Environmental Public Health
100 N. Senate Ave., Room N855
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-9264
Guidelines to Reduce
Your Risk
• Assume that any fish you catch is a group 2
if the site in which you caught it is not listed
or the site where you are fishing is not listed
in the advisory.
• Eat smaller, less fatty fish like panfish (blue-
gill, perch and crappie).
• Remove fat near the skin of the fish before
cooking and broil, bake, or grill fish so the
fat drips away.
• Unless noted otherwise, consider all carp
from rivers and streams to fall under these
groups: Group 3, 15-20 in.; Group 4, 20-25
in.; Group 5, over 25 in.

WILD FISH CONSUMPTION COMMERCIAL FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY

ADVISORY GROUPS
Sensitive Population
Species General Population
Sensitive Advisory*
General
Group Population
Population Fresh or canned salmon; shellfish
Advisory* like shrimp, clams, crab, scallops and
oysters; tilapia; herring; canned "light"
Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited consumption 1 meal per week
1 tuna; sardines; pollock; cod; farm-raised
consumption consumption
catfish; flounder; farm-raised rainbow
trout; haddock; squid; whitefish
2 1 meal per week 1 meal per week
Canned albacore "white" tuna (6 oz.),
3 1 meal per month 1 meal per month freshwater perch, grouper, halibut, 1 meal per week 1 meal per month
mahi-mahi and lobster
1 meal every
4 Do not eat Shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mack-
2 months
eral, orange roughy, Spanish mackeral,
1 meal per month Do not eat
marlin, Chilean sea bass, walleye (Great
5 Do not eat Do not eat Lakes, Canada), fresh and frozen tuna

*Women of childbearing years, pregnant and nursing moth- *Women of childbearing years, nursing mothers, and children age 17 and younger. Contact the ISDH for more detailed
ers, and children age 17 and younger. information on the commercial fish consumption advisory.

28 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

STATE LAKES WITH GROUP 4 & 5 SPECIES MAJOR RIVERS WITH GROUP 4 & 5 SPECIES
GENERAL POPULATION ADVISORY GENERAL POPULATION ADVISORY
(sensitive population should not consume) (sensitive population should not consume)
Size Size
Lake County Species Group River County Species Group
(inches) (inches)
Center Lake Kosciusko Black Bullhead 14+ 4 Little
Hamilton/ Calumet Porter Channel Catfish All 4
Geist Reservoir Channel Catfish 27+ 4 River
Marion
Henderson Lake Noble Bluegill 6+ 4 Walleye < 21 4
Channel Catfish 19+ 4 Maumee
Allen Walleye 21+ 5
River
Hovey Lake Posey Smallmouth Buffalo 19+ 4 Rock Bass 8+ 4
White Bass 12+ 4
Ohio River All counties Channel Catfish 18+ 4
J.Edward Roush Lake Huntington Channel Catfish 28+ 4
Lake Freeman White River Carpsucker 17+ 4 St. Joseph Black Crappie 11+ 4
Allen
Lake James Steuben Northern Pike 36+ 4 River Rock Bass 9+ 4
Black Crappie 8+ 4 Channel Catfish 15+ 4
St. Marys
Channel Catfish all 5 Allen
River Largemouth Bass 15+ 4
Common carp all 5
Wabash Striped Bass 12+ 4
Freshwater Drum 16+ 4 Knox/Sullivan/Vigo
River Wiper 12+ 4
Lake/ Lake Trout 27+ 5
Lake Michigan LaPorte/ Largemouth Bass 7+ 4 Randolph Channel Catfish 16+ 4
Porter Northern Pike 14+ 4
West Fork Marion Channel Catfish 20+ 4
Silver Redhorse < 25 4 White River (downstream of
Silver Redhorse 25+ 5 Broad Ripple dam) Flathead Catfish 15+ 4
/Morgan
Walleye 21+ 4
White Sucker 23+ 4 *Consult the fish consumption advisory for a complete listing.

Lake Shafer White River Carpsucker 17+ 4

Marquette Lagoon/
east & middle basins
Lake Bluegill 7+ 4 STATEWIDE SAFE EATING GUIDELINES
Palestine Lake Kosciusko Largemouth Bass 15+ 4
Recommendations when a waterbody has not been sampled for a particular
Pike Lake Kosciusko Largemouth Bass 13+ 4 species. Fish at or below the size listed should be safe for consumption once
Sylvan Lake Noble Common carp 28+ 4 per week. The Sensitive Population includes women of childbearing years,
Common carp 26+ 4 pregnant and nursing mothers, and children age 17 and younger.
Winona Lake Kosciusko
White Bass 16+ 4 Sensitive
Fish Species General Population
Wolf Lake Lake Largemouth Bass 17+ 4 Population

Largemouth Bass < 13" All

Rock Bass <8 All

Smallmouth Bass < 12" All

ALL STATE WATERS CARRYING Spotted Bass < 10" All

DO-NOT-EAT ADVISORIES FOR ALL SPECIES White, Striped, Hy-

< 18" < 33"
brid Striped Bass
Water County
Buffalo < 19" All
Clear Creek Monroe
Elliot Ditch Tippecanoe Channel Catfish < 23" All
Grand Calumet River/Indiana Harbor Canal Lake
Flathead Catfish < 18" All
Howard — from U.S. 31 to
Kokomo Creek
Wildcat Creek Crappie All All
Little Mississinewa River Randolph
Little Sugar Creek/Walnut Fork Montgomery Freshwater Drum < 14" All
Marquette Lagoon/west basin Lake
Pleasant Run Creek Lawrence Northern Pike < 20" < 41"
Salt Creek downstream of Clear Creek Lawrence/Monroe Redhorse < 22" All
Wea Creek Tippecanoe
Howard/Carroll— down- Sunfish All All
stream from the Waterworks
Wildcat Creek Sauger < 12" All
Dam in Kokomo to the
Tippecanoe County line
Walleye < 19" < 25"

2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE 29

 INDIANA
CONTACT LISTS
District Fisheries Biologists
1. District 1 4. District 4 Lake Michigan Office
LAKE PORTER
LA PORTE

G ST. JOSEPH
A
2
ELKHART
C
LAGRANGE

NOBLE
F
STEUBEN

DEKALB
Tom Bacula Corey DeBoom Brian Breidert STARKE MARSHALL KOSCIUSKO

Kankakee FWA Cikana State Fish Hatchery Lake Michigan Investigation

1 3
JASPER WHITLEY ALLEN
4320 W. Toto Road 2650 SR 44 100 W. Water St. NEWTON PULASKI FULTON

North Judson, IN 46366 Martinsville, IN 46151 Michigan City, IN 46360

(574) 896-3673 (765) 342-5527 (219) 874-6824 WHITE CASS MIAMI WABASH HUNTING- WELLS ADAMS
TON
2. District 2 5. District 5 Big Rivers BENTON CARROLL
Larry Koza Dave Kittaka Fisheries Program HOWARD GRANT BLACK- JAY
Fawn River State Bloomington Field Office Craig Jansen WARREN TIPPECANOE FORD

Fish Hatchery 5596 E. SR 46 Sugar Ridge FWA CLINTON TIPTON

MADISON DELAWARE RANDOLPH
6889 N. SR 327 Bloomington, IN 47401 2310 E. SR 364

4
FOUNTAIN MONTGOMERY BOONE HAMILTON
Orland, IN 46776 (812) 287-8300 Winslow, IN 47598 V
E
R
(260) 829-6241 6. District 6 (812) 789-2724 M
I HENRY WAYNE
L
3. District 3 Rebecca Munter Nongame L
I
O
PARKE PUTNAM HENDRICKS MARION HANCOCK
Jed Pearson Sugar Ridge FWA Fisheries Program N RUSH FAYETTE UNION
MORGAN
NERO 2310 E. SR 364 Brant Fisher JOHNSON SHELBY

1353 S. Governors Drive Winslow, IN 47598 Atterbury FWA

VIGO CLAY B FRANKLIN
OWEN
Columbia City, IN 46725 (812) 789-2724 7970 S. Rowe St. MONROE BROWN BARTHOLOMEW DECATUR

5
(260) 244-6805 Edinburgh, IN 46124 SULLIVAN GREENE
RIPLEY DEARBORN

(812) 526-5816 JENNINGS

JACKSON
OHIO

D SWITZERLAND

State Fish Hatcheries

KNOX DAVIESS MARTIN LAWRENCE JEFFERSON

E SCOTT

6
ORANGE WASHINGTON

A. Bodine State D. Driftwood State G. Mixsawbah State CLARK

Fish Hatchery Fish Hatchery Fish Hatchery GIBSON PIKE DUBOIS

FLOYD
CRAWFORD
13200 Jefferson Blvd. 4931 S. CR 250W 5500 S. CR 675E
Mishawaka, IN 46545 Vallonia, IN 47281 Walkerton, IN 46574 POSEY VANDER-
BURGH
WARRICK SPENCER PERRY HARRISON

(574) 255-4199 (812) 358-4110 (219) 369-9591

B. Cikana State E. East Fork State
Fish Hatchery Fish Hatchery
2650 SR 44 5813 E. CR 825S
Martinsville, IN 46151 Montgomery, IN 47558
(765) 342-5527 (812) 644-7717
C. Curtis Creek Trout F. Fawn River State
Rearing Station Fish Hatchery
LA PORTE ST. JOSEPH ELKHART LAGRANGE STEUBEN
4250 E. CR 410N 6889 N. SR 327

10 1
LAKE PORTER
Howe, IN 46746 Orland, IN 46776

2
NOBLE DEKALB
(260) 562-3855 (260) 829-6241
STARKE MARSHALL
KOSCIUSKO
NEWTON JASPER PULASKI FULTON WHITLEY ALLEN

DNR Law Enforcement Districts

WHITE CASS MIAMI WABASH HUNTING- WELLS ADAMS
Contact DNR Law Enforcement Central Dispatch (24 hours) to report violations or if you TON
need assistance from an Indiana Conservation Officer. Call 1-800-TIP-IDNR to report any BENTON
CARROLL
poaching activities. GRANT

3
TIPPECANOE HOWARD BLACK- JAY
FORD
WARREN
Central Dispatch 4. District 4 Headquarters 8. District 8 Headquarters

4
CLINTON TIPTON MADISON DELAWARE
4850 S. SR 446 3734 Mounds Road 1504 Schlamn Lake
Bloomington, IN 47401 Anderson, IN 46017 RoadP.O. Box 330 V
E
FOUNTAIN MONTGOMERY BOONE HAMILTON RANDOLPH

(812) 837-9536 (765) 649-1062 Henryville, IN 47126 R

M HENRY WAYNE
I
(812) 639-4148 L
L PARKE PUTNAM HENDRICKS MARION HANCOCK
I
O
5. District 5 Headquarters N

6
RUSH FAYETTE UNION
JOHNSON
1. District 1 Headquarters 1317 W. Lieber Road 9. District 9 Headquarters

5 9
VIGO CLAY MORGAN SHELBY
9822 N. Turkey Suite 2 1387 E. U.S. 50 FRANKLIN
Creek Road Cloverdale, IN 46120 Versailles, IN 47042 OWEN
MONROE BROWN BARTHOLOMEW DECATUR
Syracuse, IN 46567 (765) 795-3534 (812) 689-4370 DEARBORN
(574) 457-8092 SULLIVAN GREENE
JENNINGS RIPLEY

6. District 6 Headquarters 10. District 10 Headquarters LAWRENCE JACKSON OHIO

SWITZERLAND
2. District 2 Headquarters 11 Durbin St. 100 W. Water St. KNOX DAVIESS MARTIN JEFFERSON

1353 S. Governors Drive Camp Atterbury Michigan City, IN 46360

8
WASHINGTON SCOTT

7
Columbia City, IN 46725 Edinburgh, IN 46124 (219) 879-5710 ORANGE
CLARK
(260) 244-3720 (812) 526-4101
GIBSON DUBOIS CRAWFORD FLOYD
PIKE
HARRISON
3. District 3 Headquarters 7. District 7 Headquarters POSEY VANDER- WARRICK SPENCER PERRY
4112 E. SR 225 2310 E. SR 364 BURGH

West Lafayette, IN 47906 Winslow, IN 47598

(765) 567-7859 (812) 789-9538

30 2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE

Fish & Wildlife Areas 16
LA PORTE ST. JOSEPH ELKHART STEUBEN
1. Atterbury FWA 10. Hovey Lake FWA 17. Splinter Ridge FWA LAKE PORTER
LAGRANGE

7970 S. Rowe St. 15800 Raben Road South Contact Crosley FWA 14 NOBLE DEKALB

PO Box 3000 Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 STARKE MARSHALL 19

18. Sugar Ridge FWA 13 KOSCIUSKO
Edinburgh, IN 46124 (812) 838-2927 2310 E. SR 364 15 12
(812) 526-2051 11. J. E. Roush FWA Winslow, IN 47598 NEWTON
JASPER
23 FULTON WHITLEY ALLEN
PULASKI
2. Blue Grass FWA 517 N. Warren Road (812) 789-2724 22 HUNTING-
TON
Contact Sugar Ridge FWA Huntington, IN 46750 19. Tri-County FWA
WHITE CASS MIAMI WABASH
11
WELLS ADAMS

3. Chinook FWA (260) 468-2165 8432 N. CR 850E BENTON

CARROLL
Contact Deer Creek FWA 12. Jasper-Pulaski FWA Syracuse, IN 46567 GRANT
HOWARD BLACK- JAY
4. Crosley FWA 5822 N Fish & Wildlife Ln (574) 834-4461 WARREN
TIPPECANOE FORD

2010 S. SR 3 Medaryville, IN 47957 20. Wabashiki FWA CLINTON TIPTON

North Vernon, IN 47265 (219) 843-4841 Contact Deer Creek FWA FOUNTAIN
MADISON DELAWARE RANDOLPH

V MONTGOMERY BOONE HAMILTON

(812) 346-5596 13. Kankakee FWA 21. Wilbur Wright FWA E
R HENRY

5. Deer Creek FWA 4320 W. Toto Road Contact J.E. Roush FWA
M
I 21 WAYNE
L
2001 W. CR 600 North Judson, IN 46366 L PARKE
PUTNAM HENDRICKS MARION HANCOCK

(574) 896-3522 22. Willow Slough FWA I

O
Greencastle, IN 46135 1803 S. CR 700W
N RUSH FAYETTE UNION
5
(765) 653-0453 14. Kingsbury FWA Morocco, IN 47963
VIGO MORGAN JOHNSON SHELBY
CLAY
6. Fairbanks Landing FWA 5344 S. Hupp Road (219) 285-2704 20 3 FRANKLIN
1 DECATUR
Contact Deer Creek FWA LaPorte, IN 46350 OWEN
(219) 393-3612 23. Winamac FWA BROWN BARTHOLOMEW
6 9
7. Glendale FWA 1493 W. CR 500N MONROE RIPLEY DEARBORN

6001 E. CR 600S 15. LaSalle FWA Winamac, IN 46996 SULLIVAN 8 GREENE JENNINGS
JACKSON
4752 W. CR 1050N 4 OHIO
Montgomery, IN 47558 (574) 946-4422 LAWRENCE
SWITZERLAND
(812) 644-7711 Lake Village, IN 46349 KNOX DAVIESS MARTIN JEFFERSON
17
(219) 992-3019 SCOTT
8. Goose Pond FWA 7
WASHINGTON

13540 W. 400 S. 16. Pigeon River FWA ORANGE

CLARK
PIKE
Linton, IN 47441 8310 E. CR 300N GIBSON DUBOIS

Box 71 18 CRAWFORD FLOYD

(812) 512-9185
Mongo, IN 46771 WARRICK
9. Hillenbrand FWA POSEY VANDER- 2 SPENCER PERRY HARRISON
(260) 367-2164 BURGH
Contact Goose Pond FWA
10

State Reservoirs & Forests 7. Martin SF

14040 Williams Road
A. Brookville Lake H. Salamonie Lake Shoals, IN 47581
14108 SR 101 9214 W. Lost Bridge W (812) 247-3491
PO Box 100 Andrews, IN 46702 8. Morgan-Monroe SF
Brookville, IN 47012 (260) 468-2125 6220 Forest Road
(765) 647-2657 Martinsville, IN 46151
1. Clark SF
B. Cagles Mill Lake P.O. Box 119 (765) 342-4026
1317 W. Lieber Road #2 Service Road 9. Owen-Putnam SF
Suite 1 Henryville, IN 47126 2153 Fish Creek Road
Cloverdale, IN 46120 (812) 294-4306 Spencer, IN 47460
(765) 795-4576 (812) 829-2462
2. Deam Lake SRA
C. Cecil M. Harden Lake 1217 Deam Lake Road 10. Pike SF
1588 S. Raccoon Parkway Borden, IN 47106 5994 E. SR 364
Rockville, IN 47872 (812) 246-5421 Winslow, IN 47598
(765) 344-1412 (812) 367-1524
3. Ferdinand SF
D. Hardy Lake 6583 E. SR 264 11. Salamonie River SF
5620 Hardy Lake Road Ferdinand, IN 47532 5400 E. Salamonie Forest Rd.
Scottsburg, IN 47170 (812) 367-1524 Lagro, IN 46941
(812) 794-3800 (260) 782-0430
4. Greene-Sullivan SF
E. Mississinewa Lake 2551 S. SR 159 12. Selmier SF
4673 S. 625E Dugger, IN 47848 905 E. CR 350N
Peru, IN, 46970 (812) 648-2810 North Vernon, IN 47265
(765) 473-6528 (812) 346-2286
5. Harrison-Crawford SF
F. Monroe Lake 7240 Old Forest Rd SW 13. Starve Hollow SRA
4850 S. SR 446 Corydon, IN 47112 4345 S. 275 W., Box 291
Bloomington, IN 47401 (812) 738-7694 Vallonia, IN 47281-9741
(812) 837-9546 (812) 358-3464
6. Jackson-Washington SF
G. Patoka Lake 1278 E. SR 250 14. Yellowwood SF
3084 N. Dillard Road Brownstown, IN 47220 772 Yellowwood Lake Rd.
Birdseye, IN 47513 (812) 358-2160 Nashville, IN 47448
(812) 685-2464 (812) 988-7945

2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE 31

 NEWS
& NOTES
Providing Reservoir
Fish with Places to Live
On a blustery November day, about 50 men
and women gathered on the shore of Cecil
M. Harden Lake (aka Raccoon Lake) for what
looked like a furniture-building workshop.
Stacks of short poplar boards awaited the
participants, each of whom carried a cordless
power drill.
They were building homes for fish, waist-
high wooden cribs that resembled miniature,
unfinished log cabins. The volunteer workday
was part of a relatively new initiative in the
DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife called the
Reservoir Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Pro-
gram (RAHEP).
“A lot of our lakes were built in the ‘40s, ‘50s,
and ‘60s,” volunteer Wil Newlin said. “The
natural habitat that was there is gone now.”
Over time, logs, stumps, roots and stand-
ing timber left in reservoirs after construction
disintegrate. This leaves younger, smaller fish
with fewer places to hide from predator fish.
As survival rates decline, so do populations.
And the fishing suffers.
At some reservoirs, aquatic plants can offset
some loss of habitat. But not at 2,000-acre
Raccoon. Built in 1960, the lake is managed by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control
floodwater. Each fall, the corps drops the water
level 22 feet to make room for spring rainfall.
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32
The changing conditions make it tough for
aquatic vegetation to grow.
In winter, the barren area between summer
pool and winter pool is a moonscape.
“You can see there’s no structure and no
habitat in that zone,” said DNR fisheries biolo-
gist Sandy Clark-Kolaks. “And it’s like that all
the way to the bottom of the lake.”
Clark-Kolaks is the research biologist for the
public water from Crawfordsville to Muncie
and south to the Ohio River. She also manages
RAHEP.
Stocking more fish won’t solve the reservoir
problem either.
Newlin compared stocking in existing
conditions to releasing deer into a Walmart
parking lot.
“You have to have habitat,” he said.
Newlin, who lives in Terre Haute, is presi-
dent of Bass Unlimited (BU), an organization
he founded with his wife, Carol, in 2013. BU
has expanded into Texas and become one of
the primary partners for Indiana’s RAHEP.
The other primary partner is the Indiana Bass
Federation. Together, the two groups provide
most of the labor for habitat construction.
Humans have a long history of manag-
ing terrestrial landscapes to provide better
wildlife habitat and improve hunting, from
burning prairies to rebuilding lost wetlands
and leaving fencerows brushy. The idea that
we would need to intervene on behalf of com-
mon fish such as bluegills and bass is relatively
new, Newlin said.
“We often just assume everything is great
underwater,” he said.
RAHEP began in 2015. Wooden cribs are
just one of the habitat types it employs. The
program also uses structures called Georgia
cubes made from PVC pipes and corrugated
tubes, as well as rock piles, brush piles, wooden
stakes, and plastic units called Mossback
structures, which are named after the com-
pany that makes them. Sometimes, workers
also cut shoreline trees and allow them to drop
into the water.
“Diversity of habitat type is key,” Clark-
Kolaks said.
The cribs at Raccoon will be anchored with
cinderblocks donated by Cash’s Concrete.
At Raccoon, the cribs are expected to last
10 to 15 years. At a lake where they will be
submerged constantly, they will last longer,
maybe 30 years.
The workday volunteers built more than 160
cribs. Over winter, property staff planned on
placing the cribs around the lake in the 22-foot
fluctuation contour. DNR’s plan for Raccoon
also calls for at least 22 felled shoreline trees,
six brush piles, one stake bed complex and
seven rock-pile complexes.
2018-2019 INDIANA FISHING GUIDE
Regulaciones de Pesca
El DNR División de peces y vida silves-
tre (DFW) ha publicado un folleto de
reglamento de pesca de seis páginas
en español llamado "Regulaciones de
Pesca, Indiana 2018."
La idea fue estimulada por la investi-
gación por el recreo y pesca Fundación
(RBFF) que mostraron los Latinos a nivel
nacional disfrutan de actividades al aire
libre, pero participan en pesca en tasas
más bajas. El DNR espera para ayudar a
los hispanohablantes a superar barreras,
tales como la falta de información y
experiencia, con esta versión resumida
de la guía de pesca de 2018, en español.
Existen sitios web como Vamos a Pescar,
por RBFF, dan a Latino información
general de los pescadores de pesca
deportiva, pero no ofrece regulaciones
estado-específicas, según Mark Reiter,
Director de DFW.
"Queremos que todos tengan acceso a
las regulaciones que puedan entender
fácilmente", dijo Reiter.
Regulaciones de Pesca se puede
encontrar en la caza del estado de www.
fishing.IN.gov.
Regulaciones también se traducirá en
un formato similar para las temporadas
2017-18.
Volunteer John Fritz of Coal City said he has
fished Raccoon roughly 40 times a year for the
past 25 years.
“It needs all the help it can get,” he said. “The
fishing has always been decent. But it’s getting
tougher.”
While most labor is provided by volunteers,
materials are expected to cost about $17,000.
The project is funded through fishing-license
sales and revenue from excise taxes on fishing
and boating equipment through the federal
Sport Fish Restoration Program.
Raccoon is RAHEP’s second project
lake. The first was Sullivan Lake, a 451-acre
impoundment in western Indiana built for
flood control and recreation in 1967. In 2016,
RAHEP worked with volunteers to sink 125
habitat structures into the water. Newlin said
the structures are already making a difference.
His organization videotaped fish life around
the structures and found congregations of
largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish, saugeye and
gizzard shad.
In 2017, RAHEP also made improvements at
Hominy Ridge Lake in Salamonie River State
Forest. The program plans to tackle Monroe
Lake in 2018, Sylvan Lake in 2019, and Patoka
Lake in 2020.
Once projects are finished, a map of the
structure locations will be available to the
public at wildlife.IN.gov/766.
OVER 55,000 ACRES
of public land for hunting

OVER 36,000 ACRES

of water for fishing

OVER 7,500 Fishing at Mississinewa Lake

campsites/cabins available

Brookville Lake │Cagles Mill Lake │Cecil M. Harden Lake

Mississinewa Lake │Hardy Lake │ Monroe Lake
Patoka Lake │ Salamonie Lake
For information on hunter education classes, youth hunting events, trapping courses
and other outdoor skills programs, visit interpretiveservices.IN.gov.

Prefer a little more comfort Inn Reservations Camping/Shelter/Cabin Reservations

than a tent or a camper? IndianaInns.com camp.IN.gov
Check out Indiana State Park Inns. or 1-877-LODGES 1 or 1-866-622-6746

stateparks.IN.gov