Fresh fish alert! Staff from Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery recently stocked the Little Calumet River, Trail Creek, and Salt Creek with fall fingerling steelhead and coho. The East Branch Little Calumet River received 71,077 winter-run steelhead and 45,142 coho. Trail Creek received 47,575 winter-run steelhead and 48,336 coho, while Salt Creek received 27,523 Skamania steelhead.
The fingerlings stocked this fall will stay in the streams until next spring, when they will migrate to Lake Michigan. They will spend one to two years there feeding and maturing until they return to spawn in the streams where they were stocked.
Anglers, be aware of recently stocked fish when fishing these areas. These fingerlings are currently under the legal size limit and are sensitive to being caught. If you catch undersize fingerlings, consider moving to a different area of the stream or try switching your method of fishing. These new fish are crucial to the continued existence of the northwest Indiana trout and salmon fishery.
