Indiana’s fall stocking run covers nearly 150 waters through November

Indiana’s fall fish trucks are out. WBIW reported Oct. 7, 2026, that the Department of Natural Resources has started a statewide fall stocking program covering nearly 150 waterbodies through November. The story says anglers should see a mix of sizes because many of the waters are stocked every year or every other year. Species named in the report are channel catfish, trout, walleye, and muskellunge, with limited plants of bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, and redear sunfish where a local population needs them.

The department’s 2026 inland trout plan, updated March 20, sets the fall window for mid-to-late October, depending on how fast the water cools. Fall targets on that sheet are 2,155 rainbow trout and 7,200 brown trout. Every count is a target and can change with production, access, and weather. Spy Run Creek at Franke Park in Fort Wayne is on the fall list for 200 rainbows. Fancher Lake in Lake County is listed for 250 browns, Sand Lake in Noble County for 400 browns, and Pinhook Lake in South Bend for 200 rainbows and 200 browns.

WBIW also pointed walleye anglers to Pine Lake in LaPorte County, Clear Lake in Steuben County, Winona Lake in Kosciusko County, and Brookville Lake in Franklin and Union counties. The station said a trout and salmon stamp is required, along with a fishing license, to target trout on public waters. Licenses are sold at GoOutdoorsIN.com. The channel catfish portion of this fall’s work is the separate plan already filed on this desk.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: WBIW — Indiana DNR launches fall fish stocking across nearly 150 waterbodies (Oct. 7, 2026). Trout targets: Indiana DNR — 2026 Inland Trout Stocking Plan (PDF) (updated March 20, 2026).