Indiana report: Lake trout start showing on Lake Michigan, and Lake Monroe crappie are biting

Lake trout are starting to show up along Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline, the Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife said in fishing reports updated Oct. 30. Boat effort has been light, but there have been a few reports near the Michigan line of immature kings and steelhead on spoons in 90 to 120 feet. The DNR suggests casting or trolling near breakwalls around the Port of Indiana, Hammond, Michigan City and East Chicago, or near the Gong in the Indiana Shoals. Water is still in the high 50s, a bit warm for perch to school in their wintering areas.

From shore, a few "zombie" kings remain in East Chicago harbor, though bright weather has made the bite tough, so the DNR recommends fishing low light or at night with glow spoons, rattling crankbaits or skein under a bobber. It expects the next cold front to push more lake trout into the harbors and the lower parts of Trail Creek and Burns Ditch. A couple of whitefish have been caught at Michigan City.

On the tributaries, the DNR called the salmon run underwhelming and mostly over, and said rain is needed for fresh winter-run steelhead. Fall fingerling coho were recently stocked in Trail Creek and the East Branch Little Calumet, and the DNR asks anglers to move on if they are catching lots of smolts and to handle any with care. Below Twin Branch Dam on the St. Joseph River, a few steelhead are around at dawn and dusk, and smallmouth are still a good bet.

Inland, crappie fishing has been very good on Lake Monroe from boats and docks. A DNR fall electrofishing survey there turned up many largemouth bass in the 2- to 5-pound range, plus four walleye and four hybrid striped bass. At West Boggs Lake, crappie fishing has been good, and a recent bass tournament's big fish weighed 5.99 pounds.

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

Source: Indiana DNR: Indiana Fishing Reports (updated Oct. 30, 2026).