hello from a indiana steelhead addict.

Hi everyone I'm not sure if this is where I'm supposed to post this and if not please move it to the correct section. I'm from indiana on the southern tip of lake michigan. I have a severe steelhead addiction and a salmon problem as well. I've been lurking on several of the west coast fishing forums for a long time, stealing every bit of info I can and putting it to work here. I thank everyone for all the info you've all provided without me ever having to ask. I started a youtube channel this year and have posted up some vids of my hookups here. If anyone is interested to see how it looks here in indiana take a look https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJqcn_6E3DMBcopxP1h6CqA
Thanks everyone in advance.

Welcome

Thank you

Another Hoosier!! Heck yea I, myself, am originally from Indiana! Now I live out here in Washington absorbing some of the best fishing, area and people I have ever met. Next time I get back home on leave we should hit the rivers!

Welcome.

Before you know it we are all going to have to head out your way for steelhead.

Absolutely, I'm always ready to hit the rivers around here. I actually live very close to salt creek so that's my primary area. The first few chinook showed uo a week or so ago. It's looking like it'll be a good run this year.

Lets hope you just have to come out this way for a different steelhead experience. I hope that the problems I've been reading about on the west coast get worked out before that resource is gone.

Welcome.

Many is the steelie I have hooked in Trail Creek, Michigan City pier, and the St. Joe! We fish a little differently out here and the crowds are thinner but much is the same- welcome.

Thank you

Yea I grew up in NE Indiana Lagrange County my grandpa always said there were steelhead there but I never actually fished for them out there.

Here comes WFC....lol

Welcome,

I've only read about the Great Lakes steelhead fisheries.. Sounds like a lot of fun. Isn't return rates somewhere around 10-15%??

Don't get too excited about WA steelheading...Puget sound is just about shut down for good, other areas are seeing increased pressure and downward trends also. Not a pretty picture. Enjoy what you have over there!

I will get the return rate info this week as well. I have a few questions for the dnr anyways. Thanks

I live 8 miles from lake michigan right where the east branch of little Calumet river dumps in.

Trail creek turns into a zoo every year. Theres always a few fights mostly because some people just have zero respect for other fisherman. I only fish trail creek early season and very late season. I leave the rest to everyone else. Salt creek, burns ditch and little Calumet have much more areas to fish and it seems like less people.

Here are the links to the hatcherys. I hope this is the info you were looking for. http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5459.htm and http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5465.htm

I talked to the indiana dnr today and asked them about the return rate. I was told that we don't really have a way to monitor the returns. I was told that, if he were to guess it is 10-20 percent. I don't actually know whaf that means so I couldn't confirm or deny that info. Sorry that I couldn't get a better answer for you.

Be careful about how you pump up the streams and lakes back there. Our tribal people think they own all fisheries so they may send some people out there to start gill netting. Then they will claim they were there before they migrated to the West Coast!

I don't want to get into this much other than to say this. We don't owe anyone anything anymore. What happened 100 to 300 years ago has nothing to do with the people livng here now. If certain groups of people do not wish to join the population and adhear to the laws and regulations that have been set down then, that is their choice and not a just cause to give them a break in the rules. I was born here and I had no choice as to where I was born. That doesn't entitle me to anything more than to claim the benefits of being a american citizen. I don't care who is offended by this as it is my opinion and as a american that is my right. The whole concept that this group of people owe this group because of what has happened in the past is insane.