Indiana Lake Michigan Fishing Regulations
Salmon, trout, perch and whitefish bags, tributary gear bans and closures on the Indiana shore.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Lake Michigan: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
Indiana Lake Michigan rows in the 2026-2027 guide
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 Lake Michigan tributaries defined in this section must be hooked in the mouth. Foul-hooked fish must be returned to the body of water from which they were foul-hooked. The bag limit for yellow perch is 15 while fishing Indiana waters (even if you have a fishing license from a neighboring state). Bowfin, buffalo fish, carp, gar, shad, and sucker from Lake Michigan can be taken with a bow and arrow. A trot line, set line, or throw line cannot be used to take fish from Lake Michigan. See Lake Michigan bass regulations .
| Fish as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic, Chinook, Coho and Pink Salmon; Brown, Lake and Steelhead Trout | 5 total salmon and trout; no more than 3 may be lake trout | 14 inches |
| Yellow Perch | 15 (on Lake Michigan only) | no size limit |
| Lake Whitefish | 12 | no size limit |
| Black Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted) | 3, any combination | 14 inches |
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
Gear banned along the Indiana Lake Michigan tributaries
Tributary Restrictions Possession of a fish spear, gig, gaff, bowfishing equipment, crossbow, grab hook, spear gun, club, snag hook, or underwater spear is prohibited in the following water bodies: in or adjacent to the Galena River (LaPorte County), Trail Creek (LaPorte County), the East Branch of the Little Calumet River (LaPorte and Porter counties), Salt Creek (Porter County), the West Branch of the Little Calumet River (Lake and Porter counties), Burns Ditch (Lake and Porter counties), Deep River downstream from the dam at Lake George (Lake County), and the tributaries to these waters.
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
No-fishing zones at Trail Creek and the Little Calumet
Tributary Closures No fishing is allowed within 100 feet upstream of the Trail Creek sea lamprey barrier or downstream to the Pottawattomie Country Club Golf Course property line located adjacent to Springland Avenue in Michigan City. Fishing is not allowed within 100 feet above or below the Praxair Dam on the East Branch of the Little Calumet River.
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
The St. Joseph River below Twin Branch Dam
St. Joseph River Special regulations apply to fishing the St. Joseph River and its tributaries from Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka downstream to the Michigan state line. These regulations include: The minimum size limit for trout and salmon is 14 inches. No 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. No fishing is allowed at any time from the fish ladders located on the South Bend or Mishawaka Central Park dams. No fishing is allowed within 100 feet of the entrances and exits of the fish ladders. No fishing is allowed from boat or other watercraft in the St. Joseph River below the South Bend Dam for a distance of 200 feet, and from the Mishawaka Central Park Dam downstream to the Main Street Bridge in Mishawaka.
Hook Restrictions Fishing with more than one single hook or artificial lure is prohibited in the following waters: Lake Michigan tributaries 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.
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
Smelt netting season on the Indiana shore
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.
Indiana DNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan section of the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, read November 5, 2026.
Which state license works where on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan — We share Lake Michigan borders with Illinois and Michigan. There is a reciprocal fishing zone in Calumet Harbor with Illinois—view details and boundary information in the Calumet Harbor reciprocal zone map (PDF) . There is NO license reciprocity anywhere else on our Lake Michigan border waters. Indiana licensed anglers will need an Illinois license to fish Illinois waters of Lake Michigan, and a Michigan license to fish Michigan waters of Lake Michigan, even if launching out of Indiana.
Border water text as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Lake and stream scenes for Indiana Lake Michigan Fishing Regulations
Photo: Christine Wittenmeier, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC0 1.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC0 1.0
Questions on the Indiana Lake Michigan rules
How many salmon and trout can I keep on Indiana Lake Michigan?
Five in total, with no more than three lake trout, each at least 14 inches.
How many yellow perch can I keep from Indiana's part of Lake Michigan?
15 a day on Indiana waters of Lake Michigan, even with another state’s license; inland perch have no bag limit.
How many bass from Lake Michigan?
Three in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, 14 inches or longer.
Is there a lake whitefish limit?
12 a day, with no size limit.
Is the trout/salmon stamp required for Indiana Lake Michigan salmon?
Yes, the $11 trout/salmon stamp on top of a fishing license, unless you fish on a one-day license, which includes it.
Can I fish Illinois water off Calumet Harbor with an Indiana license?
Only inside the Calumet Harbor reciprocal zone; anywhere else in Illinois or Michigan water you need that state’s license.
Where is fishing closed on Trail Creek?
Within 100 feet upstream of the sea lamprey barrier down to the Pottawattomie Country Club property line by Springland Avenue in Michigan City.
When can smelt be netted?
March 1 through May 30, with a single seine or net no longer than 12 feet and no deeper than 6 feet.