Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) Fishing
A creek of LaPorte and Porter counties; DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
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What an Indiana angler should know about Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
Through LaPorte and Porter counties, Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) traces 16 miles of mapped NHD line. It carries the label DNR put-and-take salmonid stream. From the mapped point it is roughly 4 miles to Wanatah.
Flow data comes from 1 USGS gauge.
USGS NHD named flowlines (mapped length in Indiana, not a DNR figure); Indiana DNR stream designation layers and Fishing Access Sites, read November 5, 2026.
How the DNR classes Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
- Navigableon the Indiana navigable waterways list
State lists supplied Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) entries above.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
USGS stations on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Crooked Creek At Indianapolis, In | 2 cfs, 2.71 ft gage height | Nov 8 1:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 1:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) USGS panel is provisional.
NWS gauges on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crooked Creek (IN) at Indianapolis | 2.93 ft | 0.0001 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 UTC |
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
Species on the DNR list for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) names follow DNR wording.
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites species fields, Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026; Indiana DNR Indiana Record Fish Program list (keeper: Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (Indiana Record Fish Program); angler names left off here), read November 5, 2026.
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The DNR access layer lists nothing on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties); ask landowners before crossing private banks.
Launches worth knowing near Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Loomis Lake boat rampLoomis Lake, 9 miles
- Long Lake boat ramp (north), Porter CountyLong Lake, 9 miles
- Westville boat ramp on Clear LakeClear Lake, 10 miles
- Kankakee & Yellow Rivers, The Points boat rampKankakee River, 12 miles
Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites layer (shown on the DNR Where to Fish map; attributes as recorded, blank where not recorded), read November 5, 2026.
What the DNR put into Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 11.45 |
| 2025 | April | Rainbow Trout | 450 | 9.4 |
| 2024 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 9.5 |
| 2023 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 10.24 |
| 2022 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 10.6 |
| 2021 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 10.69 |
| 2020 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 11.3 |
| 2019 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 11.3 |
| 2018 | April | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 10.8 |
| 2017 | April | Rainbow Trout | 500 | 10.7 |
| 2016 | April | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 10.75 |
| 2016 | Multiple | Channel Catfish | 133 | 13.69 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
The 2026 trout plan for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
| Season | Water as printed | Location | Planned number | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening day streams, north | Crooked Creek | 600 | Rainbow Trout |
For Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), the DNR trout plan sets targets that can change.
Indiana DNR 2026 trout stocking plan (updated March 20, 2026; planned targets, DNR notes actual numbers may vary), read November 5, 2026.
What can go home from Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
| Species as printed | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass (in rivers and streams) | 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass | No fish 12 to 15 inches may be kept, and no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept |
| Catfish: Channel, Blue, Flathead (in rivers and streams) | Unlimited | 13 inches; not more than one blue catfish that’s at least 35 inches, one flathead catfish at least 35 inches, and one channel catfish at least 28 inches or longer may be kept |
| Bluegill | Unlimited | no size limit |
| Redear Sunfish | 25 | no size limit |
| White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass | 12, any combination of white bass or hybrid striped bass | No more than two fish may exceed 17 inches |
| Walleye, Walleye-Sauger Hybrid (Saugeye), Sauger | 6, any combination of walleye, walleye-sauger hybrid, and sauger | For walleye: 14 inches south of SR 26; 16 inches north of SR 26 For sauger and saugeye: No size limit |
| Northern Pike | 3 | 24 inches; no more than one 30 inches or longer |
For Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), use the stream rows for bass and catfish.
- Inland troutInland Trout sizes & limits | Species | Daily Bag Limit | Minimum Size | Brook Trout | 5, any combination of brook, rainbow, or brown trout; no more than one may be brown trout | 7 inches* | Rainbow Trout | Brown Trout | *There is no minimum size limit for trout caught from lakes, except for an 18-inch size limit for brown trout at Oliver, Olin, and Martin lakes in LaGrange County and Brookville Lake tailwater (East Fork Whitewater River) in Franklin County. |
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026. Indiana DNR license fees (license year April 1 to March 31), read November 5, 2026.
Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) beside other Indiana streams
For a second option near Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties) lies about 3 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | this stream | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | 3 miles east | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Coffee Creek (Porter County) | 11 miles north | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Salt Creek (Porter County) | 11 miles northwest | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Kankakee River | 12 miles south | 74 | 5 | 10 |
| Reynolds Creek | 13 miles north | 4 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
Down the state road from Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
A second lake to try after Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Flint Lake8 miles
- Loomis Lake9 miles
- Spectacle Lake9 miles
- Long Lake (Porter County)9 miles
Bait counters along the drive to Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Dick's Sporting Goods Valparaisosporting goods store, Valparaiso, 5 miles
- Erwin's Marinemarina, Valparaiso, 5 miles
- The Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 8 miles
- Country Bait & Taxidermybait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 10 miles
- Lair's Pawn-Sports-Petbait and tackle shop, Portage, 15 miles
- Hubers Marinemarina, Kingsbury, 16 miles
Hiring a Hoosier guide for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Canadian Fly-In Fishingcharter, Michigan City, (219) 872-8849
- Captain Q Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 869-0297
- Cloud Nine Fishing Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-5090
- Fire Drill Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-8111
- Rainmaker Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 762-9336
Beds and diners within reach of Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Wanatah4 miles
- Valparaiso7 miles
- Kouts7 miles
Neighbouring streams of Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
- Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties)3 miles
- Coffee Creek (Porter County)11 miles
- Salt Creek (Porter County)11 miles
- Kankakee River12 miles
- Reynolds Creek13 miles
Each county touching Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), linked
- LaPorte County
- Porter County
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
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Hoosier lakes and creeks near Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), on camera
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: jaygannett, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties), one question at a time
How do I find Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
Find it in LaPorte and Porter counties, and its mapped point is about 4 miles from Wanatah.
What length is given for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
The NHD map shows 16 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Is there a ramp on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
It has no DNR-mapped access.
What fish are in Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
Expect rainbow trout, channel catfish and brown trout, by DNR records.
What bass rules apply on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
The guide row for rivers and streams reads: 5, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass; No fish 12 to 15 inches may be kept, and no more than two fish over 15 inches may be kept
Which Indiana permit belongs in the tackle box for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents). Fishing for trout or salmon also needs the $11 trout/salmon stamp.
What is the stage on Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
Look for Crooked Creek at Indianapolis, IN above.
Where do I get crawlers for Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)?
Head to Dick's Sporting Goods Valparaiso, about 5 miles away,.
What state status does Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) have?
State lists name it: DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
Watch the gauge, then float Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)
Know the slot before the first cast.