Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) Fishing
Moving water in DeKalb and Steuben counties; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
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Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties), sized up for Indiana anglers
Mapped NHD line puts 21 miles of Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) inside Indiana, through DeKalb and Steuben counties. The state lists it as NRC Outstanding River (2013 list). Plan on roughly 4 miles to the town of Hamilton.
Discharge is measured at 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.
Special status of Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- Reach as listedOhio/Indiana line to Indiana/Ohio Line
The rows for Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) quote the state stream lists.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
Stage and discharge along Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Fish Creek At Hamilton, In | 5 cfs, 3.25 ft gage height | Nov 7 11:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 12:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS readings for Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) update live and are provisional.
Dam gauge readings on Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Creek (IN) at Hamilton | 3.37 ft | 0.0043 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:45:00 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.
DNR-listed fish in Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
For Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) each name traces to a DNR label or row.
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.
Launch spots on Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
DNR access data skips Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties); wade only where access is legal.
Neighbouring launches around Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- Hamilton Lake boat rampHamilton Lake, 4 miles
- Ball Lake boat rampBall Lake, 6 miles
- Pigeon Lake boat rampPigeon Lake, 9 miles
- Fox Lake boat ramp (north)Fox Lake, 11 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.
Hatchery rows for Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | November | Channel Catfish | 60 | 8.0 |
| 2023 | October | Channel Catfish | 60 | 8.0 |
| 2022 | September | Channel Catfish | 60 | 10.8 |
| 2021 | October | Channel Catfish | 71 | 11.7 |
| 2019 | October | Channel Catfish | 60 | 12.03 |
| 2018 | October | Channel Catfish | 60 | 10.83 |
| 2017 | September | Channel Catfish | 60 | 12.43 |
| 2016 | September | Channel Catfish | 57 | 11.4 |
| 2015 | October | Channel Catfish | 57 | 13.0 |
| 2014 | October | Channel Catfish | 57 | 13.3 |
| 2013 | October | Channel Catfish | 57 | 12.8 |
| 2012 | October | Channel Catfish | 50 | 13.2 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
How many fish leave Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) in your cooler
| 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 |
On Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties), the river versions of the bass and catfish rows replace the lake ones.
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
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.
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Pigeon Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) is the nearest neighbour of Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties), roughly 14 miles off.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) | this stream | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Pigeon Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) | 14 miles west | 34 | 1 | 0 |
| Turkey Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) | 19 miles west | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| Cedar Creek (Allen and DeKalb Counties) | 20 miles southwest | 29 | 2 | 0 |
| Saint Joseph River (Allen and DeKalb Counties) | 22 miles south | 38 | 1 | 5 |
| Fawn River (LaGrange and Steuben Counties) | 23 miles northwest | 5 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A short haul from Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
More Indiana lakes within reach of Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- Terry Lake4 miles
- Hamilton Lake4 miles
- Round Lake (Otsego)5 miles
- Ball Lake6 miles
Stores stocking hooks and line around Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- Clark's Landing Marinamarina, Hamilton, 4 miles
- Hamilton Lake Marine Incmarina, Hamilton, 4 miles
- Hamilton Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Hamilton, 4 miles
- Big D's Bait and Tackle/Archerybait and tackle shop, Angola, 12 miles
- Diamond Marine Servicesmarina, Angola, 13 miles
- Clausen's Boat Housemarina, Angola, 13 miles
Places to eat and sleep near Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- Hamilton4 miles
- Butler9 miles
- Angola11 miles
Further Hoosier streams by Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- Pigeon Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties)14 miles
- Turkey Creek (LaGrange and Steuben Counties)19 miles
- Cedar Creek (Allen and DeKalb Counties)20 miles
- Saint Joseph River (Allen and DeKalb Counties)22 miles
- Fawn River (LaGrange and Steuben Counties)23 miles
County pages that take in Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
- DeKalb County
- Steuben County
A Piscifun lineup sized for Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)
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Lakes and stream bends close to Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties), in pictures
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LouisvilleUSACE, CC BY 2.0
Photo: PunkToad, CC BY 2.0
Sorting out Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) before the cooler gets packed
Which counties does Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) cross?
Head for DeKalb and Steuben counties, and its mapped point is about 4 miles from Hamilton.
How many mapped Indiana miles does Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) run?
The NHD map shows 21 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which access sites serve Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)?
No DNR access site names it.
Which fish does the DNR name in Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)?
DNR labels name channel catfish.
Which bass limit covers Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben 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
May an out-of-state visitor wet a line on Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
Is there a flow gauge on Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)?
Fish Creek at Hamilton, IN reports it live.
Which Indiana bait counter is handiest to Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties)?
Nearest in our list: Clark's Landing Marina, about 4 miles away,.
What designation does Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) carry?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
Give Fish Creek (DeKalb and Steuben Counties) a Saturday
Get the Indiana license on the DNR site before the float.