Kankakee River Fishing
An Indiana river through Jasper County and 6 other counties; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
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The Kankakee River, the Hoosier rundown
The Kankakee River covers 74 miles of NHD-mapped channel in Jasper County and 6 other counties. State lists class it as NRC Outstanding River (2013 list). Kouts is the nearest Census place, about 7 miles from the mapped point.
The DNR access layer maps 10 ramps on it. You can check 5 USGS gauges for today.
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.
What the state lists the Kankakee River as
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- Reach as listedUpstream boundary of Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area through LaSalle State Fishand Wildlife Area to Indiana/Illinois line
- Navigableon the Indiana navigable waterways list
For the Kankakee River, the reach notes are the wording of the source lists.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
What the Kankakee River is doing right now
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Kankakee River At Davis, In | 508 cfs, 6.03 ft gage height | Nov 6 11:00 pm |
| Kankakee River At Dunns Bridge, In | 961 cfs, 3.83 ft gage height | Nov 6 11:00 pm |
| Kankakee River Nr Kouts, In | 1,020 cfs, 4.79 ft gage height | Nov 6 11:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 6, 2026 11:34 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Live USGS data on the Kankakee River may still be revised.
NWS stage figures for the Kankakee River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee River at Crumstown | 4.15 ft | – | not defined | 2026-11-05 19:00:00 UTC |
| Kankakee River at Davis | 6.03 ft | 0.508 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:00:00 UTC |
| Kankakee River at Dunns Bridge | 3.85 ft | 0.984 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:00:00 UTC |
| Kankakee River near Kouts | 4.8 ft | 1.03 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:00:00 UTC |
| Kankakee River at Shelby | 5.41 ft | 1.33 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.
The fish the DNR records for the Kankakee River
DNR lists produced this the Kankakee River species line.
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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| Site | Type | Recorded attributes | Managed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunns Bridge boat ramp on Kankakee River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, restrooms, no fee recorded | Porter County Parks Dept. |
| Kankakee & Yellow Rivers, The Points boat ramp | boat ramp | concrete ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Kankakee River (Lake County Park Dept) | boat ramp | concrete ramp, fishing pier, courtesy dock, ADA access, no fee recorded | Lake Co. Park Dept. |
| Kankakee River / Black Oak Bayou boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Kankakee River / Campgrnd, White Oak boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, ADA access, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Kankakee River boat ramp | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Kingsbury F&W Area on Kankakee River | boat ramp | boat ramp, no fee recorded | Kingsbury Fish & Wildlife Area |
| LaSalle boat ramp on Kankakee River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, restrooms, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Shelby boat ramp on Kankakee River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
| Stateline Public Access Site on Kankakee River | boat ramp | concrete ramp, ADA access, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North |
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.
Stocking dashboard lines for the Kankakee River
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | June | Walleye | 23,289 | 1.8 |
| 2008 | June | Walleye | 18,189 | 2.0 |
| 2007 | June | Walleye | 20,030 | 2.2 |
| 2006 | June | Walleye | 13,770 | 2.0 |
| 2005 | June | Walleye | 28,292 | 1.9 |
| 2003 | June | Walleye | 23,034 | 1.9 |
| 1993 | August | Channel Catfish | 400 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Bag and size rules on the Kankakee River
| 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 |
Bass and catfish in the Kankakee River fall under the river and stream rows of the guide.
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.
Record-program fish from the Kankakee River
| Species | Weight as printed | Year | Water as listed | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 14 lb. 4 oz. | 1974 | Kankakee River | Lake |
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.
The Kankakee River in a table with nearby streams
Next over from the Kankakee River: Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties), around 11 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee River | this stream | 74 | 5 | 10 |
| Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | 11 miles north | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | 12 miles north | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryan Ditch (Jasper and Pulaski Counties) | 15 miles south | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Salt Creek (Porter County) | 22 miles northwest | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Coffee Creek (Porter County) | 23 miles north | 10 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A few Hoosier miles off Kankakee River
Other lakes a state-road drive from Kankakee River
- North Pit6 miles
- South Pit6 miles
- Bass Lake (Starke County)18 miles
- Stony Run County Park Pond18 miles
Topping off the minnow bucket near Kankakee River
- Butch' Baitbait and tackle shop, Knox, 15 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Valparaisosporting goods store, Valparaiso, 16 miles
- Erwin's Marinemarina, Valparaiso, 16 miles
- Bass Lake Marina Incmarina, Knox, 17 miles
- The Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 20 miles
- Country Bait & Taxidermybait and tackle shop, Valparaiso, 22 miles
Indiana guides who fish Kankakee River
- 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
- Sea King Charterscharter, Granger, (269) 208-5064
- Triplecatch Lake Michigan Sportfishing Charterscharter, Lake Station, (219) 588-5929
Towns with a motel near Kankakee River
- Kouts7 miles
- North Judson8 miles
- Wanatah13 miles
Indiana streams near the Kankakee River
- Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties)11 miles
- Crooked Creek (LaPorte and Porter Counties)12 miles
- Ryan Ditch (Jasper and Pulaski Counties)15 miles
- Salt Creek (Porter County)22 miles
- Coffee Creek (Porter County)23 miles
Indiana counties along Kankakee River
- Jasper County
- LaPorte County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter County
- St. Joseph County
- Starke County
Piscifun tackle for the next run to Kankakee River
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Picture ID for the fish swimming at Kankakee River
Photo: Craig Chew-Moulding, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ray Dumas, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
The Kankakee River, one question at a time
Where in Indiana is the Kankakee River?
It crosses Jasper County and 6 other counties, and its mapped point is about 7 miles from Kouts.
How many miles of the Kankakee River are in Indiana?
The NHD map shows 74 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which DNR access site puts me on the Kankakee River?
10 access sites are mapped, Dunns Bridge boat ramp on Kankakee River among them.
What swims in the Kankakee River?
The DNR lists bluegill, common carp, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and redear sunfish.
May I keep a 13-inch bass from the Kankakee River?
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
What will an Indiana license run me for the Kankakee River?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Indiana fishing license ($23 a year for residents, $60 for nonresidents).
Where can I check the flow of the Kankakee River?
See Kankakee River at Davis, IN above.
What tackle store is closest on the drive to the Kankakee River?
Butch' Bait, about 15 miles away, heads the list.
Is the Kankakee River an Outstanding River?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
What is the heaviest DNR-listed fish from the Kankakee River?
Walleye, 14 lb. 4 oz. (1974), appears on the DNR record list; angler names are not printed here.
Wade into the Kankakee River this season
The flow panel tells you when to go.