Little Calumet River Fishing
Lake and Porter counties carries this river; NRC Outstanding River (2013 list).
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The Little Calumet River on the Indiana map
The NHD map gives the Little Calumet River 19 miles of line within Indiana, across Lake and Porter counties. Its state status: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list), DNR put-and-take salmonid stream and DNR salmonid stream. The handiest town is Gary, around 2 miles away.
Flow comes from 7 USGS gauges.
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.
State designations on the Little Calumet River
- DesignationNRC Outstanding River (2013 list)
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
- DesignationDNR salmonid stream
- Reach as listedC.R. 600E to S.R. 249
- Reach as listedSalt Creek system also part of this system.
- Navigableon the Indiana navigable waterways list
These the Little Calumet River rows repeat state list text.
Natural Resources Commission Outstanding Rivers list (2013), DNR put-and-take and salmonid stream layers, Indiana navigable waterways list; read November 5, 2026.
Today's height and speed of the Little Calumet River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Little Calumet River At Grant St At Gary, In | 6.12 ft gage height | Nov 8 12:15 am |
| Little Calumet River Near Lake Station, In | 3.02 ft gage height | Nov 8 12:15 am |
| Little Calumet River At Porter, In | 62 cfs, 3.58 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.
Provisional live values from USGS on the Little Calumet River.
NOAA gauge readings on the Little Calumet River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Calumet River at Gary (Burr Street) | 4.37 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 UTC |
| Little Calumet River at Gary (Grant St) | 6.1 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 20:15:00 UTC |
| Little Calumet River at Highland (Kennedy Avenue) | 8.03 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:15:00 UTC |
| Little Calumet River at Hammond (Indianapolis Boulevard) | 6.07 ft | – | no flooding | 2026-11-05 19:30:00 UTC |
| Little Calumet River near Lake Station | 2.96 ft | – | 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.
Fish the DNR names on the Little Calumet River
The fish shown for the Little Calumet River carry DNR labels from access sites, stocking rows or records, not catch reports.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameriplex Woods shore access on Little Calumet River | shore access | no fee recorded | Portage Parks Dept. |
| Heron Rookery (East Side) shore access on Little Calumet River | shore access | no fee recorded | Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore |
| Portage Marina on Little Calumet River | fishing pier | fishing pier, ADA access, restrooms, lights, no fee recorded | Division of Fish & Wildlife, Public Access North/ Portage Parks Dept. |
| Lake Etta County Park on Little Calumet River | shore access | fee: Entry Fee | Lake County Parks Dept. |
| Heron Rookery (West Side) shore access on Little Calumet River | shore access | no fee recorded | Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore |
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.
DNR releases logged for the Little Calumet River
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | May | Chinook Salmon | 77,180 | 4.22 |
| 2026 | March | Steelhead | 19,200 | 6.58 |
| 2026 | Multiple | Coho Salmon | 27,997 | 7.5 |
| 2025 | December | Steelhead | 82,872 | 4.26 |
| 2025 | October | Coho Salmon | 30,295 | 6.01 |
| 2025 | May | Chinook Salmon | 99,209 | 4.17 |
| 2024 | December | Steelhead | 25,091 | 4.05 |
| 2024 | October | Coho Salmon | 52,920 | 6.46 |
| 2024 | April | Chinook Salmon | 102,538 | 3.74 |
| 2023 | December | Steelhead | 70,613 | 4.3 |
| 2023 | October | Coho Salmon | 33,396 | 6.78 |
| 2023 | April | Chinook Salmon | 99,544 | 3.86 |
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 limits in force on the Little Calumet 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 |
The guide treats the Little Calumet River as moving water for bass and catfish limits.
- 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.
The Little Calumet River and its closest neighbours
Deep River sits near 6 miles from the Little Calumet River, the closest listed.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Calumet River | this stream | 19 | 7 | 0 |
| Deep River | 6 miles southeast | 23 | 3 | 1 |
| Grand Calumet River | 6 miles northwest | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| Indiana Harbor Canal | 9 miles northwest | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Salt Creek (Porter County) | 11 miles east | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Coffee Creek (Porter County) | 15 miles east | 10 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
Around the edges of Little Calumet River
Lakes in the same part of Indiana as Little Calumet River
- Three Rivers County Park Pond1 mile
- Rosser Park Pond1 mile
- Grand Boulevard Lake3 miles
- Robinson Park Pond3 miles
Picking up nightcrawlers and minnows near Little Calumet River
- Isg Burns Harbor Platemarina, Gary, 3 miles
- Westforth Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Gary, 4 miles
- Slez's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Lake Station, 4 miles
- Dockside Services Incmarina, Highland, 6 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Merrillvillesporting goods store, Merrillville, 7 miles
- South Shore Marina Inc Jrmarina, Portage, 7 miles
Guide services listed around Little Calumet River
- Captain Q Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 869-0297
- Rainmaker Charterscharter, Portage, (219) 762-9336
- Triplecatch Lake Michigan Sportfishing Charterscharter, Lake Station, (219) 588-5929
Hoosier towns sitting near Little Calumet River
- Gary2 miles
- New Chicago3 miles
- Lake Station3 miles
One more river beside the Little Calumet River
- Deep River6 miles
- Grand Calumet River6 miles
- Indiana Harbor Canal9 miles
- Salt Creek (Porter County)11 miles
- Coffee Creek (Porter County)15 miles
County guides tied to Little Calumet River
- Lake County
- Porter County
Piscifun picks for a day out on Little Calumet River
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Telling Little Calumet River fish apart from a photo
Photo: Craig Chew-Moulding, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: California Sea Grant, CC BY 2.0
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Things Indiana anglers ask about the Little Calumet River
Which town is near the Little Calumet River?
It runs through Lake and Porter counties, and its mapped point is about 2 miles from Gary.
Is the Little Calumet River a long river?
The NHD map shows 19 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
How do I get onto the Little Calumet River?
Ameriplex Woods shore access on Little Calumet River is among 5 access sites.
Which species does the DNR list for the Little Calumet River?
DNR sources name bluegill, common carp, catfish, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, steelhead trout and coho salmon.
How many black bass may an Indiana angler keep from the Little Calumet 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
Can I fish the Little Calumet River without paying a fee to the state?
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.
Who measures the Little Calumet River?
USGS gauge Little Calumet River at Grant St at Gary, IN reports live; see the flow band.
Is there a bait shop by the Little Calumet River?
Our list starts with Isg Burns Harbor Plate, about 3 miles away,.
Is the Little Calumet River a trout stream?
State lists name it: NRC Outstanding River (2013 list); DNR put-and-take salmonid stream; DNR salmonid stream.
Plan a float down the Little Calumet River
Fees, stamps and river rules sit on one page.