Little Kankakee River Fishing
An Indiana river through LaPorte County; DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
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The Little Kankakee River, the Hoosier rundown
The Little Kankakee River covers 16 miles of NHD-mapped channel in LaPorte County. State lists class it as DNR put-and-take salmonid stream. La Porte is the nearest Census place, about 6 miles from the mapped point.
Below: access, the DNR fish list and rules.
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 Little Kankakee River as
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
For the Little 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.
The fish the DNR records for the Little Kankakee River
DNR lists produced this the Little 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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No DNR access site names the Little Kankakee River; bridges and public road crossings are the usual entry, so respect posted land.
Ramps one cove over from Little Kankakee River
- Upper/Lower Fish Lake boat rampUpper/Lower Fish Lake, 4 miles
- Tamarack Lake boat rampTamarack Lake, 6 miles
- Clear Lake boat ramp (west)Clear Lake, 7 miles
- Hog Lake boat rampHog Lake, 7 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.
Stocking dashboard lines for the Little Kankakee River
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April | Brown Trout | 241 | 12.37 |
| 2026 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 800 | 10.82 |
| 2025 | April | Rainbow Trout | 300 | 9.4 |
| 2025 | Multiple | Brown Trout | 550 | 10.27 |
| 2024 | Multiple | Brown Trout | 500 | 10.8 |
| 2024 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 9.34 |
| 2023 | Multiple | Brown Trout | 490 | 8.98 |
| 2023 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 600 | 10.49 |
| 2022 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 950 | 10.69 |
| 2021 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 800 | 10.93 |
| 2020 | Multiple | Rainbow Trout | 850 | 11.18 |
| 2019 | April | Rainbow Trout | 500 | 11.3 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Where the trout plan sends fish on the Little Kankakee River
| Season | Water as printed | Location | Planned number | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening day streams, north | Little Kankakee River | 600 | Rainbow Trout | |
| Opening day streams, north | Little Kankakee River | 250 | Brown Trout | |
| Memorial Day weekend | Little Kankakee River | SR 4 | 75 | Rainbow Trout |
| Memorial Day weekend | Little Kankakee River | CR 100 S | 75 | Rainbow Trout |
| Memorial Day weekend | Little Kankakee River | CR 500 E | 75 | Rainbow Trout |
| Fall (mid-to-late October) | Little Kankakee River | 250 | Brown Trout |
Planned, not delivered: the Little Kankakee River trout numbers.
Indiana DNR 2026 trout stocking plan (updated March 20, 2026; planned targets, DNR notes actual numbers may vary), read November 5, 2026.
Bag and size rules on the Little 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 Little Kankakee River fall under the river and stream rows of the guide.
- 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. |
Special regulation water rules at Little Kankakee River
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Little Kankakee River (LaPorte) | Trout | Closed April 15 to the last Saturday in April (opening day) on the stocked section while DNR completes trout stockings |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
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 Kankakee River in a table with nearby streams
Next over from the Little Kankakee River: Potato Creek, around 10 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Kankakee River | this stream | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Potato Creek | 10 miles east | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Trail Creek (LaPorte County) | 16 miles northwest | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Reynolds Creek | 17 miles west | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties) | 21 miles southwest | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| East Arm Little Calumet River | 21 miles west | 19 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A few Hoosier miles off Little Kankakee River
Other lakes a state-road drive from Little Kankakee River
- Upper/Lower Fish Lake4 miles
- Tamarack Lake (LaPorte County)6 miles
- Clear Lake (LaPorte County)6 miles
- Fishtrap Lake7 miles
Topping off the minnow bucket near Little Kankakee River
- Hubers Marinemarina, Kingsbury, 7 miles
- Pine Lake Marinamarina, La Porte, 7 miles
- Huber's Marine, Inc.marina, La Porte, 8 miles
- Fay's Marinamarina, La Porte, 8 miles
- Gracie's Fishing & Huntingbait and tackle shop, La Porte, 8 miles
- Lake Effect Living, LLP Small Engine Repair & Bait Salesbait and tackle shop, New Carlisle, 8 miles
Indiana guides who fish Little Kankakee River
- Canadian Fly-In Fishingcharter, Michigan City, (219) 872-8849
- Cloud Nine Fishing Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-5090
- Fire Drill Charterscharter, Michigan City, (219) 898-8111
Towns with a motel near Little Kankakee River
- La Porte6 miles
- New Carlisle9 miles
- Kingsford Heights10 miles
Indiana streams near the Little Kankakee River
- Potato Creek10 miles
- Trail Creek (LaPorte County)16 miles
- Reynolds Creek17 miles
- Slocum Ditch (LaPorte and Porter Counties)21 miles
- East Arm Little Calumet River21 miles
Indiana counties along Little Kankakee River
- LaPorte County
Piscifun tackle for the next run to Little Kankakee River
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Picture ID for the fish swimming at Little Kankakee River
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
The Little Kankakee River, one question at a time
Where in Indiana is the Little Kankakee River?
It crosses LaPorte County, and its mapped point is about 6 miles from La Porte.
How many miles of the Little Kankakee River are in Indiana?
The NHD map shows 16 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which DNR access site puts me on the Little Kankakee River?
Nothing on the DNR layer reaches it.
What swims in the Little Kankakee River?
The DNR lists rainbow trout, brown trout and walleye.
May I keep a 13-inch bass from the Little 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 Little Kankakee River?
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.
Where can I check the flow of the Little Kankakee River?
No gauge sits on it.
What tackle store is closest on the drive to the Little Kankakee River?
Hubers Marine, about 7 miles away, heads the list.
Is the Little Kankakee River an Outstanding River?
State lists name it: DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
Wade into the Little Kankakee River this season
The flow panel tells you when to go.