Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) Fishing
An Indiana creek through St. Joseph County; DNR put-and-take salmonid stream.
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Willow Creek (St. Joseph County), the Hoosier rundown
Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) covers 7 miles of NHD-mapped channel in St. Joseph County. State lists class it as DNR put-and-take salmonid stream and DNR salmonid stream. Granger is the nearest Census place, about 2 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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) as
- DesignationDNR put-and-take salmonid stream
- DesignationDNR salmonid stream
For Willow Creek (St. Joseph County), 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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
DNR lists produced this Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) 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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County); bridges and public road crossings are the usual entry, so respect posted land.
Ramps one cove over from Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Prickett Landing on Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties), 2 miles
- Miami Island (Mishawaka) boat ramp on Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties), 3 miles
- Twin Branch Dam boat ramp on Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties), 3 miles
- Merrifield Park on Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties), 3 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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
| Year | Month | Species as listed | Number | Avg length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | October | Brown Trout | 500 | 5.0 |
| 2023 | November | Brown Trout | 500 | 4.5 |
| 2016 | August | Steelhead | 31,291 | 3.27 |
| 2009 | August | Brown Trout | 2,500 | |
| 1997 | June | Brown Trout | 1,000 | 4.0 |
| 1994 | June | Brown Trout | 500 | 4.0 |
| 1993 | June | Brown Trout | 1,000 | 4.0 |
| 1992 | June | Brown Trout | 1,000 | 4.0 |
| 1977 | April | Brown Trout | 300 | 9.0 |
| 1976 | April | Rainbow Trout | 300 | 7.1 |
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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
| 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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) 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. |
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.
Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) in a table with nearby streams
Next over from Willow Creek (St. Joseph County): Judy Creek, around 2 miles away.
| Stream | Distance | Mapped NHD miles in IN | USGS gauges | DNR ramps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) | this stream | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Judy Creek | 2 miles west | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Cobus Creek | 4 miles east | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties) | 5 miles east | 38 | 2 | 14 |
| Eller Ditch | 5 miles south | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Baugo Creek | 10 miles southeast | 21 | 0 | 0 |
USGS NHD and gauges, Indiana DNR Fishing Access Sites; read November 5, 2026.
A few Hoosier miles off Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
Other lakes a state-road drive from Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Mt Tea State Forest Lake7 miles
- Pinhook Lake8 miles
- Simonton Lake9 miles
- Heaton Lake12 miles
Topping off the minnow bucket near Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Wyland's Marinemarina, Mishawaka, 2 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Mishawakasporting goods store, Mishawaka, 3 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Mishawakasporting goods store, Mishawaka, 3 miles
- Starboard Choice Marinemarina, Mishawaka, 3 miles
- Midway Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Osceola, 4 miles
- Stacy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, South Bend, 4 miles
Indiana guides who fish Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Sea King Charterscharter, Granger, (269) 208-5064
Towns with a motel near Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Granger2 miles
- Mishawaka3 miles
- Osceola4 miles
Indiana streams near Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- Judy Creek2 miles
- Cobus Creek4 miles
- Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)5 miles
- Eller Ditch5 miles
- Baugo Creek10 miles
Indiana counties along Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
- St. Joseph County
Piscifun tackle for the next run to Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
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Picture ID for the fish swimming at Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Plain answers about Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)
Where in Indiana is Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
It crosses St. Joseph County, and its mapped point is about 2 miles from Granger.
How many miles of Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) are in Indiana?
The NHD map shows 7 miles of line in Indiana; that is a mapping figure, not a DNR survey.
Which DNR access site puts me on Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
Nothing on the DNR layer reaches it.
What swims in Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
The DNR lists brown trout, steelhead trout and rainbow trout.
May I keep a 13-inch bass from Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
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 Willow Creek (St. Joseph 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.
Where can I check the flow of Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
No gauge sits on it.
What tackle store is closest on the drive to Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)?
Wyland's Marine, about 2 miles away, heads the list.
Is Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) an Outstanding River?
State lists name it: DNR put-and-take salmonid stream; DNR salmonid stream.
Wade into Willow Creek (St. Joseph County) this season
The flow panel tells you when to go.