Brown Trout in Indiana
Bag, record and water pages for Indiana brown trout.
- no statewide rowbag
- 29 lb. 4.8 oz.record
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brown trout in the Hoosier State
Brown Trout get no line of their own in the Indiana statewide chart. Gear and harvest lines written for one water still apply to it there.
Indiana's record brown trout weighed 29 lb. 4.8 oz., taken at Lake Michigan in 2006. 47 Indiana lake and stream pages here carry it; Oliver Lake, Worster Lake and Lake Gage lead. Local guide entries on 4 waters cover it, Oliver Lake and Olin Lake included. 541,586 went into 26 waters from 2016 onward, by DNR count.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), Salmonidae (trouts and salmons).
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| Where | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan and tributaries | Salmon and trout | 5 total salmon and trout; no more than 3 may be lake trout | 14 inches |
| inland waters | Inland trout | 5, any combination of brook, rainbow, or brown trout; no more than one may be brown trout | 7 inches (no minimum size for trout caught from lakes, except 18-inch brown trout waters) |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
brown trout off the dunes and along the Kentucky line
| Water | Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan | Salmon and trout | 5 total salmon and trout; no more than 3 may be lake trout | 14 inches |
Lake Michigan and Ohio River rows as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Lakes that treat brown trout differently
| Water as printed | County | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver Lake | LaGrange | 18-inch minimum size limit |
| Olin Lake | LaGrange | 18-inch minimum size limit |
| Martin Lake | LaGrange | 18-inch minimum size limit |
| Brookville Lake tailwater (East Fork Whitewater River) | Franklin | 18-inch minimum size limit |
Special regulation waters as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Where the Indiana brown trout record came from
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 lb. 4.8 oz. | Lake Michigan | Lake County | 2006 |
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.
Indiana lakes and streams where the DNR names brown trout
- Oliver Lake390 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
- Worster Lake337 acres (NHD outline area), St. Joseph County
- Lake Gage337 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Adams Lake302 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
- Shriner Lake126 acres (NHD outline area), Whitley County
- Sechrist Lake105 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Olin Lake103 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
- Myers Lake92 acres (NHD outline area), Marshall County
- Ball Lake89 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Lawrence Lake71 acres (NHD outline area), Marshall County
- Sand Lake55 acres (NHD outline area), Noble County
- Clare Lake42 acres (NHD outline area), Huntington County
- McClish Lake36 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Pinhook Lake32 acres (NHD outline area), St. Joseph County
- Wyland Lake10 acres (NHD outline area), Kosciusko County
- Fancher Lake9 acres (NHD outline area), Lake County
- Oak Lake4 acres (NHD outline area), Clark County
- Airline PitGreene County
- Bethel PitPike County
- Boones PondBoone County
- Harbor LakePorter County
- Saugany LakeLaPorte County
- Smalley's LakeFayette County
- Spring Mill Park LakeLawrence County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Where the DNR put brown trout
| Water as listed | Fish since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Michigan, Lake | 396,206 |
| East Fork Whitewater River | 33,270 |
| Little Elkhart River | 26,265 |
| Oliver Lake | 17,951 |
| Pigeon River | 13,530 |
| Trail Creek | 10,000 |
| Cobus Creek | 8,153 |
| Solomon Creek | 7,334 |
| Myers Lake | 4,872 |
| Lawrence Lake | 4,410 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
More fish near brown trout on the family tree
- Atlantic Salmonno statewide row
- Brook Troutno statewide row
- Chinook Salmonno statewide row
- Coho Salmonno statewide row
- Lake Troutno statewide row
- Lake Whitefishno statewide row
- Pink Salmonno statewide row
- Rainbow Troutno statewide row
- Steelhead Troutno statewide row
Spinning reels from Piscifun suited to Indiana brown trout
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Lakes and stream bends close to Brown Trout, in pictures
Photo: Kevin Dooley, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bob, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Serge Melki, CC BY 2.0
Questions about Indiana brown trout
Is there a daily cap on Indiana brown trout?
The statewide chart is silent on it; local lines may still apply.
Where was the Indiana brown trout record caught?
The DNR lists 29 lb. 4.8 oz. (Lake Michigan, 2006).
Which Indiana lakes list brown trout?
Begin with Oliver Lake, Worster Lake and Lake Gage; 47 Hoosier pages list it.
Do any Indiana waters set their own brown trout rule?
The guide lists 4 waters, including Oliver Lake.
Is brown trout on the DNR stocking dashboard?
From 2016 on, 541,586 in 26 waters; newest year 2026.
Which DNR license lets me keep brown trout?
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.
What family holds brown trout on the DNR fish list?
Salmo trutta; family Salmonidae (trouts and salmons), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
Is a license needed for brown trout on a free day?
The Indiana DNR set Free Fishing Days for May 10, June 6-7, and Sept. 26, 2026, for Indiana residents (no license or trout/salmon stamp needed; all other rules apply). Every other rule still applies.
Line up a day on Indiana brown trout
Start from a water above for its DNR launches.