Lake Trout in Indiana
Where lake trout swim in Indiana, and what may be kept.
- no statewide rowbag
- 37 lb. 8.8 oz.record
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Sizing up Indiana lake trout
The Hoosier statewide limits table does not list lake trout. Check the special regulation waters list before keeping one.
DNR record keepers show 37 lb. 8.8 oz. for lake trout: Lake Michigan, 2016. It turns up on 1 Indiana water pages, Oliver Lake first.
Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), 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 |
Statewide limits as printed, 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (eRegulations, linked from the Indiana DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Where lake trout rules differ on Indiana's border waters
| 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.
Indiana's top lake trout by weight
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 lb. 8.8 oz. | Lake Michigan | Porter County | 2016 |
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.
Where lake trout are listed in Indiana
- Oliver Lake390 acres (NHD outline area), LaGrange County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
Same-family fish to lake trout
- Atlantic Salmonno statewide row
- Brook Troutno statewide row
- Brown Troutno statewide row
- Chinook Salmonno statewide row
- Coho Salmonno statewide row
- Lake Whitefishno statewide row
- Pink Salmonno statewide row
- Rainbow Troutno statewide row
- Steelhead Troutno statewide row
Piscifun picks for a day out on Indiana lake trout
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Snapshots of the water by Lake Trout
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bob, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Indiana lake trout, asked and answered
How many lake trout can go home from an Indiana lake?
The statewide chart has no row for it; check the special waters list for the lake you fish.
When was the Indiana lake trout record set?
37 lb. 8.8 oz., landed at Lake Michigan in 2016.
Where do lake trout live in Indiana?
It is named on 1 pages, Oliver Lake among them.
Is the lake trout rule the same on every Indiana water?
No entry changes its rule by name; all-fish lines still count.
Has the Indiana DNR stocked lake trout?
Its newest stocking row is from 1985.
Is one Indiana license enough for lake 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 is the Latin name the DNR gives lake trout?
Salvelinus namaycush; family Salmonidae (trouts and salmons), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
When can Indiana residents fish lake trout without a license?
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). The daily bag still counts.
Plan a Hoosier trip for lake trout
The lakes linked above show piers and ramps.