Steelhead Trout in Indiana
DNR limits, the state record and Indiana waters for steelhead trout.
- no statewide rowbag
- 26 lb. 9.9 oz.record
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Indiana steelhead trout at a glance
Indiana's statewide chart passes over steelhead trout without a row. Where a lake or stream has its own guide entry, that entry still counts.
The Indiana Record Fish Program lists 26 lb. 9.9 oz. as the top steelhead trout, from Trail Creek in 1999. Start with Lake Gage, Pinhook Lake and Little Calumet River; 7 Indiana water pages list it. The DNR dashboard logs 4,964,201 released into 6 waters since 2016.
Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Salmonidae (trouts and salmons).
For the steelhead herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Every guide row that covers steelhead trout
| 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.
How Lake Michigan and Ohio River rows treat steelhead trout
| 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.
The state-record steelhead trout
| Weight as printed | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 lb. 9.9 oz. | Trail Creek | LaPorte County | 1999 |
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.
Hoosier waters naming steelhead trout
- Lake Gage337 acres (NHD outline area), Steuben County
- Pinhook Lake32 acres (NHD outline area), St. Joseph County
- Little Calumet RiverLake County
- Saint Joseph River (Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties)Elkhart County
- Salt Creek (Porter County)Porter County
- Trail Creek (LaPorte County)LaPorte County
- Willow Creek (St. Joseph County)St. Joseph County
Indiana DNR public lakes layer (county, owner, fisheries district number, location text), read November 5, 2026.
DNR hatchery releases of steelhead trout
| Water as listed | Fish since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Trail Creek | 1,755,149 |
| Saint Joseph River | 1,669,005 |
| Little Calumet River | 918,913 |
| Salt Creek | 589,693 |
| Willow Creek | 31,291 |
| Pinhook Lake | 150 |
Indiana DNR fish stocking dashboard (year, month, water, species, number and average length as listed; repeat stockings summed by DNR), read November 5, 2026.
Close relatives of Indiana steelhead trout
- Atlantic Salmonno statewide row
- Brook Troutno statewide row
- Brown 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
Piscifun tackle for the next run to Indiana steelhead trout
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What the banks by Steelhead Trout look like
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Rafaela Ely, CC BY 2.0
Hoosier angler questions on steelhead trout
What does the Indiana guide allow for steelhead trout per day?
No statewide line exists for it; check that lake's rules.
How heavy is Indiana's steelhead trout record?
Trail Creek produced it in 1999: 26 lb. 9.9 oz.
Which Indiana waters hold steelhead trout?
Lake Gage, Pinhook Lake and Little Calumet River lead a list of 7 Indiana pages.
Which Indiana waters change the steelhead trout rule?
None of the special waters mention it by name; general gear rules still apply.
Do Indiana hatcheries raise steelhead trout?
4,964,201 fish went to 6 waters since 2016 (2026 most recent).
Must a visitor buy a license for Indiana steelhead 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.
How does the DNR list steelhead trout scientifically?
Oncorhynchus mykiss; family Salmonidae (trouts and salmons), on the DNR Fishes of Indiana list.
Do Free Fishing Days cover steelhead trout?
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). Limits still apply on those days.
Set out for Indiana steelhead trout
Pick one of those Indiana waters for its ramps.