Indiana Steelhead trout update (St. Joseph River)

We are well underway into the steelhead spawn.

As of April 19th, a total of 4,860 steelhead have been counted moving past the South Bend fish ladder this spring. The ladder is passing an average of 82 fish per day. This brings the total steelhead count up to 5,895 fish since the run began last fall. Best fishing continues to be along the shallow water gravel flats for spawning steelhead. Personel from Bodine State Fish Hatchery completed steelhead trout stockings and a total of 153,474 Skamania strain and 40,000 Michigan strain steelhead trout were stocked into the river. Anglers who catch these smolts are asked to use care when handling them and release them quickly back into the water. Fishing live bait will be difficult with the newly released smolts in the river.

River water levels are a little high but still fishable for both boat and shore fisherman. River temperature is 51 degrees.