Skamania surge into Indiana
DNR fisheries biologists in Mishawaka report a second wave of Skamania
steelhead trout are surging up the St. Joseph River.
“After a 34-day lull, the Skamania migration again kicked into full gear
last week,” said Bodine State Fish Hatchery manager Dave Meuninck.
Fish hatchery staff trapped 40 adult steelhead for broodstock between June
27 and July 10 in South Bend, Ind. “With little precipitation and rising
water temps, the migration shut down and no fish were seen for more than a
month,” said Meuninck.
Meuninck says the river water temperature in South Bend peaked at 81 degrees
on Aug. 10. Rain and cool evenings slowly cooled the river. The river
temperature had dropped to 74 degrees on Aug. 17, when the Michigan DNR said
steelhead were beginning to move through the Berrien Springs fish ladder. On
Aug. 20, river water measured 71 degrees and the Michigan DNR said the
ladders at Berrien Springs and Niles were both full of fish. Over the next
four days, Indiana DNR hatchery staff trapped 519 fresh summer-run steelhead
at the South Bend fish ladder.
The Berrien Springs Fish ladder is nearest Lake Michigan, and is the first
ladder migrating steelhead trout climb on their 63-mile journey up the St.
Joseph River to Mishawaka. Almost 8,000 steelhead moved through the South
Bend fish ladder last season. Most of the fish weighed between 10 and 12
pounds. More than 3,000 Chinook salmon and about 1,000 coho salmon also
migrated through the South Bend fish ladder last season.
“During the lull in the migration, the trout staged in front of the river’s
mouth in St. Joseph, Mich., making lots of boat anglers quite happy,” said
Meuninck. “Fishing activity hasn’t picked up in South Bend and Mishawaka
yet. Only two steelhead have been creeled in the last two days. But once
anglers learn we’re passing fish through the ladder, they’ll be coming out
of the woodwork.”
Migrating steelhead are also swimming into Michigan City’s Trail Creek.
Biologist Janel Palla in Michigan City says the Trail Creek creel clerk
reported “tons” of fish in the creek on Aug. 13. Palla says Skamania
steelhead are also probably heading into the Burns Waterway in Portage. The
Burns Waterway splits into the east and west forks of the Little Calumet
River. Salt Creek and Coffee Creek pour into the East Fork of the Little
Calumet River. Typically, these two creeks do not offer good steelhead
fishing until several weeks after the Trail Creek run is going strong.
Anglers using spin-casting gear are catching Skamania steelhead trout using
spinner or bass plug lures, or they are drifting nightcrawlers or spawn sack
baits. Fly casters have been catching Skamania using caddis nymph, stone fly
nymph, leach, minnow or salmon egg imitation flies.
The Skamania steelhead is a summer-migrating strain of steelhead trout. Upon
entering Lake Michigan tributaries, adult Skamania move upstream until they
reach a barrier or find an area of cool, spring-fed water with appropriate
habitat. They will stay in the river until spawning early the next spring.
After spawning, Skamania steelhead return to Lake Michigan.
The largest steelhead caught in Indiana weighed 26.62-pounds and was caught
from Trail Creek on June 23, 1999.
Lake Michigan fishing reports:
http://www.ai.org/serv/dnr_fishingreport
Where to fish for Skamania trout:
http://www.ai.org/dnr/fishwild/lkmich/open.html
Trout/salmon fishing regulations:
http://www.ai.org/dnr/fishwild/fishng/fishgide.htm