TOPIC:

Thanks Tim so they makes them approx. 40 miles from Portage.

It is interesting getting into the nitty gritty of the data.

Approximately 25% of salmonids stocked by Indiana are in the St. Joe. This is only Coho’s and Steelhead – no Kings. Trail Creek gets about 35% of salmonids, Little Cal gets 34%, and Buffington Harbor gets 6% (just kings). All stocking information can be easily looked up via the Great Lakes Fishery Commission database, found here: www.glfc.org/fishstocking/exactsearch.htm.

For Coho’s the target is about 240,000 total in Indiana. 90,000 in the St. Joe, 60,000 in Trail Creek, and 90,000 in the Little Cal.
Recent DNR Stocking changes can be found here: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-lake_mi...stocking_changes.pdf

While most of us on this site do not fish the St. Joe in Indiana, there are plenty that do and it has a lot more fishable water than Trail / Salt / Little Cal. I do not see the DNR making many changes in that regard as they would like to maintain that fishery. Yes Michigan anglers get the benefit of the return for near shore fishing and early in the run – but plenty of fish get into Indiana for people to fish from shore/boat on the river. On the flipside, many of the fish stocked by Michigan end up in the Indiana portion of the St. Joe as well. Also for lake fishing, it probably doesn’t make much difference whether the fish come out of the St. Joe, Trail, or the Little Cal. We all know how far these fish will travel. Whether we agree or disagree on the St. Joe stocking, it is unlikely to change significantly, although you can clearly see from the pdf linked above, that the INDNR is trying to make stocking locations vs. size etc more efficient. Michigan averaged 14,928 steelhead passing through the Berrien Springs fish ladder from 2000-2010, and during those years Indiana averaged 10,284 steelhead passing through South Bend.

From researching publicly available data and speaking with the DNR, we know mortality rates have been increasing as less fish are making it back to the tributaries. We know the baitfish situation has been going downhill – less food to go around = higher mortality. Young Salmonids need small baitfish (alewives etc) to survive and the 2013 and 2014 year class was lousy so the survival of silver fish is way down.

Alewife survival from age 0 to age 1 is directly related to the number of salmon in the system, which is why all the agencies have been reducing salmon stocking, to avoid a complete annihilation of the forage base (which is what happened on Lake Huron). We need enough alewives so that they can have a successful spawn and keep the forage base from disappearing. This is why stocking more fish has not been happening: more salmon = fewer alewives = higher mortality of salmon – it’s a feedback cycle and will result in a collapse in the fishery.

This year it seems we have hopefully had a good alewife class so there is a reason for at least a little bit of optimism.

I have put together a quick chart showing Indiana’s stocking numbers since 2009 as well as the supporting data which came from the Great Lakes Fish Stocking Database. Also note that moving forward the DNR will be stocking less but larger fish to help combat mortality per the pdf referenced above. The stocking goals for 2016 and beyond are 240,000 cohos (60K yearlings, 180K fingerlings), 200,000 chinooks, 325,000 skamania (205K yearlings, 120k fingerlings), and 200,000 winter run steelhead (120K fingerlings and 80k yearlings)

YEAR	SITE	SPECIES	NO_STOCKED
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	CHS	66981
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	CHS	1802
2009	TRAIL CREEK	CHS	66921
2009	TRAIL CREEK	CHS	1802
2009	LAKE MICHIGAN	CHS	69208
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	CHS	72617
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	CHS	1274
2010	TRAIL CREEK	CHS	72802
2010	TRAIL CREEK	CHS	1274
2010	LAKE MICHIGAN	CHS	84822
2011	SALT CREEK	CHS	52969
2011	TRAIL CREEK	CHS	74139
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	CHS	75008
2011	BUFFINGTON HARBOR	CHS	77315
2012	Trail Creek	CHS	74625
2012	Little Calumet	CHS	73859
2012	Lake Michigan	CHS	73973
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	CHS	57235
2013	Little Calumet	CHS	57232
2013	Lake Michigan	CHS	54984
2014	Lake Michigan	CHS	63488
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	CHS	73170
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	CHS	64079
2009	TRAIL CREEK	COS	90882
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	69997
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	75784
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	3183
2010	TRAIL CREEK	COS	98308
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	38805
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	77826
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	28357
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	COS	8890
2011	SALT CREEK	COS	30116
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	COS	51227
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	32377
2011	TRAIL CREEK	COS	32183
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	50100
2011	TRAIL CREEK	COS	17313
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	COS	2797
2011	TRAIL CREEK	COS	7344
2012	Little Calumet	COS	53949
2012	Little Calumet	COS	13054
2012	Saint Joseph River	COS	60137
2012	Trail Creek	COS	21657
2013	Salt Creek	COS	28033
2013	Little Calumet	COS	33796
2013	Little Calumet	COS	50842
2013	Saint Joseph River	COS	89916
2013	Saint Joseph River	COS	7055
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	34997
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	15303
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	2431
2014	St. Joseph River	COS	13459
2014	St. Joseph River	COS	9883
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	9882
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	12022
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	COS	6206
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	COS	29325
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	12088
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	24190
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	21902
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	18030
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	21538
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	21889
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	19980
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	50794
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	38459
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	12539
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	49643
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	22640
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	17360
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	23222
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	6762
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	25586
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	4504
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	63664
2009	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	21081
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	40885
2009	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	22352
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	50754
2009	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	12583
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	10723
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	12310
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	29154
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	11559
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	12476
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	19101
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	11338
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	20997
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	66078
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	29215
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	28157
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	13032
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	7198
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	20023
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	20007
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	29215
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	24069
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	37153
2010	ST. JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	40144
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	52396
2010	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	9601
2010	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	62224
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	22424
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	16332
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	10446
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	22695
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	11099
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	35411
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	10988
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	4707
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	2020
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	54207
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	57969
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	30852
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	20000
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	20000
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	29028
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	24412
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	3428
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	20434
2011	SAINT JOSEPH RIVER	RBT	44321
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	38646
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	46554
2011	TRAIL CREEK	RBT	18138
2011	LITTLE CALUMET	RBT	28767
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	5795
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	20068
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	20261
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	23633
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	11165
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	10153
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	10673
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	6532
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	11498
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	5225
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	11628
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	20004
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	20004
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	85276
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	38545
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	27984
2012	Salt Creek	RBT	54259
2012	Salt Creek	RBT	44629
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	44795
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	44565
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	71686
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	13778
2012	Saint Joseph River	RBT	8367
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	30967
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	33386
2012	Trail Creek	RBT	34126
2012	Little Calumet	RBT	33777
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	7941
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	7478
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	22352
2013	Trail Creek	RBT	21863
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	23439
2013	Trail Creek	RBT	24416
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	12028
2013	Trail Creek	RBT	11373
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	37184
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	36732
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	33799
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	44682
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	23896
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	11982
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	6683
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	4125
2013	Salt Creek	RBT	37164
2013	Salt Creek	RBT	31890
2013	Salt Creek	RBT	24813
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	25342
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	20842
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	59491
2013	Saint Joseph River	RBT	21643
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	49874
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	49662
2013	Little Calumet	RBT	17160
2013	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	17287
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	21692
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	17085
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	29581
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	11123
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	20954
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	20905
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	10687
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	7466
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	54494
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	38996
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	20470
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	24600
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	19246
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	23970
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	16039
2014	Salt Creek	RBT	32345
2014	Salt Creek	RBT	10093
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	13203
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	11205
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	32305
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	21266
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	23408
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	33415
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	30247
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	17527
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	17184
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	36139
2014	Salt Creek	RBT	26013
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	30595
2014	St. Joseph River	RBT	7350
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	37373
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	43591
2014	East Branch Trail Creek	RBT	13111
2014	East Branch Little Calumet River	RBT	31992
2009	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	22267
2009	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	52160
2010	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	38385
2011	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	42138
2011	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR (MICHIANA)	LAT	63557
2012	Michigan City Harbor	LAT	42420
2012	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	52015
2013	MICHIGAN CITY HARBOR	LAT	42386
2013	Michigan City Harbor	LAT	52500
2014	Michigan City Harbor	LAT	41707
2014	Michigan City	LAT	54113

No offense, but these numbers are way off. If you go to the DNR site they have the reports of what was stocked and where. I tried linking the pages, but it's just showing up as in.gov. It's not hard to find the reports though. Indian does stock the Joe, there was an agreement made between the states regarding the construction of the ladders for the fish to pass through to IN waters, they build the ladders, we pay for the fish. In regards to the numbers, what's posted here isn't the same as what's posted on teir page. The coho stocking was way down in 14 , I think due to a die off at the hatchery, but the split is still 1/3 trail, 1/3 cal, 1/3 joe. For kings, its 1/3 Buffington, 1/3 Cal, 1/3Trail, 0 in the Joe. For steelhead theres the Skams and Manistee strains and they stock the SKams at two different times so its more complicated to add up, in total there were more than 500,000 steelies stocked in the Cal and Trail for '14 and under 300,000 in the Joe. You can see the last three years on in.gov ,then dnr, then fishing, then lake michigan fishing.

I would be interested to know what does not match. If there is a data discrepancy, I definitely would want to correct it. However, if I check the 2014 stocking report directly from the INDNR, it matches the data above accurately. Here is the 2014 INDNR report page: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-lake_mi...tocking_update14.pdf

Also to put a link in a post, just copy it from your address bar and paste it in the post, it should link properly.

Southshore, I was wondering that also from what X has. Seen that they stock the Joe with way more fish then here in Indiana rivers. At the meeting a couple of months ago in MC thought I heard they were going to stock the Joe with 200,000 coho and split the rest down here and this was going to be the most coho's that Indiana has raised or released in some text. The point is Michigan has a fall fishery due to what ever naturals are out there cause we have none here, so we should put everything down here and get out of the practice of dumping them right in the lake or a mile down the river. They stock the Joe how far in Indiana water 20 plus miles, but only a stone throw away here. Someone made the point and I also remember when the fish would go all the way to laporte county from the east branch of little cal where I do believe they were released. I'm pretty sure that they grew and inprinted better during there journey to the lake. Then the problem of private property along the river with trespassing so what do you do to combat that? stock closer to the lake or better yet howe road which is national lakeshore and you get rid of the problem. Mike

Again guys, if you find an incorrect value, please report it so I can correct it. Note that I did lump both steelhead strains (MI & Skams) together for simplicity sake.

I did my best to provide accurate data with the time I have provided in a simple format.

If this link works, this is the 2014 stocking info. I didn't go through the numbers to see if they match the previous post, but it was off the dnr website, you can also look up '12 and '13.
secure.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-lake...tocking_update14.pdf

2013..secure.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-lake...tocking_update13.pdf

2012...secure.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-lake...tocking_update12.pdf

2012, 2013, 2014 data matches, EXCEPT for 2013 Lake Trout. In that year, it appears the Michigan DNR put 48,340 in at MI City. Offhand not sure why or if that is normal on occasion. This was on the Indiana report, but not shown in the dataset I provided via the Great Lakes Stocking Database. Thus the number I showed should be increased by 48,340. I am guessing in the Database it is reported as Michigan stocking even though it occured in Indiana (just my guess)

Thanks for the links Mike.

So, if they stocked roughly 128,000 KIngs and 112,000 Cohos four years ago in Cal and Salt........Where are they? You'd think we'd see more than 1 or 2 fish moving in a day of fishing. They seem to have big numbers of fish in Trail already.

Are they much later than normal? I'm at a loss for an explanation this year.

That is a really good question. I cant say I know what fish are where because I just have not heard all too much. I have heard of some fish in trail a few times. I know fish have been seen in salt all the way by RT 30 already - but mostly heard people saying there isnt any fish out there, anywhere.

So - are they just late?
Was there an issue with stocking / early mortality in those years since the water was low?
Did the fish not imprint well?
High mortality in the lake due to the alewife situation?
The fish that did come in, did they shoot up farther and faster due to the high water conditions?

I think it could be a combination of all these things perhaps. Of course I am just speculating - looking for answers like everyone else. Either way the run and staging for that matter has been really poor this year - that is for sure.