Almost 43,000 fall fingerling walleyes were stocked at eight locations in northern Indiana in early October. An additional 26,738 fall fingerlings were stocked at five more locations in late October to mid-November.
The fish stocked in the second round were grown at Fawn River State Fish Hatchery to supplement the earlier stockings that were purchased from a private commercial fish supplier. The stocked walleye are primarily 5- to-7-inch fingerlings. A few fish are larger. They will typically reach 14 inches after two years of growth and 16 inches by age 3.
The target stocking rate for these larger fall walleye fingerlings is 10 fish per acre, a figure DNR fisheries biologists say provides the best balance for fishing potential, growth, and fisheries balance.
Lakes and (county) stocked include:
- Bass Lake (Starke)
- Crooked Lake (Steuben)
- Clear Lake (Steuben)
- George (Steuben)
- Pine/Stone Lakes (LaPorte)
- Pretty Lake (LaGrange)
- St. Joseph River (St. Joseph)
- Sylvan Lake (Noble)
- Shriner Lake (Whitley)
- Wall Lake (LaGrange)
- Winona Lake (Kosciusko)
- Wolf Lake (Lake)
Most of these locations are stocked with fall fingerlings each year to sustain the walleye population. A few locations are stocked on alternate years to improve walleye fishing in additional areas. The lakes are continually evaluated by biologists for fish survival and angling use.
Multiple other lakes are stocked with walleyes by privately funded lake associations. A stocking permit that is evaluated and approved by the local DNR fisheries biologist is needed before any stocking can take place.
The young fish are often found in vegetation or large rocky habitat. Anglers should handle young walleye they catch gently because they are the future of the fishery.
