Indiana
Trail Creek at Michigan City
Current River Rating
Unavailable
Not enough local guidance to rate conditions.
Low confidence
Should I Go?
Not Enough Data
Timing Outlook
No reliable fishing window is available with the current data.
Why
- This river does not yet have enough local fishing guidance to assign a rating.
Cautions
- Water temperature is unavailable.
Blocking Factors
- Configured water observations are currently unavailable.
Current Readings
- Flow
- Not available
- Gage Height
- Not available
- Water Temperature
- Not available
- Latest current reading
- Not available
Monitoring temporarily unavailable. · USGS station 04095300 · Direct monitoring location
Readings from past 7 Days
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Historical readings are provided for context. Readings outside the current freshness window are not used to rate current conditions.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Preliminary guidance only. Always assess current weather, access, water depth, current speed, and your own ability before entering the river.
Changing Conditions Advisory
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Weather Near Gauge
Current Weather
Partly cloudy
Temperature
77°F
Feels like
87°F
Wind
1 mph NE
Wind gust
3 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 5, 2026, 12:15 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this gauge
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this river.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 3 AM
Clear
Temp 76°F
Chance 10%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 7 AM
Clear
Temp 75°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 11 AM
Clear
Temp 79°F
Chance 2%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 10 mph
Sat 3 PM
Clear
Temp 80°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 12 mph
Sat 7 PM
Mostly clear
Temp 75°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 11 mph
Sat 11 PM
Clear
Temp 68°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Overcast
High 80°F / Low 68°F
Chance 36%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 22 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Overcast
High 77°F / Low 63°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 22 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Overcast
High 76°F / Low 61°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 22 mph
Tue, Sep 8
Overcast
High 82°F / Low 63°F
Chance 3%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 40 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this river's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence river flow, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, upstream reservoirs, and dam releases.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Historical Flow
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Fishing Overview
Trail Creek at Michigan City, Indiana. Monitoring-Backed from USGS (live 00010, 00060, 00065). USGS 04095300 is the bounded Michigan City Lake Michigan tributary, not St. Joseph River at Niles 04101500, not Elkhart 04101000, and not Lake Michigan open water. This is a river, not a coastal. Flow Context remains default-deny.
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Trail Creek.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Trail Creek at Michigan City is Indiana's named Lake Michigan salmon and steelhead tributary in DNR fishing reports. StrikeTracks publishes Monitoring-Backed conditions from USGS 04095300 using live water temperature, discharge, and stage. This is not Lake Michigan main body, not Chicago Lock, and not Michigan St. Joseph at Niles. Flow Context remains default-deny.
Target species
Steelhead
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Canonical species: Rainbow Trout
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Migratory
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Indiana DNR Trail Creek steelhead (lake-run rainbow trout). USGS 04095300 live 00010. Not Niles 04101500 and not Lake Michigan main body.
Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife
Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Migratory
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Indiana DNR Trail Creek Chinook salmon run. Not Lake Michigan open-water trolling and not St. Joseph at Niles.
Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife
Coho Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Migratory
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Indiana DNR Trail Creek coho salmon run.
Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Migratory
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Trail Creek migratory brown trout among Indiana Lake Michigan tributary salmonids.
Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
- Great Lakes tributary
- Yes
- Flow regime
- Natural flow
Short Lake Michigan tributary at Michigan City in LaPorte County, from the harbor upstream through the urban/park corridor. Distinct from Little Calumet industrial water and from the St. Joseph River.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Fall
- Winter
Common techniques
- Fly fishing
- Nymphing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Streamers
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public bank fishing is documented on the Michigan City Trail Creek corridor. Catalog coordinates are USGS 04095300.
Stocking information
Indiana DNR stocks Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead (rainbow trout) into Trail Creek. Confirm current official stocking records.
Official sources
Indiana fishing regulations apply. Steelhead are rainbow trout; there is no separate steelhead species ID. Great Lakes tributary seasons can differ from inland rivers. This pin is not Lake Michigan open water and not the Michigan St. Joseph at Niles. Confirm current official DNR regulations.
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral anadromous streamer family. Not a salmonfly Hatch calendar.
- Pheasant-tail-style nymphGeneral nymph family for fly-presented salmon/steelhead water.
- Soft hackleGeneral swing-style family. Not an insect emergence claim.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
USGS monitoring location
LaPorte, Indiana
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
River Details
County
LaPorte
Management Category
Great Lakes tributary salmonid river
Regulation Scope
Trail Creek at Michigan City
Regulation Summary
Trail Creek at Michigan City: Indiana inland and Lake Michigan tributary fishing regulations. Confirm current official regulations.
Target Species
Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brown Trout
Access, Parking, and Regulations
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