The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is partnering with the Lake County Fish and Game Protective Association to improve Chinook salmon stocking in East Chicago’s harbor.

The effort is a net pen project. Net pens are floating enclosures which hold fish while allowing water to freely flow through. The pens protect stocked juvenile Chinook called smolts from predators in the first several days in the harbor as they acclimate to their new environment before swimming to Lake Michigan and feeding for several years. Once they are mature adults, the Chinook return to their stocking site to spawn.

“Raising salmon smolts is a resource-intensive process, so anything we can do to protect them after stocking is a big win,” said Rob Ackerson, manager of DNR’s Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery. “Lake County Fish and Game Protective Association has been a good partner for our hatchery, and we are excited to further our collaboration with them to improve our Lake Michigan fishery.”

Initially, half of the Chinook slated for stocking in East Chicago will be acclimated in net pens, while the other half will continue to be stocked directly in the harbor. Starting in 2025, biologists will use coded wire tags to mark each lot of fish with their own unique numbers to evaluate the success of the project.

“Coded wire tag technology is a really powerful tool for biologists, and with our anglers turning in tagged fish, we will be able to best improve the fishery by making decisions with accurate data,” said Ben Dickinson, the Lake Michigan fisheries research biologist.

Youth spring turkey hunts

Youth hunters may apply March 18-28 for reserved youth turkey hunts on DNR properties during the youth turkey hunting season. The 2024 youth turkey hunting season is April 20-21. More information regarding the application process will be available in the coming weeks. Find more information about the participating properties and youth turkey hunt regulations on our website at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/hunting-and-trapping/youth-hunts/reserved-youth-turkey-hunts-on-dnr-properties/

There are also spring turkey reserved hunt opportunities for youth hunters: they can apply until March 17 for a spring turkey hunt at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge or an Indiana Private Lands Access program property. You can view the opportunities at https://on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.

DNR recreation and fishing guidebooks online

Your latest guides to exploring Indiana’s great outdoors are now available at your fingertips and at a DNR property near you. The 2024 Indiana Recreation Guide is available now at on.IN.gov/recguide. And, your 2024-2025 guide to Indiana fishing, the Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide, is available at on.IN.gov/fishingguide.

The DNR’s 2024 Indiana Recreation Guide is the source for information on state parks, state forests, lakes, fish & wildlife areas, nature preserves, state park inns, and other DNR properties. The guide includes a great facilities chart and information about accessibility and fees.

Free printed copies of each will be available soon at local retail outlets, state parks, lakes and other DNR properties.

Annual entrance passes for state park properties can be purchased in person at the gatehouse or offices of state park properties during business hours or at shopINstateparks.com any time.

Indiana resident passes cost $50. For individuals 65 years old or older, the price is $25. Annual passes for vehicles with out-of-state license plates are $70. Normal daily gate fees for residents at most properties are $7 per in-state vehicle. For more information on Indiana state park properties, visit stateparks.IN.gov.

Fishing and hunting licenses can be purchased and printed at INHuntFish.com. They can also be purchased at retailers, county clerk offices, and most DNR properties throughout the state.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman 

registration

Registration for the annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop, which is open to women ages 18 and older, has opened. This year’s BOW workshop will be May 3-5 at Ross Camp in West Lafayette.

BOW is designed for women to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. Participants will choose four activities from more than two dozen offerings, including fishing, archery, geocaching, wild edibles, wildlife tracking, shooting muzzleloader guns, and outdoor cooking.

More information is available at https://indianabow.com/.

J.C. Murphey Lake meeting

Indiana Department of Natural Resources staff will present information on the completion of the J.C. Murphey Lake renovation project at Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area at 6:30 p.m. CT on March 13. The presentation will take place at the Newton County Government Center meeting room at 4117 240 W, Morocco, Ind., 47963.

Highlights of the presentation about the project, which began in 2021, will include an overview of the steps taken during the renovation. The material will cover dewatering the lake, fish salvages, habitat improvement projects, filling the lake and fish stockings. Recreational improvements will also be covered, including shoreline amenities, boat ramp advancements and an accessible kayak launch, as will upcoming volunteer opportunities and future management plans. The presentation will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.