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IDNR Report
A new rule temporarily takes effect today on Cedar Lake in Lake County restricting the speed of boats due to the ongoing dredge project on the waterway.
Under the rule, an individual may not operate a boat at greater-than-idle speed within 200 feet of the dredge pipe, any dredge equipment, or in the narrowest section of the lake. Three designated crossings for navigating over the pipe at idle speed are marked with buoys and shown on the provided map, and the dredge equipment and pipe are also marked with buoys.
The exact language of this rule, which remain in place for the rest of the 2023 boating season, is at IN.gov/nrc/rules/emergency-rules.
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IDNR Report
Indiana will offer its free fishing day on May 7 but also waive entrance fee to state parks, recreation areas, forests, and reservoirs.
On Free Fishing Days, all Indiana residents can fish the state’s public waters without a fishing license or trout/salmon stamp. All size and bag limits remain in effect. For public places to fish near you, see on.IN.gov/where2fish. However, non-residents must still have a license.
Free admission provides a great opportunity to enjoy your favorite DNR property or visit a new site. Find DNR properties across the state and the facilities they offer.
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IDNR Report
After conducting two public meetings and a public survey, Indiana DNR is implementing a new stocking strategy for Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan this month, stocking 75,000 Chinook salmon in East Chicago, 100,000 in the Little Calumet River, and 100,000 in Trail Creek.
This stocking strategy was suggested at public meetings on the subject and added to the DNR’s public survey on the issue.
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Indiana DNR Director Dan Bortner announced that organizations in 23 Indiana counties across the state will receive $864,610 in grants to fund 34 lake and stream projects through the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program.
“Indiana’s lakes and streams are a cherished natural resource for all Hoosiers, providing outstanding recreational and fishing opportunities across our state,” said Bortner. “Through Indiana’s LARE program, Hoosiers who get out on the water continue to make a splash in conserving and protecting these waterways, funding more than $20 million in dredging, logjam and aquatic vegetation management projects for Indiana’s lakes and streams over the last two decades. This creates a lasting impact for our state now and for generations to come.”
The grants are funded through the LARE fee paid annually by boat owners when they register their crafts with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This user funded program benefits boaters all over the state. The grants allow for the completion of lake and stream projects that would be difficult for local organizations to fund on their own. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, and local sponsors share at least 20% of the cost.
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By Louie Stout
Willow Slough Lake Bed
Anglers looking for a place to fish avoid boat traffic and get away from the crowd should put J.C. Murphy Lake on their to-do list for 2024 and beyond.
The electric-motor only lake covers about 1,000 acres on the Willow Slough Fish and Game Area near Morocco, Ind., close to the Illinois state line. It’s about a two-hour drive from South Bend.
You won’t be able to fish there this year as the lake is in the midst of a DNR renovation, but should be full and ready to go by the summer of 2024. It was drained last year and will be refilled this fall.
Murphy’s renovation occurs about every 12 years because it lies in shallow, wetland habitat and tends to silt in. The lake averages 3 feet with the deepest areas around 10 feet.
According to award-winning District Fisheries Biologist Tom Bacula, who has been spearheading the renovation, the lake is capable of producing a lot of big bass and redear in the coming years, as several hundred of those were salvaged when the lake was drawn down last year.