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Fishing in Indiana

Indiana fishing is anchored by Lake Michigan tributaries — the Trail Creek, Little Calumet, and Salt Creek rivers run with steelhead, coho, and brown trout in fall and spring. Lake Monroe, Patoka, and Brookville Lake produce walleye, hybrid stripers, and big bass. The Tippecanoe and East Fork White rivers are smallmouth gold. Urban fisheries in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are stocked with trout and channel cats, making the state surprisingly accessible for casual anglers.

License Types & Fees

LicenseFee
Resident Annual Fishing$23.00
Resident One-Day Fishing

Includes Trout/Salmon

$10.00
Resident Hunting & Fishing Combo$32.00
Resident Senior Annual Fishing (64+)

Born after March 31, 1943; includes Trout/Salmon Stamp

$3.00
Resident Senior Fish-for-Life

One-time lifetime fee; includes Trout/Salmon Stamp

$23.00
Resident Voluntary Senior Annual

Optional for residents born before April 1, 1943 (otherwise exempt)

$3.00
Resident DAV Hunt & Fish

Disabled American Veterans; excludes deer/turkey

$2.75
Resident 10-Year DAV Hunt & Fish

Excludes deer/turkey

$27.50
Trout/Salmon Stamp Privilege$11.00
Non-Resident Annual Fishing$60.00
Non-Resident 7-Day Fishing$35.00
Non-Resident One-Day Fishing

Includes Trout/Salmon

$15.00

Fees are subject to change. Confirm current pricing on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources website before purchasing.

Annual licenses run April 1 through March 31 of the following year. A $1 tech fee is added for retailer/mail purchases; online purchases add $3 plus a credit-card processing fee. Lifetime licenses were discontinued July 1, 2005 — existing holders are grandfathered. Non-resident youth age 17 or younger are exempt from a fishing license.

Log Your Indiana Catches

CatchVault is available on iOS. Identify species with AI, measure with LiDAR, and keep a private journal of every fish you land in Indiana.