Gear & Tackle

Home / Indiana / St. Joseph River

Rivers & Streams

St. Joseph River Fishing Guide

Indiana

A Lake Michigan tributary with steelhead and salmon runs into South Bend and Mishawaka.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to St. Joseph River for steelhead, chinook salmon and smallmouth bass. The best months overall are Apr to Oct. In October, steelhead, chinook salmon and smallmouth bass are in season, and Pat's Rubber Legs, Egg Pattern and Clouser Minnow are a good place to start. There are 12 shops within 60 miles; the closest is Academy Sports + Outdoors in Mishawaka, 3 mi away. Check the live USGS flow and water temperature before you head out. Lake Wawasee is 31 mi away if you want to make a trip of it.

Best Months

Apr to Oct

In October

Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, Smallmouth Bass

Methods

Fly fishing, Spin, cast & bait

Season at a Glance

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

What You'll Catch

St. Joseph River Species

Steelhead

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Oct to Apr

Chinook Salmon

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: May to Oct

Smallmouth Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Apr to Oct

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

12 picks for October. ● means in season that month.

  • Intruder 2 to 4 in

    Fly

    Streamer · Chinook Salmon, Steelhead

    Shop This Fly

  • Egg-Sucking Leech #2-6

    Fly

    Streamer · Chinook Salmon, Steelhead

    Shop This Fly

  • Pat's Rubber Legs #4-10

    Fly

    Nymph · Steelhead

    Shop This Fly

  • Egg Pattern #8-16

    Fly

    Nymph · Steelhead · Indicator rig.

    Shop This Fly

  • Clouser Minnow #1/0-8

    Fly

    Streamer · Smallmouth Bass

    Shop This Fly

  • Crayfish Fly #2-6

    Fly

    Streamer · Smallmouth Bass

    Shop This Fly

  • Inline Spinner 1/16 to 1/4 oz

    Lure

    Spinner · Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead

    Shop This Lure

  • Ned Rig 2.5 to 3 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Smallmouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Suspending Jerkbait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Hard Bait · Smallmouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Tube Jig 3 to 4 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Smallmouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Casting Spoon 1/4 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Spoon · Chinook Salmon

    Shop This Lure

  • Cured Salmon Eggs Single or cluster

    Bait

    Natural Bait · Chinook Salmon, Steelhead · Where bait is legal.

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Steelhead

Fly 11 to 13 ft 7 or 8 wt spey or switch rod with a Skagit head and sink tips, or a 10 ft 8 wt single hand rod with an indicator rig.

Spin / Cast 8.5 to 10.5 ft medium-light rod, 3000 spinning reel, 8 to 12 lb line. Float and jig or drift rigs.

Chinook Salmon

Fly 10 ft 9 or 10 wt rod, sink-tip line, 15 to 20 lb leader.

Spin / Cast 9 to 10.5 ft medium-heavy casting rod, line-counter or levelwind reel, 20 to 30 lb line.

Smallmouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 6 or 7 wt rod, floating line, 10 to 12 lb leader. Crayfish patterns, Clousers, and poppers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8 lb braid to a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Matched to These Species

Gear for St. Joseph River

Fly Rods

Echo Spey Rod

A two-handed rod for swinging flies across big steelhead and salmon runs.

Check Price

Fly Lines

RIO Bass Fly Line

A short, aggressive head that turns over wind-resistant poppers and bass bugs.

Check Price

Waders & Boots

Simms Freestone Stockingfoot Waders

Durable, breathable waders that hold up to seasons of wading.

Check Price

Rods

St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rod

A sensitive, lightweight rod for finesse plastics and jigs.

Check Price

Fly Rods

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Outfit

A complete rod, reel, and line outfit that covers most trout water and small-stream bass.

Check Price

Fly Reels

Redington Behemoth Fly Reel

A strong, sealed drag at a modest price, made in sizes from trout to saltwater.

Check Price

Fly Lines

Scientific Anglers Mastery Infinity Fly Line

A smooth-shooting, all-around freshwater line.

Check Price

Leaders & Tippet

RIO Fluorocarbon Tippet

Low-visibility tippet for nymphs and wary fish in clear water.

Check Price

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Within 60 Miles

Shops Near St. Joseph River

Make It a Trip

Nearby Water

Lakes & Reservoirs · Indiana · 31 mi

Lake Wawasee

Indiana's largest natural lake with weedy flats for largemouth and big bluegill.

Largemouth Bass · Bluegill

Lakes & Reservoirs · Illinois · 72 mi

Lake Michigan (Chicago)

Harbors and lakefront structure along Chicago with spring coho, summer kings, and perch.

Coho Salmon · Chinook Salmon · Yellow Perch