2025-26 Fishing Regulations Guide now available
This year’s Fishing Regulations Guide celebrates the Record Fish programs and features one of Indiana’s most notable anglers, Liu He. Learn all about the programs, Liu’s fishing journey, and his impressive angling spreadsheet in the spotlight articles. The guide includes all the regulations you need for a successful day of fishing in Indiana’s waters, as well as a delicious recipe for baja fish tacos.
You can find the free guide online or pick up a hard copy at your local license retailer.
Renew your fishing license before the rush
The early bird gets the worm ... and maybe even the fish that ate the worm. Licenses purchased for the 2024-25 season expire at the end of March. By renewing your fishing license now, you’ll be ready for the 2025-26 season. Not only will you get to check this task off your list, but you also can feel good knowing your license purchase helps conserve Indiana’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats for years to come.
To access your account:
All customers must log in to the new Activity Hub through Access Indiana. Those with existing Access Indiana accounts will be able to log in without disruption. When logging into the Hub for the first time, you will need to look yourself up in the system and verify your personal information. After that, on your next log-in, you will be taken directly to your account page.
Photo courtesy of R3 Clearinghouse
Reserved spring turkey hunt applications open
Get ready for spring turkey season by applying for a reserved hunt draw opportunity. Hunters may apply for two listed reserved-hunting opportunities for this year’s spring turkey season until March 16. All applications must be filled out online, and no late entries will be accepted. If you are applying for a hunt, you must possess a hunting license that is valid for the specific hunt you are applying for.
Youth hunting opportunities abound this year at select Fish & Wildlife areas, Indiana Private Lands Access properties, and Muskatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Youth wild turkey season is April 19-20. Youth age 17 or younger on the date of the hunt may apply but must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years of age if selected for a hunt.
Indiana DNR has confirmed the second positive case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the state. The positive wild white-tailed deer was a 2.5-year-old male harvested in Posey County. CWD is a fatal infectious disease caused by misfolded prions (a type of protein) that damage the brain and nervous system in white-tailed deer. It can spread from deer-to-deer contact, bodily fluids, or through contaminated environments and remains in the soil for many years. CWD has been detected in 36 states including all states bordering Indiana.
There have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans. DNR recommends that hunters have their deer tested and that people do not eat meat from a deer that tests positive for CWD. See the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center for more information on human health concerns.
The positive deer in Posey County was detected in an area of the state that is not known to have CWD nearby; therefore, DNR is implementing a CWD Enhanced Surveillance Zone in Posey, Gibson, and Vanderburgh counties to find the percentage of deer that are positive for CWD in that area and to understand where the disease is.
For more information on CWD, visit our website.
If you see any sick or dead wildlife, please report your observations at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.
For questions, contact the Deer Disease Hotline at 844-803-0002 to speak to a health biologist.
Get ready for spring turkey hunting
Spring turkey season is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get out and start scouting. Though turkeys don’t follow nearly as consistent of a pattern as deer, it’s still beneficial to find roost locations and food sources that they’re feeding on. The best way to find these food sources is by looking for turkey scratching (i.e., the distinctive clearing of leaves or ground cover where turkeys have looked for food items such as bugs, nuts, and fruits). For more successful scouting, head out in the early morning and listen for the males gobbling on the roost.
Remember, during spring turkey season, hunters are only allowed one bearded bird (this includes a bearded hen).
Midwest Walleye Challenge returns
Indiana anglers are invited to join the Midwest Walleye Challenge, a virtual fishing tournament from April 1 to June 29. This tournament offers an opportunity for anglers to win prizes while also contributing to fisheries management by providing DNR fisheries biologists with valuable data on the state’s walleye, sauger, and saugeye populations.
Participating anglers will be able to submit catches and time on the water for multiple categories, including a “Tough Luck” category for those who log fishing trips but don’t catch anything, a “Most Waterbodies Fished” category for those who log trips from multiple rivers, lakes, and streams, and a standard “Longest Fish” category. This is in addition to random prize drawings for everyone who participates.
Participants will use the free mobile app, MyCatch, to submit photos of their catch on a measuring device so length and species can be determined. Once the photo is reviewed, and the catch is confirmed, it will appear on a live leaderboard so anglers can see their current ranking in the tournament.
Interested in participating? View the rules, register for the tournament, and join the fun!
Help Indiana’s rare and endangered species this tax season
Best known for the successful bald eagle reintroduction, Indiana’s rare and endangered species projects focus on conserving Species of Greatest Conservation Need. This important work is funded in large part through donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Last year, donations supported reintroduction efforts for Franklin’s ground squirrels, monitoring work for the state-endangered Kirtland’s snake, reproduction assistance for the snuffbox mussel, reconstruction of peregrine falcon nest boxes, and more.
This tax season, you can contribute to conservation and support crucial work conserving Indiana’s most vulnerable wildlife.
To donate on your Indiana state taxes using paper forms, use the Schedule 5/Schedule IN-Donate form. Watch this video for more details or donate online.
Recent news releases
- Apply for spring turkey hunts online beginning Feb. 24
- Second positive case of chronic wasting disease confirmed in Indiana
- Turn In a Poacher program helps protect Indiana wildlife
Upcoming events
- Mar. 1: Turkey Hunting 101, Pigeon River FWA
- Mar. 8: Wood Duck Nesting Box Volunteer Day, JE Roush Lake FWA
- Mar. 27: Project WET 'Source to Tap' Educator Workshop, Danville
More
- Buy a license
- Hunting information
- Where to Hunt
- Fishing information
- Where to Fish
- Fish & Wildlife properties
The Indiana Natural Resources Foundation celebrates and preserves Indiana’s natural legacy by raising funds to support the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its programs. Together, we have helped expand public lands, restore wildlife habitat, and create outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for Hoosiers.
About Fish and Wildlife Management in Indiana
Fish and wildlife management and public access are funded by fishing and hunting license revenue and also through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motorboat fuels. The money is distributed among state fish and wildlife agencies based on land size and the number of licensed anglers and hunters in each state. Find out more information about fish and wildlife management in Indiana at wildlife.IN.gov.