Fall kings can be huge, but most range in size from 14 to 16 pounds. There are always some smaller jacks around (immature males) that only weigh a few pounds, but the really big kings will weigh more than 20 pounds. Early in the run is when you have the best chance of catching a trophy in the 25- to 30-pound-class.

SYLVAN LAKE
Walleyes
Walleye fishermen at Sylvan Lake in Noble County have been in high spirits in recent years. Fish populations in the lake (including walleyes) are doing very well, and the future looks brighter than ever. The lake covers a total of 669 acres. Almost every square inch of it seems to have fish-holding potential. From the numerous islands and points to deep holes and protected coves, this lake has it all.

There are plenty of places to fish for walleyes on Sylvan, but individual anglers always have their favorite spots. Bill LaVigne, a local angler from Fort Wayne, likes to chase walleyes here as often as he can. "I like to fish the west end of the lake," he said. "I fish that whole western basin, checking every piece of structure that I can find. There are some good points and dropoffs."

LaVigne has caught plenty of walleyes from Sylvan Lake over the years, and although he has caught some good-sized fish, he said the majority of them are just normal keeper size. "The largest that I've caught here was about 7 1/2 pounds, but most of them are in the 14- to 17-inch range," he said.

The walleye-stocking program has changed over the years at Sylvan. Recently, however, things have been improving. In 2001, DNR biologists began stocking fingerling walleyes ranging in size from 3.7 to 12 inches (averaging 6.4 inches) at Sylvan as part of their Advanced Walleye Fingerling Project. The project continued through 2005 and was a great success.

Today, large numbers of walleyes inhabit the lake. Jed Pearson, the District 3 fisheries biologist, said that the walleye stockings are continuing at Sylvan. "We're stocking 6- to 8- inch fingerlings at a rate of 20 fish per acre each fall," he reported. "We have lots of small walleyes present, but we'd like to see more large fish out there."

The first salmon will usually appear at the stocking sites by the end of August, but in some years, they don't appear until early September.

Pearson conducted a creel survey at Sylvan Lake in 2007, but the report was not ready at press time. Preliminary data showed, however, that anglers were catching large numbers of small walleyes. According to the data, more than 3,500 walleyes less than 14 inches were caught and released in 2007. That's a good sign for the future!

CLEAR LAKE
Rainbow Trout
Clear Lake in Steuben County is another body of water that hosts some tremendous fish populations. This 800-acre water is known for many different species of fish, including walleyes, smallmouth bass, bluegills, northern pike and rainbow trout. The rainbow trout, in particular, have a devoted group of anglers that pursue them nearly year 'round!

Bill LaVigne also fishes Clear Lake, and he is an expert when it comes to catching rainbows here. He has been fishing Clear Lake for decades, and he knows just about every deep hole and submerged rockpile in the lake. He usually trolls for rainbows on this lake. "I also prefer to troll because I can release the fish that I catch easier," he said. "When bait-fishing, the fish often swallow the hook."