The St. Joseph fish ladders were opened again on June 4, 2008. Summer steelhead begin moving up the river in June and continue through August. Movement is best when near-shore Lake Michigan temperatures are low and the river temperature is in the low 70's. These steelhead seek coldwater tributaries when the St. Joseph River gets too warm.

Please contact the Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit at (269) 685-6851, if you have any questions.

Current river conditions for Berrien Springs June 27, 2008:

River Conditions
Water temperature	79
Turbidity	Moderate
Level	Normal

Berrien Springs		Mar 12 - June 23, 2008
Steelhead		9,012
Brown Trout		6
Smallmouth Bass		109
Sucker		1,632
Carp		112
Catfish		14

Niles		Mar 12 - May 1, 2008
Steelhead		6,923
Sucker		207

Click here for fish passage by species for Berrien Springs, Niles, and South Bend ladders from 1992-2005.

The DNR fish cam is run by computer software called FishTick provided by Salmonsoft. Click here to view web cam photos. The approximate field of view for the fish cam is 36" x 36". FishTick simplifies the task of counting fish at dams and weirs. When counting fish, one may sit in front of the viewing window for hours and not see a thing. FishTick allows the fish counter to only view the frames that contain passing fish. This saves the counter time and ensures that all passing fish are counted.

Below are four clips of fish passage at Berrien Springs and Niles. Each clip represents a six hour time block. FishTick has compressed that six hour block and only shows frames where fish actually passed by the fish cam. The setting on the FishTick has been set low to collect small objects, so an occasional leaf can be seen passing by.

Berrien Springs, April 9, 2000, Spring Run Steelhead

Berrien Springs, July 15, 2000, Summer Steelhead

Niles, April 13, 2000, Spring Steelhead

Niles, October 13, 2000, Mix of Steelhead and Chinook Salmon