If we operated on an annual outdoor calendar, April would be the first month of the year. Trees begin to bud down south, and all the ice is gone except for the furthest northern reaches of our region. Turkeys are gobbling, and fish are hungry after a long winter in cold water. With many states in the Midwest allowing for just one turkey tag per year, this is a great time to load up your hunting and fishing gear for a road trip to another state where you can find excellent fishing and the chance to chase another longbeard.
Indiana – Cecil M. Harden Lake Stripers
Cecil M. Harden Reservoir offers a multitude of angling opportunities, but the large stripers lurking in its depths make this reservoir a special Hoosier State destination. Numerous coves allow for privacy when trying to escape crowds. The reservoir has an average depth of 24 feet and a maximum depth of 70 feet. There is good access to the water for both shore and boat anglers. With five public boat ramps on the lake, it is easy to find a location to launch your craft.
Michigan – Lake Trout Grand Traverse Bay
Lake trout are a native species in Lake Michigan. Long before salmon and steelhead were stocked in these waters, “lakers” were the primary sought-after fish. Many anglers still find pursuing lake trout a special endeavor. Grand Traverse Bay is historically a lake trout hot spot. The bay warms up faster in the spring, where you want to look for lakers in the 25–50 feet deep range. Lake trout are often considered greasy, so smoking them is a preferred method of cooking.
Missouri – Turkey
Missouri’s turkey season begins April 20. The state has unique rules. The season always begins on a Monday, and residents can kill two male turkey total. Only one can be taken in the first week. In the second and third weeks, you can kill your second bird, or two if you struck out in week one. Only one bird may be killed by nonresidents. This is new in 2026. Missouri has over a million acres of state-owned Conservation Areas. Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website to find one in the area you want to hunt.
Ohio – Steelhead Alley
Steelhead Alley does include parts of Pennsylvania and New York, but the lion’s share is in Ohio. The Ohio DNR stocks steelhead in the Vermilion, Rocky, Grand, Chagrin, Conneaut, and Ashtabula Rivers. The main stretch of Lake Erie tributaries with steelhead is found from Cleveland to the PA border. Fly fishing is a popular method of catching steelhead, but spinning anglers do well floating spawn sacks below bobbers.
South Dakota – Light Geese
The Light Goose Conservation Order remains in effect in South Dakota through the month of April. By now, snow geese have been hunted for more than half the year. These birds are wise to hunting spreads, but efforts still need to be made to thin their numbers. The light geese are returning to the tundra, where their overpopulated numbers will continue to damage the ecosystem. Hunters have a chance to play an important role in conservation by knocking a few more down before the masses make it up north. The Lake Thompson area is a snow goose hot spot in the state.
Minnesota – Metropolitan Northern Pike
Minnesota offers a lot of wilderness fishing opportunities for northern pike, but those living in the metropolitan area around the Twin Cities don’t need to travel far to tangle with these large predators. The Land of 10,000 Lakes offers numerous northern pike waters within a short drive of downtown. A few you can count on to produce northerns are Lake Minnetonka, Forest Lake, the Mississippi River, and the Prior Lakes.
Kentucky – Cumberland River Trout
The tailwater below Lake Cumberland is one of the most popular trout fishing destinations in the Midwest. The fertile, flow-controlled water produces both big numbers and large trout, including the state record brown trout, which tipped the scales at 21 pounds. The 75 miles of Cumberland River in Kentucky offer anglers a great opportunity to float and fish. Trophy trout anglers are going to want to maintain a focus on the stretch below the dam.
See you down the trail…
Brandon Butler
driftwoodoutdoors@gmail.com
Pic: Northern Pike are aggressive in the shallows immediately after ice out across the northern Midwest.
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