The St. Joseph fish ladders are now closed, and the fish cam is off unit June. In June, we begin to see summer run steelhead and will re-open the ladders.

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

Current river conditions for Berrien Springs May 2, 2008:

River Conditions
Water temperature	64
Turbidity	Moderate
Level	Normal

Berrien Springs		Mar 12 - May 2, 2008
Steelhead		9,006
Brown Trout		5
Smallmouth Bass		95
Sucker		1,553

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