DNR: New Fishing License Season Begins

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that a new license season begins Friday, April 1.

Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses. Anglers may opt for a 24-hour license, 72-hour license, a season-long restricted license or a season-long, all-species license. An additional (free) lake sturgeon tag is required of anglers who fish for or target lake sturgeon. License prices remain unchanged from 2010.

Anglers should know that lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles and crustaceans have been added to the all-species fishing license requirement.

A number of new regulations have been adopted for 2011-12, including a new possession limit, which allows anglers to possess, in addition to one day's daily possession limit of fish, an additional two daily possession limits of fish taken during previous fishing days provided that the additional limits of fish are processed (canned, cured by smoking or drying, or frozen).

There is an additional 81 miles of designated trout streams that had new modifications to the type of gear allowed. Some of those streams have seasonal gear restrictions. Please see the 2011 Michigan Fishing Guide for details.

There are two changes to the 2011 Fishing Guide that go into effect beginning May 1. First, the daily possession limit for walleye on Lake Erie will increase to six (up from five). Second, the maximum size for lake trout and splake in management unit MH-1 in northern Lake Huron will be 24 inches (down from 27 inches), except one fish may measure 32 inches or longer.

Both changes were made when new data became available after the 2011 Fishing Guide went to press.

You can purchase fishing licenses online at this link, but make sure you fulfill the licensing requirements first. For more information, visit the DNR website.

Click here for an overview of Michigan's fish and advice on how to catch them.