Michigan Adopts Year-Round C&R Bass Season; Others Also Go Into Effect Immediately

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Published: 10 April 2015

The Michigan DNR Commission finalized several regulations impacting the 2015-2016 fishing season at its†meeting on April 9.

Changes include a year-round Catch-and-immediate-release (CIR) fishing for bass statewide (unless otherwise closed to fishing). Please refer to the printed fishing guide for waters closed to fishing.

Other changes are:

• Lake Huron lake trout and splake regulations: MH-1 and MH-2 lake trout and splake regulations have changed from season of May 1 - Sept. 30 to Jan. 1 - Sept. 30 to align all of Lake Huron into one season.
• Lake Michigan lake trout regulations: MM-1, MM-2, MM-3 and MM-4 have changed to the following ñ minimum size limit shall be 15 inches and the maximum size limit shall be 27 inches, except the daily possession limit shall not include more than one (1) lake trout at 34 inches or greater. In MM-5, MM-6, MM-7 and MM-8 the minimum size limit has been changed to 15 inches. In MM-1, MM-2, MM-3, MM-4 and MM-5, the lake trout daily possession limit has been reduced from three (3) to two (2).
• Inland Trout and Salmon Regulations: Regulations affecting brook trout minimum size limits have changed, and there is a new regulation creating the Upper Peninsula's Brook Trout Restoration Areas.
• New hook restrictions: Changes are now in place to protect against salmon snagging in some waters.

Due to the Natural Resources Commission's temporary loss of regulatory authority, several regulations were not determined in time for the start of the 2015-2016 angling year (April 1) and consequently were not printed in the hard-copy version of the Michigan Fishing Guide. However, there are several areas of the guide that have an orange star to indicate that changes possibly would be forthcoming.

To view all of the change details, click here.

Webster Lake Muskies Under Study

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Published: 06 April 2015

By Louie Stout

Webster Lake muskies under study.An apparent decline in muskies on Webster Lake will be the focus of a fisheries study this spring and summer.

The popular Kosciusko County lake has been heralded as one of the Midwest’s top muskie hotspots over the past decade, but catch numbers are declining and biologist Jed Pearson wants to know why.

“Anglers say they aren’t seeing the younger muskies that they were 10 years ago, so it’s time to go take a look at it,” he said.

Fishing guides – most of whom practice catch and release – say the number of muskies they are seeing is down from previous years, although fishing last year was a slight improvement over the year before.

A fisheries team began netting there this week and will continue doing so over the next few weeks. Captured muskies will be marked, documented and released.

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