(Provided by MDNR)

Michigan Encourages Tournament Directors to Register Their Events

Photo by David Hamrick

As temperatures continue to warm, many anglers are looking forward to fishing the open water season. With this in mind, the Michigan DNR reminds anglers coordinating bass fishing tournaments in 2017 to register those tournaments online via the Michigan Fishing Tournament Information System.

The system was initiated in January 2016 after the Michigan Natural Resources Commission issued Fisheries Order 215.15A in 2015, requiring all bass fishing tournaments to be registered online.

"This is the second year of Michigan's requirement to register and report all bass fishing tournaments," said Tom Goniea, DNR fisheries biologist and tournament fishing liaison. "The results we received in 2016 were very encouraging, with just under 2,100 tournaments registered on 271 lakes and rivers in the state. The reports submitted following these tournaments provide valuable data on Michigan's bass fisheries.

The data collected via the Michigan Fishing Tournament Information System is used to understand the impact bass tournaments have on the local economy. The information also will inform future management discussions regarding seasons and angling opportunities. In 2018, this registration requirement will be expanded to all fishing tournaments regardless of species.

If they haven't already done so, bass fishing tournament directors should get online and register their 2017 tournaments, Goniea said. So far in 2017, more than 1,650 tournaments have already been registered and more are coming in every day.

To register, tournament directors must go to the DNRs Michigan Fishing Tournament Information System, which can be found online at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/fishingtournaments. Instructions on how to access the system, add tournaments and report catch data also are available online.