(Provided by Michigan DNR)

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission Thursday approved several fishing regulations at its meeting this week, but rejected a Division of Fish and Wildlife proposal that would allow bass tournaments on some larger lakes earlier in the season.

The bass proposal called for special permits that would allow tournament groups to hold bass in livewells during competition before the regular season opener on specified lakes.

However, the Commission did approve other regulation changes noted below.

Bass Tournament Registration Requirement

• The DNR has been working closely with bass angling groups that have recommended mandatory bass tournament registration. This will allow the DNR to improve its understanding of tournament effort and provide additional biological information about bass fishing tournaments in Michigan. As a result, all bass tournaments held in 2016 will need to be registered using the DNRís Michigan Fishing Tournament Information System (Starting in January 2016.)

Combined Possession Limit Change

• The combined possession limit for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and flathead catfish (which limited the daily possession limit to five fish) has been removed. Therefore, anglers are now be able to possess up to five (5) bass (largemouth and smallmouth combined), up to five (5) walleye, up to five (5) flathead catfish, and up to two (2) northern pike in their daily possession limit. These species will no longer be managed under a combined possession limit and now will be managed under separate possession limits, resulting in more fish for anglers to keep in a dayís fishing. This went into effect immediately.

Little Bay de Noc Walleye Possession Change

• The zone where only one walleye greater than 23 inches may be retained in the daily possession limit in Little Bay de Noc (Delta County) has been expanded south from the Ford River to the Bark River. Therefore, no more than one walleye over 23 inches may be possessed in the daily limit north of a line drawn from Peninsula Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the Bark River. This went into effect immediately.

St. Clair System Northern Pike Possession Limit Increase

• The daily possession limit for northern pike on Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and Detroit River has been increased to five, effective immediately.
  Saginaw Bay walleye and perch changes

For walleye, the daily possession limit is increased from five (5) to eight (8) fish and the minimum size limit is reduced from 15 to 13 inches. For yellow perch, the daily possession limit is reduced from 50 to 25 fish. The change goes into effect immediately.