New Michigan Fishing Regulations Take Effect Apr. 1
OutdoorHub 03.26.12
To ensure that Michigan’s fisheries resources are managed properly and are providing the best benefits to anglers and the public, the Department of Natural Resources annually fine-tunes fishing regulations. For the coming 2012-2013 angling year, which begins April 1, the DNR would like anglers to be aware of the following new fishing regulations:
- Simplified statewide bow and spear fishing regulations resulting in several new and expanded opportunities. The season has been expanded on some waters and three new species have been added to the list of species allowed (gizzard shad, goldfish and grass carp). The spearing season on designated trout streams open to spring spearing has been changed to April 1 through May 31 with additional species allowed (gizzard shad, goldfish and grass carp).
- Johnson Creek (Wayne County) has been reclassified as a Type 1 trout stream.
- The daily possession limit for lake whitefish and cisco (lake herring) on Michigan/Wisconsin boundary waters is now 10 in combination for these fish.
- The Little Bay de Noc walleye size limit has been reinstated. No more than one (1) walleye over 23 inches may be possessed in the daily possession limit. This affects the area north of a line drawn from Peninsula Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the Ford River.
- The yellow perch daily possession limit has been changed on Lake Gogebic (Gogebic and Ontonagon counties) to 25 with no more than five (5) fish at 12 inches or greater.
- Cisco (lake herring) has been added to the Susceptible Species List for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSv), which means there are restrictions on using them for bait. Koi herpes virus has been detected in common carp from Kent Lake (Livingston and Oakland counties) and Silver Lake (Oceana County) resulting in minnow harvest restrictions for both systems.
These regulation changes are detailed further in the 2012 Michigan Fishing Guide, now available at all major retailers and on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/fishing.
