Contact: Emily Martin, 231-495-1310 or John Bauman, 906-786-2351

Any night fishing plans in your future this fall? Michigan Department of Natural Resources personnel will be conducting nighttime walleye recruitment surveys from late September to mid-October, so be on the lookout for survey crews when you’re on the water.

These surveys are an important tool for fisheries managers to determine whether walleye that hatched in the spring (known as young-of-year) did so in the wild or were stocked, as well as how many of those fish are present in an area. This information about the status of young walleye in lakes helps the DNR make informed management decisions. Read more

ClamAYR tailors the Boondocker specifically for ice fishing, keeping anglers comfortable so they can stay on the ice longer.

Clam Outdoors announces an extension of the ClamAYR™ line with the ClamAYR™ Boondocker Ice Fishing Model.

Tailored specifically for ice, the ClamAYR™ Boondocker Ice Fishing Shelter is built for winter adventures, featuring fully insulated thermal wall panels that provide warmth and protection for ice fishing, winter camping, and cold-weather outings. Featuring Clam’s proprietary AYRTruss Design™, a durable PVC framework that, when inflated to just 10psi, becomes a rigid structure that stands strong against howling winds, it delivers an inflatable structure that sets up in minutes.

Built for real-world conditions, ClamAYR™ is designed with the understanding that outdoor gear simply can’t fail. Complete with waterproof and breathable thermal wall panels and heavy-duty ice anchors, this shelter is designed for secure setup on the ice in the winter. The ClamAYR Boondocker Ice Fishing Model is made with Clam’s innovative STORMSKIN fabric. This lightweight, durable material provides a strong barrier against harsh elements, blocking cold winds, shedding moisture, and retaining heat in cold conditions.

To maximize portability and mobility, it weighs less than 100 lbs and packs down to the size of a large suitcase. With a spacious interior and rugged construction, the Boondocker Ice shelter delivers the comfort and protection you need to stay outside longer all winter. Read more

By TIM CWALINSKI, Northern Lake Huron unit manager and MARCEE WARDELL, communications specialist, Fisheries Division
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

When an angler finds out that you work for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, one of their first questions is usually “Why don’t you stock [insert body of water here]?”It seems like a simple question, but there is a lot that goes into the decision to stock or not to stock a lake or stream.Things like the existing fish community, habitat suitability, water temperature and quality, and cost of rearing fish and their availability have to be accounted for, among many other considerations.Check out previous Showcasing the DNR stories in our archive at Michigan.gov/DNRStories. To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery at Michigan.gov/DNREmail.

Plus, stocking is only one of the tools that DNR fisheries managers have at their disposal to enhance fisheries and protect ecosystems. Fishing regulations, habitat improvement and invasive species control are also essential for maintaining healthy fisheries and waters. So, why wasn’t your favorite fishing hole stocked? Read more

Sept. 10, 2026
Contact: Christian LeSage, 517-449-7073 or Lucas Nathan, 517-599-9323

Clarifying possession limits, identifying current fish communities and aligning certain fishing rules with Wisconsin all are part of updated trout, salmon and sturgeon regulations now in effect following Michigan Natural Resources Commission action earlier this week.

During its Sept. 9 meeting, the NRC enacted regulation changes to Fisheries Orders 254 and 205, effective Sept. 10, 2026. These updates include:

• Fisheries Order 254, governing trout and salmon regulations for Michigan’s inland lakes: The changes clarify possession limits and better reflect the fish communities present in those waters.
• Fisheries Order 205, governing fishing regulations on the Michigan-Wisconsin boundary waters: The updates align Michigan’s regulations with Wisconsin’s for the lake sturgeon catch-and-immediate release season on the Menominee River (Dickinson, Iron and Menominee counties).

Read more

The Black River Lake Sturgeon Hatchery and Research Center is celebrating 25 years of conservation, research, and education dedicated to the recovery of Michigan’s lake sturgeon. This important work would not have been possible without support from the Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University, Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership, Great Lakes Fishery Trust, Sturgeon for Tomorrow and many others.

Join us in celebrating this milestone!

When: September 25, 2026, 3–6:30 p.m.
Where: MSU Molecular Plant Sciences Building Atrium, 612 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824

Program of events

Sturgeon Palooza will feature a reception, along with two showings of the Dinosaur Fish documentary followed by panel discussions.

• 3 p.m. – Dinosaur Fish first showing
• 3:30 p.m. – Student/alumni panel discussion
• 4–5:30 p.m. – Reception with displays from partners, light refreshments and an opportunity to meet this year’s Black River sturgeon
• 5:30 p.m. – Dinosaur Fish second showing
• 6 p.m. – Expert panel discussion Read more

Aug. 24, 2026
Contact: DNR-Fisheries@Michigan.gov

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources honors the memory of Dr. Howard A. Tanner, former DNR director and Fisheries Division chief, who passed away Aug. 16 at the age of 102. Dr. Tanner is remembered for his conservation and fisheries management work, which has left an indelible mark on the state and created new fishing opportunities for Michigan anglers.

Dr. Tanner served as the chief of the Fisheries Division of the DNR (then known as the Michigan Department of Conservation) from 1964 to 1966. He was then the director of the Natural Resources program at the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources until his return to the DNR in 1975 as the agency’s director.

Perhaps best known for his contribution to the recreational Pacific salmon fishery on the Great Lakes, Dr. Tanner, as chief of the Fisheries Division, was charged with addressing the issue of alewife — an invasive species that was washing up on shore in droves, making beaches unusable and throwing Great Lakes ecosystems out of balance. In response, he determined to stock coho salmon and acquired surplus eggs from Oregon. The first of these coho salmon were stocked in the Platte River and its tributaries in 1966, resulting in the start of the “something spectacular” that gives title to Dr. Tanner’s memoir: a Great Lakes recreational salmon fishery that exists to this day.

“Dr. Howard Tanner had the vision and courage to imagine a different future for the Great Lakes when few others could,” said Randy Claramunt, DNR Fisheries Division chief. “His decision to introduce Pacific salmon transformed Michigan’s fisheries, created a world-class recreational fishery, and changed the way we think about managing the Great Lakes. “We are the beneficiaries of his bold leadership today, and his legacy will continue to influence fisheries management for generations to come.”

Additionally, Dr. Tanner was instrumental in addressing mercury contamination in Michigan waters and influential in the Milliken administration’s ban on the manufacture and sale of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), toxic industrial chemicals that are harmful to human health, in the state in 1976. Read more

Contact: Neal Godby (DNR), 231-340-2621; Jay Woiderski (SFT), 231-420-1237 or Doug Larson (MSU)

Following the tours, hatchery-reared sturgeon fingerlings will be released into the Black River and Mullett Lake 

Lake sturgeon are one of Michigan’s most unique and interesting fish, and you have the chance to see them up close and in person this Labor Day weekend. To learn more about what goes into rearing sturgeon, you’re invited to take a free tour at the Black River hatchery Saturday, Sept. 5. Tours will run 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the facility, located northwest of Onaway.

“Visitors will see 3- to 4-month-old lake sturgeon currently in the hatchery and learn about their early life history, as well as how we can all play a role to keep this species healthy in our waters,” said Tim Cwalinski, Northern Lake Huron Unit supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Researchers from the DNR and Michigan State University will be available to talk about lake sturgeon biology, life stages and current research. Sturgeon for Tomorrow representatives will discuss restoration work to improve sturgeon spawning habitat, sturgeon conservation and outreach programming.

About the hatchery

The hatchery is located in Cheboygan County on the Upper Black River adjacent to the Kleber Dam. From M-68, 2 miles west of Onaway, take Black River Road (F-05) north to Twin School Road, then west a little over 3 miles to the hatchery, which is on the north side of the road, just before the dam.

The free hatchery tour day is made possible by the DNR, MSU, Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership and Sturgeon for Tomorrow.

The streamside rearing facility is an important part of lake sturgeon rehabilitation efforts in the Cheboygan River watershed. The facility conducts research to increase our understanding of lake sturgeon, thanks to DNR, federal, Great Lakes Fishery Trust and Sturgeon for Tomorrow funds. Research results provide valuable guidance for lake sturgeon recovery efforts, while improving the effectiveness of lake sturgeon culture — such as best practices for feeding and stocking efforts and disease treatment.

Fingerlings release following tours

After hatchery tours conclude Sept. 5, the sturgeon fingerlings — young fish about the size of a finger — reared at the hatchery are scheduled to be released into the Black River and Mullett Lake.

For more information on lake sturgeon and to get involved in rehabilitation efforts, visit SturgeonforTomorrow.org or Michigan.gov/Sturgeon.

Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Trevor Swisse of Sidney not only harvested the biggest paddlefish in Montana in 2026, but the nearly 117-pound female had avoided recapture by fisheries crews and anglers in Montana and North Dakota for 22 years.

“That’s the biggest one I’ve ever caught,” Swisse said.

Montana’s state-record paddlefish, caught in 1973 in the Missouri River, was 142.5 pounds, but 117 pounds is definitely on the larger end of fish harvested.

Swisse was paddlefishing at Seven Sisters Wildlife Management Area near Sidney on June 12 with his boys, Mason, 15, and Charles, 6, when he snagged the fish. Read more

Lake sturgeon lifespans may be even longer than we thought

By EDWARD BAKER, PhD., Marquette Fisheries Research Station manager and MARCEE WARDELL, communications specialist, Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Lake sturgeon: the living fossils.

They’ve earned this moniker not only because they first appeared in the fossil record at least 100 million years ago or because their bony scutes give them a dino-like appearance, but because of their long lives.

According to previous research, lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) have a lifespan of up to 150 years.

But a new study published by researchers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources suggests that lake sturgeon may live longer than previously thought — much longer. Read more