The Department of Natural Resources wants to remind everyone the annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb. 15. That weekend, everyone – residents and non-residents alike – can fish Michigan waters without a license, though all other fishing regulations still apply.

Michigan has celebrated the Winter Free Fishing Weekend every year since 1994 as a way to promote awareness of the state’s vast aquatic resources. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and 11,000 inland lakes, Michigan and fishing are a perfect match. Read more

The Department of Natural Resources recently announced that, effective Jan. 1, 2015, multiple changes have been made to Michigan’s Master Angler program, which allows anglers to submit large fish they have caught for recognition. The program has been in place since 1973.

The Master Angler program recognizes two categories of catches: catch-and-keep and catch-and-immediate-release. Previously, the catch-and-keep category was determined by the weight of the fish caught, but that requirement has been removed and replaced with a length requirement. Now recognition in both categories will be awarded based on an established minimum length for each recognized species. Verified entries will receive the Master Angler patch. Only one patch will be awarded for both catch-and-keep and catch-and-immediate-release entries. No more than one patch per species will be awarded to each angler per year. Read more

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tracker Marine Group is announcing a new five-year, bow-to-stern factory warranty covering 2015 TRACKER Boats.  This 2015 Tracker Boats warranty coverage includes a three-year warranty on the powder-coat finish, factory-installed trolling motor and factory-installed depth finder, a limited lifetime structural and deck warranty, and full coverage during the warranty period with no prorating. In addition, the warranty has provisions for transfer to a second owner.  The new five-year warranty coverage offers a one-stop solution, eliminating the need to pursue separate warranties with component manufacturers. The length and comprehensive nature of this coverage make this the best factory warranty in the aluminum fishing boat industry.

The new warranty applies to Tracker boats beginning with the 2015 model year; those 2015 model year boats purchased before the new warranty announcement will receive the expanded warranty provisions. Read more

Simply share a favorite fishing video you’ve created that captures moments with kids… EUFAULA, AL W – We want to take the opportunity to recognize anglers across the U.S. who may never walk the stage of the Bassmaster Classic, but are champions in their own right for introducing the next generation of anglers to the sport of fishing.

Simply share a favorite fishing video you’ve created that captures moments with kids that will last a lifetime, and your family could win a trip to meet legendary anglers and participate in fishing’s biggest event!

To enter, visit our entry page and upload your video with a brief description, and your family could win four airline tickets, hotel stay, meals, and VIP All-Access passes to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic in Greenville, South Carolina! Read more

The Department of Natural Resources recently finished stocking 36,228 muskellunge fingerlings into 21 water bodies located throughout the state in an effort to enhance Michigan’s fisheries.

Michigan is home to two strains of naturally producing muskellunge, Great Lakes and northern. The DNR has been rearing muskellunge in its hatcheries since the 1950s. While the hatchery program initially focused on the northern muskellunge strain, it has shifted focus in recent years to the Great Lakes strain as it is native to Michigan and widely distributed in water bodies throughout the Lower Peninsula and eastern region of the Upper Peninsula. Read more