Michigan’s new fishing license and regulation season begins Wednesday, April 1, so if you’re planning to hit the water, you’ll need to purchase a new fishing license. The 2026 fishing licenses are available for purchase now and are valid through March 31, 2027.

All anglers ages 17 and older are required to purchase a fishing license to fish public waters in Michigan; these licenses are good for all species, though additional reporting requirements apply to some species and fishing methods. Anglers can purchase the following:

• • An annual fishing license at $26 for Michigan residents or $76 for nonresidents (both carry an additional $1 surcharge).
  • A senior annual fishing license at $11 for Michigan residents 65 and older or residents who are legally blind (with additional $1 surcharge).
  • A daily fishing license at $10 per day for Michigan residents and nonresidents 17 and older (valid for 24 hours).
  • An optional youth fishing license, which is available at just $2 for anglers ages 16 and younger.

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Join the crew of the R/V Lake Char on a one-week research expedition on in Lake Superior! This short film follows a fisheries research vessel to Klondike Reef, where the crew collects data on lake trout – an important native species in the lake that has recently met recovery goals after disruption due to invasive species, pollution, and overharvest. Learn about the crew’s roles, the fish sampling process, and why this research is important for managing Michigan’s fisheries.

Watch the Klondike Reef Expedition documentary ?

It was on this expedition that the oldest lake trout in the Great Lakes – 62 years old at the time of capture – was discovered!

One of the most versatile and effective lures for bass is the jerkbait. What was once thought of as an ideal prespawn and cold-water bait has become a versatile lure that works anywhere, year-round. Also, the baits have become even better and more refined, and the anglers casting them have found even more ways to use them. 

Restored reef in Saginaw Bay diversifies spawning habitat and promotes resilience

By JEFFREY JOLLEY, PhD., Southern Lake Huron unit manager
Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and MARCEE WARDELL, communications specialist, Fisheries Division, Michigan DNR

Imagine a reef: sunlight streaming through the azure water reveals a vibrant underwater community, where fish, large and small, dart into holes and crevices or swim around the reef’s edges while other aquatic creatures make their homes or search for food.Did you think of a coral reef, covered in pink anemones and surrounded by brightly colored tropical fish like blue tang and clownfish?Now imagine a reef, with dappled sunlight and teeming with fish, in Lake Huron, in Saginaw Bay.Surprised?Maybe you shouldn’t be.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.

Reefs used to be common in Saginaw Bay, and organizations like the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and others are working to restore reef habitat for the benefit of fish like lake whitefish and walleye, as well as many other aquatic species. The disappearance of rocky reefs Though corals did once thrive in the northern Lower Peninsula about 350 million years ago (the remains of which are now Petoskey stones), the reefs that existed in Saginaw Bay were rock reefs. Read more

Discover world-class fishing and the stunning beauty of a Michigan winter during Free Fishing Weekend! Feb. 14-15, residents and visitors can enjoy fishing without a license. All other fishing regulations apply.

Want to explore more? We are also waiving the Recreation Passport fee, and granting free vehicle entry to all 103 state parks and more than 1,000 DNR-managed boating access sites (where plowed).

Before you head out, please visit Michigan.gov/IceSafety for essential tips to ensure your on-ice activities are safe and enjoyable.

Feb. 9, 2026
Contact: Neal Godby, 231-340-2621 or Tim Cwalinski, 231-340-0276

This year’s sturgeon season on Black Lake (in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties of Michigan) ended at 8:48 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. The season, which included spearing and hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 7-11, or until the harvest limit of six lake sturgeon had been reached – but just 48 minutes turned out to be enough time.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources set the harvest limit for the season at six fish, though anglers were allocated a season quota of seven sturgeon by agreement with tribal governments. This limit was placed to accommodate the expected number of anglers and anticipate the possibility of near simultaneous harvest of more than one fish, as occurred in 2025.

There were 679 registered anglers this year. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 52.9 inches to 67.2 inches long and weighed 40.4 pounds to 79.4 pounds.

• The first fish was a 61.5-inch male that weighed 50 pounds.
• Fish number two was a 64.1-inch female that weighed 78.4 pounds.
• Fish three was a 52.9-inch male that weighed 46.6 pounds.
• Fish four was a 67.2-inch female that weighed 79.4 pounds.
• The fifth fish was a 58.1-inch sturgeon that weighed 40.4 pounds.
• The sixth fish was a 62.5-inch female that weighed 58.4 pounds.

Only one of the harvested fish had not been captured before by Michigan State University and the DNR during spring spawning runs in the Black River or during past surveys of Black Lake. The sex of the fifth fish, which was not previously tagged, will be determined using DNA from fin clips collected when the fish was registered. Read more

Feb. 3, 2026
Five individuals received awards Monday at a Michigan Department of Natural Resources meeting at the Sagola Township Sportsmen’s Club in Dickinson County.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers Jennifer Lehto (Hanson) and Zach Painter, Michigan State Police Trooper Paul Maxinoski, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Capt. Steve Amsler and Susan Barrette, of Bergland, were recognized for their quick and effective actions that saved an angler’s life when he broke through the ice of Lake Gogebic in March 2024. Read more

Contact: Jeremiah Blaauw, 906-235-7679 or Aaron Switzer, 231-383-2565

More than 648,000 fish were added to 76 locations statewide

This past fall, the Department of Natural Resources worked hard to stock fish in waters across Michigan — fish that will provide angling opportunities in seasons to come. The fall 2025 effort saw DNR crews stock seven different species at 76 locations throughout the state: 648,557 fish, weighing in at a total of 8.6 tons. “This was another exceptional fall fish stocking season, enhancing fishing opportunities throughout Michigan,” said DNR fish production manager Aaron Switzer. “Combined with successful spring and summer stocking efforts, the 2025 total reached nearly 19.5 million fish stocked in Michigan’s waters.” The number and type of fish stocked vary by hatchery, as each facility’s ability to rear fish differs due to water supply and temperature. In Michigan, there are six state and three cooperative fish hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strains and sizes of fish needed by fisheries managers. These fish must then be delivered at specific times and locations for stocking to ensure that they thrive. In general, fish are reared in Michigan’s state fish hatcheries anywhere from one month to 1.5 years before they are stocked. Most fish in Michigan are stocked in the spring, but some fish are stocked in the fall because they require less time and fewer resources to rear in hatcheries. Fall-stocked fish also may adjust better to new environments as they are younger and more adaptable to change.

Seven species were stocked this fall: Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, rainbow trout (Eagle Lake and steelhead strains), walleye and muskellunge.  Where they were stocked below:

• Marquette State Fish Hatchery (near Marquette) stocked 27,915 fall fingerling and 250 adult brook trout that weighed a combined 3,022 pounds. These fish were stocked at a total of 27 locations in the Upper Peninsula.
• Oden State Fish Hatchery (near Petoskey) stocked 140,366 fall fingerling rainbow trout that combined weighed 7,508 pounds and were stocked at four locations in the Upper and Lower peninsulas.
• Thompson State Fish Hatchery (near Manistique) stocked 3,008 Great Lakes strain muskellunge that weighed 304 pounds in Lake Hudson and Thornapple Lake. Thompson also stocked 329,085 fall fingerling steelhead weighing 2,413 total pounds in six locations.
• Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery (west of Kalamazoo) stocked 64,532 fall fingerling steelhead weighing a combined 917 pounds in Crystal Lake.
• Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (near Cadillac) stocked 17,548 fall fingerling brown trout and 24,520 fall fingerling rainbow trout. These fish were stocked in four locations with a combined weight of 1,573 pounds.

DNR fisheries management units also stocked fall fingerling walleye this year.

• Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit stocked 33,580 Muskegon strain fall fingerlings weighing 1,373 total pounds in 20 locations.
• Central Lake Michigan Management Unit stocked 2,507 Muskegon strain fall fingerlings weighing 160 pounds total in three locations.
• Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit stocked Little Bay de Noc with 5,211 fall fingerlings (Little Bay de Noc strain) weighing a combined 88 pounds in five locations; 2,815 of these walleye fingerlings were raised in a co-op partner pond tended by the Bay De Noc Great Lakes Sportfishermen.

Skeeter, a leader in high-performance fishing boats, introduced today the WXR1910F, a new model in its WXR bass boat lineup. Designed to deliver big-water confidence in a more compact platform, the WXR1910F combines a refined tackle management layout, responsive handling and the ride and fishability synonymous with Skeeter’s deep-V design. The model will be available through authorized Skeeter dealerships.

“The WXR1910F brings proven Skeeter performance into a compact footprint without sacrificing capability,” said John Clark, General Manager, Skeeter Boats. “From its reimagined storage layout to its confident handling in rough water, every element of this model is purpose-built to enhance experiences on the water while maintaining space, control and fishability.

Powered by a Yamaha V MAX SHO^® 200, the WXR1910F is engineered for deep water and big waves while maintaining agile, responsive performance. The helm features a Cockpit Command Center with integrated instrumentation and an XPLORE™ 9-inch MSI display at the dash. The rear deck offers generous storage capacity, paired with a layout that streamlines tackle and gear storage. Two rear deck jump seats add versatility for accommodating family and friends.

Standard features on the WXR1910F include a Minn Kota^®112-pound-thrust Terrova^® trolling motor with i-Pilot, a Fusion® Bluetooth^® stereo with four speakers, EVA cockpit flooring, a Minn Kota^® 10-amp four-bank battery charger, Hamby’s Keel Protector, and a center rod storage box with Mega Rod Tubes. Read more