Michigan New Fishing License Required April 1

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment reminds anglers that a new license season begins Thursday, April 1. Licenses are available at all vendors or on-line at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

There have been several regulations changes of note:

-- Inland Trout and Salmon streams formerly designated as Types 5, 6, and 7 have been moved into a new category: “Gear Restricted Streams.” No other changes have been made to these streams.

-- Lake Huron’s lake trout and splake season has been changed to Jan.1 - Sept. 30 in MH-3, MH-4, MH-5 and MH-6 zones, basically south of Black River Harbor.

-- Lake Huron’s lake trout size limit has been changed in MH-1 to a maximum size limit of 27 inches, except one fish 32 inches or longer may be kept.

-- Lake Superior’s lake trout bag limit has been increased to five fish daily in zones MI-4, MI-5, MI-6, MI-7 and MI-8, east of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

-- Mullet Lake and adjoining sections has a reduced walleye bag limit of three fish daily and the season is now open May 15 - March 15.

Please check the 2010 Michigan Fishing Guide for specific zone boundaries and stream types.

One guide correction should also be noted: The guide incorrectly lists Harts Lake in Calhoun County in the “Exceptions to General Regulation by County” section as Hearts Lake. Harts Lake is now catch and release only for all species.

The DNRE is committed to the conservation, protection, management and accessible use of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations.