New sportfishing regulations will go into effect
By Barb Pert Templeton
Licenses, regulations, maps, permits and more are all in the palm of the hand of the users who
download the DNR app.
The 2025 fishing season is here and for those who can’t wait to get out on local waters to cast
a line there are a few things to be aware of in terms of rules in addition to renewing or getting
a fishing license.
Christian LeSage, a fisheries biologist with the DNR, said this is a “low regulation change
year” so there are fewer new rules to consider and most are specific to certain areas in the
state. Anglers can download the 2025 Fishing Regulations booklet, formerly known as “the
fishing guide” and it’s a detailed document, filling 76 pages, at michigan.gov/dnr.
The new sportfishing regulations for Michigan’s 2025 fishing season begin Tuesday, April 1, and are in effect through March 31, 2026. Changes this season include modifications to steelhead and muskie size limits and gear restrictions on some waters. A press release from the DNR offers the following highlights: · Inland stream rainbow trout (steelhead) possession limit Steelhead regulations on several Type 3 and Type 4 streams have been slightly modified from last year. Some streams no longer have a 20-inch minimum size limit on steelhead (the daily possession limit of which is one). See Pages 42-65 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations for more specific information. · New single-pointed hook restriction and spearing prohibition waters The ports of Grand Haven, Muskegon and Whitehall/Montague have new single-pointed hook regulations Nov. 1-30, and spearing or possessing spearing gear is now prohibited in these waters Nov. 1-30. For more information, see Pages 16-17 and 30-31 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations. · Muskellunge size limit regulation In Thornapple Lake (Barry and Eaton counties) and Lake Hudson (Lenawee County), new 50-inch minimum size limit regulations for muskellunge are in effect. These lakes are important sources of Great Lakes-strain muskellunge, from which the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is developing a population of mature adults for future stocking needs. Find more information on Page 13 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations.
Get your fishing license now Fishing licenses for 2025 can be obtained online at the DNR site, through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or from a local distributor. Lesage said there’s no increase in the cost of fishing license this year. For the annual license residents will pay $27 while non-residents pay $76. License for seniors aged 65 and older is $12. A daily fishing license is $10 and a license for those 16 and under is $2. LeSage said it’s important for fishing enthusiasts to get their license because otherwise they could be ticketed at any time by a local conservation officer. He said even if someone is fishing in the middle of the lake a conservation officer could come up by boat or even stop you at a launch site asking for the license. If stopped, one must be ready to show their license and some identification, like a driver’s license, to the officer. A good tip for that is for the fisherman/lady to take a photo of their license and have it at the ready in the fishing app on their phone. “Fishing is fun and you want to be relaxing and having a good time, you don’t want to be looking over your shoulder (because you don’t have a license), it’s not worth it,” LeSage said. Don’t have your 2025 fishing license yet? Buy your fishing license online or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and visit Michigan.gov/Fishing for helpful resources including fishing location maps, fish ID information, the weekly fishing report and more.
