By Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Any lake sturgeon caught incidentally while targeting other species must be released immediately. When temperatures are below freezing, fish gills can freeze quickly, making it important to release sturgeon into the water as quickly as possible to increase their chances of survival.
Sturgeon are frequently caught incidentally in Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River, the Kalamazoo River, the Grand River, Muskegon Lake, the Muskegon River, Manistee Lake, the Manistee River, Burt Lake and Mullet Lake, but cannot be targeted in those waters—anglers should be aware of the possibility of incidental lake sturgeon catch and of these regulations.
See page 15 of the 2025 Michigan Fishing Regulations, which remain in effect through March 31, 2026, for detailed information on lake sturgeon fishing regulations, fishing and possession season dates and size requirements.
All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Tittabawassee River: Ice covered and no fishing activity.
Eastern Saginaw Bay: With the warmer weather, fishing was slightly better along the east side of the bay. From Sebewaing to Wildfowl Bay, those targeting yellow perch experienced mixed success. Anglers often fished two or three days before finding a decent school of perch. Those targeting northern pike reported slow fishing, with only a few being speared. Anglers who ventured out for walleye reported slow to fair catches out from Sebewaing, from the slot and out over the bar in water around 26 feet deep. Anglers marked numerous fish but getting them to bite was challenging.
Lower Saginaw Bay: Walleye were caught at the Sparkplug in 27 feet of water off Finn Road, 7 miles out in 18 to 20 feet of water, Jones Road on the east side of Spoils Island in 12 feet of water, and on the west side of Spoils Island in 22 feet of water near the edge of the shipping channel.
Saginaw River: A lot of anglers targeted walleye at all access points. Good ice conditions overall, but very slow fishing. Many reports of sub-legal walleye caught and released, with an occasional keeper or two caught mostly in Saginaw at First Street or Wickes Park. Fishing was very slow in the lower Saginaw River in Bay City. A blue and chrome jigging Rapala tipped with a minnow head continued to be the best bait.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
No reports.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Tawas/Au Gres: No report.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
No reports.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Walleye fishing picked up this week. Anglers reported that the numerous fronts moving through, in combination with the associated milder temperatures, resulted in an increase in success. However, they also reported short bite windows. Perch anglers reported catching some large fish; although trips generally resulted in lower-than-desired numbers, some fish were of trophy size. Those who caught several perch reported catching them on tungsten jigs and spoons. Overall, perch fishing saw an uptick in bites with the milder temperatures.
Les Cheneaux Islands: The fishing in the Hessel and Cedarville areas was hit or miss. Anglers caught good numbers of undersized northern pike in Musky Bay, with an occasional legal-sized pike. There were a few perch caught in Musky and Urie Bays; however, numbers were very low. In Hessel, anglers caught good numbers of perch, with a few keepers here and there. There were also reports of good numbers of smallmouth bass caught in Wilderness Bay, as well as a fair number of northern pike. The splake fishing was extremely tough, and they were not feeding when they were seen.
Munising: Anglers had good success on whitefish and coho salmon this past week along with a few nice sized splake mixed in. Some anglers reported seeing some good schools of coho salmon throughout the bay. Anglers targeting yellow perch reported that the bite is starting to pick up. Wax worms, minnows and eggs were the preferred bait.
Fishing tip: Temperature changesWith fluctuating winter temperatures in Michigan, focus on fishing during low-light periods, early morning and late afternoon, when species like walleye and perch are most active. If you are marking fish but not getting bites, downsize your presentation and switch to lighter line, smaller tungsten jigs, or subtle jigging motions. In cold water, fish are often less aggressive, so a slower, more finesse-style approach can make a big difference.
