Michigan anglers advised of rule changes for 2026

Lansing — Anglers who have not reviewed the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations guide may be in for some surprises this fishing season.

Among new regulations that went into effect April 1, according to DNR:

• Stannard Rock and Big Reef on Lake Superior are now under new daily possession limits of one lake trout or splake (combined) in the areas defined in the new guide.

• Lake Independence and Teal Lake are under new walleye regulations: the minimum size limit is 15 inches, and all walleye 18-23 inches, now protected from harvest, must be released. The daily possession limit is five walleye, with no more than one greater than 23 inches allowed per day.

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• A possession limit of five fish per day has been placed statewide on burbot.

• Use of a bead fished on the hook or pegged or attached to the line no further than 4 inches above the eye of a single-pointed hook has been defined as an artificial lure under statewide regulations.

• Additional Great Lakes waters are now open to underwater spearfishing, with some exclusions. Monthly reporting is no longer required; however, anglers must still obtain a free license.

• A new catch-and-immediate-release fishing opportunity for lake sturgeon has been added to the Menominee River (from Grand Rapids Dam to the Sturgeon Falls Dam) from the first Saturday in June through the first Sunday in March.

Along with these regulation updates, several waters around the state have undergone more minor rule changes, DNR reported.