It’s time to put that new fishing license to good use. Saturday, April 27, is the statewide trout opener, as well as the start of the Lower Peninsula inland walleye and northern pike seasons. The DNR encourages everyone heading out this weekend to take along someone new and share the fun of Michigan’s world-class fishing opportunities.

A few reminders:

• In Upper Peninsula waters, the walleye and northern pike possession seasons open Wednesday, May 15.
• Michigan’s muskellunge possession season on all Great Lakes, inland waters, the St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair, and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers opens Saturday, June 1 – though catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year.
• Catch-and-immediate-release season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open all year on nearly all waters (unless otherwise closed to fishing; check the current Michigan Fishing Guide for specifics).
• The possession season for bass opens statewide Saturday, May 25, except for Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, which open Saturday, June 15.

Before hitting the water, be sure to have the new fishing license for the current season, which opened April 1. The 2019 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2020.

The 2019 Michigan Fishing Guide and inland trout and salmon maps, along with plenty of other useful information, are available at Michigan.gov/Fishing. See the complete guide online or download it to your device for later use.

Questions? Contact Christian LeSage, 517-284-5830 or Elyse Walter, 517-284-5839.