The new fishing license and regulation season started April 1. The 2023 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2024. Fishing licenses can be found at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. The 2023 Michigan Fishing Guide and inland trout and salmon maps are available online along with a lot of other helpful fishing information — including fishing locations, species identification and tips for beginners can be located at Michigan.gov/Fishing.
Fishing Seasons 2023 Timeline
- Statewide trout opener and the Lower Peninsula inland walleye and northern pike seasons all open Saturday, April 29.
- In the U.P.’s waters, the walleye and northern pike seasons open Monday, 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 3. (catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year).
- The 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 27, except for Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and the Detroit rivers, which open Saturday, June 17.