Capitol News

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has approved new trout fishing regulations for several inland lakes in the Upper Peninsula, effective October 10, 2025. The changes involve adjusting regulation types for four lakes and removing four others from the list of designated trout lakes.

According to the commission, these updates are intended to increase fishing opportunities for other species and better match the current fish populations in these waters. The Natural Resources Commission is a public body appointed by the governor and is responsible for regulating game and sportfish in Michigan.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries managers rely on fish survey data to guide their recommendations for regulation changes. These surveys help determine which rules should apply to specific waterbodies to benefit both the resource and anglers.

The modifications include:

- High Banks Lake (Chippewa County): Changed from Type A to Type B regulations, allowing year-round fishing with all tackle and bait types. A 2023 survey found panfish present in the lake, which was previously managed mainly for rainbow trout. The new regulations will let anglers use live bait to target panfish and permit ice fishing.

- Moon Lake (Luce County): Changed from Type D to Type A regulations due to a decline in average brook trout size. Type A lakes have a lower minimum size limit of 10 inches and a higher daily possession limit of up to five fish.

- South Kidney Lake (Marquette County): Modified from Type D to Type A regulations after a 2024 survey showed stocked brook trout were not reaching the previous minimum size limit. The change lowers the minimum size requirement, increases the daily possession limit, and allows bait use except for minnows.

- Strawberry Lake (Marquette County): Also changed from Type D to Type A regulations following a 2024 survey that indicated slow growth among stocked brook trout. This adjustment reduces the minimum size limit, raises the daily possession cap, and removes an artificial-only gear restriction.

Four waterbodies—Brians Pond (Alger County), Section 13 Lake (Marquette County), Cedar Lake (Marquette County), and Sawaski Pond (Alger County)—have been removed from the list of designated trout lakes because they lack suitable habitat for supporting trout populations. These locations will now be managed for warmwater species under general fishing regulations.

Anglers are advised that these updates do not appear in the printed version of the 2025 Michigan Fishing Regulations. For current information, they should consult the digital version online at Michigan.gov/DNRRegs or use the Michgan DNR Hunt Fish app.

"Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries managers use fish survey data to determine which regulations should apply to a waterbody and recommend changes to the NRC when necessary to benefit the resource and angling community," according to department officials.