• February 18 & 19: 2017 Winter Free Fishing Weekend! Events are located throughout the state -- check out the one closest to you! #MiFreeFishingWeekend
• Join winter fishing programs at DNR Visitor Centers and state parks! From ice fishing to fishing rod building workshops -- there are different programs at every location! 
• Check out this video: How-To, ice fishing for panfish and pike! Learn the basics of going ice fishing; including wearing the right clothing and bringing the right equipment. 

1. Lake Superior’s volume is roughly 3 quadrillion gallons. That’s a lot of water – although it is Michigan’s largest Great Lake! 
2. Walleye prefer water temperatures at 55 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, you’ll rarely find them in waters deeper than 50 feet. 
3. Michigan’s Winter Free Fishing Weekend has been celebrated each year since 1994. It followed the Summer Free Fishing Weekend celebration which started in 1986. 
4. Lake sturgeon are the only sturgeon species common to the Great Lakes basin. This threatened species is strictly managed in Michigan to protect it for future generations. 
   

• Take snacks to keep your energy up while ice fishing, but make sure you don’t leave any kind of trash behind out on the ice – and if you see any trash left by someone else – pick it up and dispose of it into a garbage bag at the lake or at home. The fish and other wildlife species will thank you for it! Remember to recycle any materials that you can.
• Take an adult fishing! If you are younger than 17 you don’t have to purchase a fishing license but all of those age 17 and over must have one. The funds collected from purchasing a fishing license provide fisheries biologists and managers resources to improve the habitat of our lakes, rivers and streams as well as rear fish in our state fish hatcheries!
• Our homes use a lot of energy in the winter to keep us warm. Remember to turn off lights in rooms you aren’t using and quickly open and close doors to the outside to prevent heat from escaping your home. Energy Stewardship!
• A long, hot shower or full bath of warm water may feel especially good in the winter, but think about all the water you are wasting. Winter is the perfect time to get in the habit of saving water! Play this game to learn about water savings! Water Stewardship! 

Northern Pike are toothy predators most commonly associated with the weedy shallows of both the Great Lakes and inland waters. In rivers, they are often found around log jams or fallen timber.

Northern Pike are members of the Pike family (Esocidae), with cousins the Muskellunge and Grass Pickerel. As predators, Northern Pike can have significant impact on their prey species. As with Muskies, pike lurk in the cover of vegetation in lakes clear, shallow, warm waters near shore, although they retreat somewhat deeper in midsummer. Pike consume large numbers of smaller fish - about 90 percent of their diet - but seem willing to supplement their diet with any living creature their huge jaws can surround, including frogs, crayfish, waterfowl, rodents and other small mammals. Their preferred forage fish are Yellow Perch, sunfishes, minnows and suckers.

Pike are popular quarry of ice fishermen. Though they are primarily pursued with tip-ups, baited with live minnows or suckers, they can be taken with rod and reel, either jigging or fishing with bait. Pike are a prime target of spear fishermen as well, who often use decoys or suspend suckers below their shanties to lure pike within range in relatively shallow water.

For more information on Northern Pike, check out their Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them website.