Michigan's new fishing license and regulation season begins Wednesday, April 1, so if you’re planning to hit the water, you’ll need to purchase a new fishing license. The 2026 fishing licenses are available for purchase now and are valid through March 31, 2027.

Fishing licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and purchasing through the app.

All anglers ages 17 and older are required to have a fishing license to fish public waters in Michigan.

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Tittabawassee River: There was a lot of ice coming down the river, making fishing difficult. Anglers reported some success but most reported tough fishing. The Center Road boat launch still has a lot of ice, leaving anglers waiting for better conditions.

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Along the east side of the bay, from Fish Point to Sand Point and inside the islands, anglers cautioned that there were some bad spots and even open pockets of water in places. With the incoming warm weather and potential rain, anglers are encouraged to use caution.

Anglers fishing nearshore around the Sebewaing area and Wildfowl Bay continued to catch some yellow perch, but fishing was hit or miss for many. Some anglers who put in many hours and fished multiple days reported good catches, but many came in with fewer than five perch. Beaded spoons and minnows were popular baits used.

Lower Saginaw Bay: Walleye were caught near Thomas and Vasser Roads in 17 feet of water, with some fish falling within the slot limit. About five miles out from Finn Road, a few walleye were caught in 14 feet of water. Near Bay City State Park, some anglers caught a few walleye along the edge of the shipping channel but fishing was overall slow.

Saginaw River: Most good ice has disappeared completely. Conditions are changing every day. Anglers pushed boats in at Wickes Park. There were a few walleye reported around the convergence, anglers targeted them with jig head and twister tail combinations tipped with a minnow.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

No reports.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas/Au Gres: Fishing in Tawas was slow overall. Schools of small perch on the weed beds, with not a lot of big fish were marked. Those fishing the reef and by the state dock reported no luck.

A few walleye were caught in the Au Gres area by those who were able to get out in the evening. Anglers in the Standish area reported a few walleye taken in the shallower water along with a few perch. Ice conditions are deteriorating by the day.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

No reports.

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Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers reported fair fishing this week. There were reports of walleye in areas from Gladstone into the outer bay. Anglers reported catching fish on shallow flats during the early morning hours and at dusk. They also reported doing well at the bottom of drop-offs. Anglers were using set lines with shiners and sucker minnows, as well as jigging snap-style glide baits and spoons.

Yellow perch fishing improved this week, and anglers reported having the best success fishing the upper bay. They were using wigglers and minnows, fished close to the bottom.

Les Cheneaux Islands: Anglers caught a wide variety of fish throughout the islands. Good numbers of perch were caught in Hessel Bay, Urie Bay, Government Bay, and Moscow Channel. Every day was different, and the fish were on the move. Big pike were reported in Wilderness Bay over the weekend. Anglers also caught a few splake and lake trout, along with a few herring were in Hessel Bay. The perch fishing was reported as hit or miss.

Munising: The coho salmon bite remained steady throughout the bay with anglers reporting good success. The whitefish bite reportedly picked up as anglers reported some success when targeting them. The perch and splake bite was fair with a lot of smaller ones being caught. Anglers did well on smelt, along with a few burbot at night. Popular baits were wax worms and minnows.

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers reported fair to good numbers of both lake trout and cisco being caught, along with a few undersized splake. Success was also reported by those targeting burbot and smelt within the last week. Coho salmon and whitefish anglers reported slow fishing, with better success noted during the morning hours. Common baits among successful anglers included minnows, spawn, cut herring, and smelt.

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Fishing tip: Changing winds

Pay close attention to wind direction. In March, strong winds can push slightly warmer surface water and baitfish into certain shorelines or bays, concentrating walleye and perch in those areas. Fishing the windblown side of a lake or bay can often produce better results than calm water.

Also, don’t be afraid to move frequently. Early spring fish tend to roam, so drilling multiple holes on the ice or making short moves by boat can help you stay on active fish instead of waiting for them to come to you.

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This report is intended to give you an idea of fishing conditions around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and conservation officers. With nearly 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams in Michigan, not all locations can be listed.