Every year, thousands of anglers submit their biggest catches for Master Angler honors — and a patch to prove it. The DNR's Master Angler program results for 2025, available now, can be a great resource for finding big fish, the best times to fish for them and the most successful fishing methods.

The revamped Master Angler online application reduced errors and duplicate entries and made the submission process easier for anglers. Last year, 4,391 entries were approved from 3,577 anglers — a 25% increase in entries over 2024. While most awards went to Michigan residents, anglers from 30 other states across the country fished Michigan waters and participated in the program.

Lake Michigan had the most awards, but Master Angler fish were caught at 760 different bodies of water. The top five species submitted were:

• Bluegill (shown in photo, above)
• Crappie
• Pumpkinseed
• White bass
• Yellow perch

The Master Angler program includes more than 45 species. Applications for fish caught between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2026, will be accepted until Jan. 10, 2027.

When you’re ready to submit your catch, make sure you avoid the top two mistakes that can get your entry denied:

• Not ensuring that the fish meets the minimum length requirement for the species.
• Not including a photo of the fish on a standard measuring device, such as a tape measure.

To view the 2025 report, submit a qualifying catch or learn more about the program, visit Michigan.gov/MasterAngler.

Questions? Email MasterAngler@Michigan.gov.

With April 1 marking the start of the 2026-27 ORV season in Michigan, riders soon will head to west Michigan for a unique and fun off-road riding experience: cruising the sloping sand dunes while taking in awe-inspiring views of Lake Michigan at the Silver Lake State Park ORV Scramble Area in Mears.

If you’re planning an adventure at the park’s popular ORV dune area, keep safety top of mind — this 450-acre scramble area features terrain much different from our state’s traditional ORV trails and routes. Follow these Ride Right tips to keep everyone safe:

• “Keep your head on a swivel.” Make a concerted effort to scan and observe in all directions while on the dunes.
• Always practice situational awareness. Be aware of the potential hazards that could affect you and other riders.
• Know what is beyond the crest of a hill before traveling up and over it.
• Always operate within your abilities and your vehicle’s capabilities and keep your speed in check.
• Keep your wheels on the ground, and if you plan to stop/park, choose spots where you are visible from 360 degrees (avoid blind spots).
• Don’t “show off” for friends and family members or spectators.
• Stay inside your vehicle while in the ORV area.
• Be aware of any dune-riding fatigue you may experience. Most crashes and incidents on the dunes occur later in the day.

Find more information about ORV riding at Silver Lake and across the state at Michigan.gov/ORVInfo. Visit Michigan.gov/RideRight for more safety information.

Questions? Contact Jody Johnston at 231-873-3083.

Anglers, charter captains, resource professionals, local community members and others interested in current research and information related to the status of the Great Lakes fishery are invited to a series of April workshops (both virtual and in person).

Offered by Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan State University Extension, in partnership with the DNR Fisheries Division, the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local fishery organizations, the workshops will cover topics such as fish populations and angler catch data, forage or prey fish surveys, offshore fisheries and open-water fisheries, as well as updates on fisheries management, citizen science opportunities for anglers and a variety of regional topics.

Regions (meeting dates) include:

• Keweenaw Bay Fisheries Workshop (April TBD)
• Lake Erie/Lake St. Clair (April 9)
• Lake Michigan (April 13)
• Lake Huron (April 14)
• Lake Michigan (April 16)
• Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay (April 21)
• Lake Huron/Les Cheneaux Islands & St. Marys River (April 28)

Visit the Michigan Sea Grant fisheries workshops webpage for more information (including registration details) on each workshop.

“When I looked outside my window before, it just looked lame,” said Leo, a fourth grader from Lake Orion. “I look closer now after this field trip. It was the coolest thing I have ever experienced in my nine years I’ve been alive.”

Sometimes, as Leo found on his field trip to Bald Mountain Recreation Area, the best classrooms aren’t bound by four walls.

In case you missed it, a recent Showcasing the DNR story highlights Nature Awaits, a DNR program that invites fourth grade classes, at no charge to them, to a hands-on field trip at select Michigan state parks. Guided by environmental literacy best practices, the program aims to make sure Michigan’s kids learn that state parks are for everyone, and that time spent outdoors is good for physical and mental health.

In the program's first two years, Nature Awaits has helped 60,000-plus students get more comfortable outdoors, supported their academic engagement and, hopefully, sparked a lifelong love for our lands, waters, fish and wildlife. For many students, especially those from urban and low-income communities, it's their first visit to public lands or one of the Great Lakes. 

Read the full story: Expanding fourth-grade classrooms, one state park field trip at a time. 

Questions? Contact Nature Awaits coordinator Katie McGlashen at 734-496-2969.