What changed in Michigan fishing for 2026

Updated June 2026. This page is the annual anchor — we refresh it each spring when the new regulations take effect April 1. In the official digest, every change is printed in red.

The 2026 changes

• One lake trout at Stannard Rock and Big Reef (Lake Superior). The new daily limit at the legendary offshore reefs is one lake trout or splake, combined.
• New walleye rules on Lake Independence and Teal Lake (Marquette County): 15-inch minimum, a protected 18–23-inch slot (those go back), five daily with only one over 23 inches.
• A new lake sturgeon catch-and-immediate-release season on the Menominee River, from the Grand Rapids Dam to the Sturgeon Falls Dam. It runs the first Saturday in June into early March — a milestone for a recovering fish.
• Underwater spearfishing expanded to more Great Lakes waters (walleye, pike, and lake trout on designated waters). It requires a free annual underwater spearfishing license, with monthly reporting.
• The bead rule. A bead on the hook, or pegged within 4 inches above a single-pointed hook, is now legally part of the lure. A steelhead-rigging question, settled in plain language.
• Assorted single-lake changes around the state — printed in red in the digest, and exactly why the “check your water” habit matters.

Watch list (not settled)

• License fees. The FY2027 budget proposed the first increases since 2014 (resident annual $26 → $30 proposed), and fee bills have been moving in the Legislature. Until something is enacted, current prices apply — confirm at checkout.
• Great Lakes lake trout limits refresh every May 1 under joint state-tribal management. They’re never a “set and forget” number.
• Steelhead regulations are actively evolving as populations are studied. Check the current digest every year.

The signpost

Rules change every year. The official Michigan Fishing Regulations live at Michigan.gov/Fishing — new edition every April 1, changes in red. Start with Fishing in Michigan, explained, and see the hunting side at What changed in Michigan hunting for 2026.