# Fishing Regulations Approved for Yellow Perch and Sylvania Wilderness Area



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 12 September 2005

CONTACT:
Todd Grischke 517-373-6762
Richard Morscheck 517-373-9265

Fishing Regulations Approved for Yellow Perch and Sylvania Wilderness Area

Current fishing regulations for yellow perch in Lake Michigan and for all species in the Sylvania Wilderness Area in the Ottawa National Forest in Gogebic County will remain in place for the 2006 fishing season. Department of Natural Resources Director Rebecca Humphries signed the fisheries orders at the recent Natural Resources Commission meeting in Houghton.

Under the order for yellow perch in Lake Michigan, the current possession limit of 35 fish will remain in place. "Although perch populations have experienced a decline in the past decade, current evidence shows that perch populations may be improving and there is no scientific justification to change the possession limit at this time," Humphries said.

The Sylvania Wilderness Area, a popular destination for outdoors enthusiasts, has restrictive regulations that have aided in providing a quality fishery throughout the area, Humphries said. The order she signed extends those regulations, which include the following:

* Lake trout must be at least 30 inches.
* Walleye must be at least 20 inches.
* Northern pike must be at least 30 inches.
* All other species have no size limit unless otherwise regulated.
* Anglers may possess not more than one northern pike, walleye or lake trout.
* Anglers may possess 10 singly or in any combination of all other species unless otherwise regulated.
* Largemouth or smallmouth bass must be immediately returned to the water without injury.
* Possession of any bass, regardless of where it was taken, is prohibited on the special provision lakes of the Sylvania area.
* Only hook and line fishing is permitted in the Sylvania Wilderness Area.
* Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used for fishing.
* Live bait, dead or preserved bait, organic or processed food or scented material may not be possessed at any time on the waters or shore of special provision lakes in the Sylvania Wilderness Area.

The order lists the special provision lakes of Sylvania as: Banks, East Bear, West Bear, Clark, Corey, Cub, Deer Island, Dorothy, Elsie, Fisher, Florence, Germain, Glimmerglass, Golden Silence, Hay, Helen, High, Honey, Katherine, Kerr, Jay, Johnston Springs, Liluis, Lois, Loon, Louise, Marsh, Moss, Mountain, Snap Jack, Trapper and Whitefish.

For more information on current fishing regulations, visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr and check under the Fishing section.

The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural resources for current and future generations.


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