# Private man made lake - fishing laws?????



## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

My sister lives in a subdivision that has a 10-15 acre man made lake. This lake has many houses from their subdivision surrounding it. It has always been a catch and release lake since it's been established about 8 years ago. Because the lake is now over run with blue gills, the association now decided that they want people to start harvesting the fish. 

My question is, do we have to obide by the states fishing laws and catch limits on this 100% private man made lake? Same as any public lake?

I watch my nephews (3 &5 )fish it and it's absolutely amazing. They wade in up to their ankles. Drop, not cast, a hook in baited with anything (mostly hotdogs) and about 40-60 gills will swarm their bait and steal the hotdog in a matter of 1 second. Their catch rate is about 1 out of 10, but it's still fun to watch them. 

I talked to the president of the association and he told me I have a open invitation to fish the lake anytime and he wants me to keep as many fish as I can. I fished it the other day and caught over a hundred fish, but only took home about 18 keepers. Tons of dinks!


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## foxriver6 (Oct 23, 2007)

If the lake is 100% private property surrounded, if the lake has never been stocked using public funds, if the lake does not have an inlet or outlet where fish can escape or enter, state fishing laws do not apply.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Stock it with either bass or pike to help keep those gills under control. If nature is allowed to hit the balance, it will have a good number of decent sized gills and some nice alpha predators. Removing too many of either will ruin the fishing again.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

foxriver6 said:


> If the lake is 100% private property surrounded, if the lake has never been stocked using public funds, if the lake does not have an inlet or outlet where fish can escape or enter, state fishing laws do not apply.


 
Sweeeet! Thanks!


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

ESOX said:


> Stock it with either bass or pike to help keep those gills under control. If nature is allowed to hit the balance, it will have a good number of decent sized gills and some nice alpha predators. Removing too many of either will ruin the fishing again.


 
I've caught a few nice large mouth, one 23 inch pike and one 7-8 lbs cat fish. You should have seen my newphews eyes when I brought up the big cat. "Uncle Tom caught the cat monster fish from the deep"! :lol:


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Well, I posted a comment on here once today but it is somehow gone now? Not sure how that happens?

The Michigan fishing regulations do not have any language directed towards private lakes. They refer to all inland waters to be waters of the state.

I agree that privately stocked lakes should not be regulated by anyone other than those that stocked it but I would advise against breaking any existing Michigan fishing regulations. Whenever I am in doubt with issues such as this I call the local MDNRE field office. That simple phone call and question is worth the price of a ticket if my original thought was wrong.


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

The Downstream Drift said:


> Well, I posted a comment on here once today but it is somehow gone now? Not sure how that happens?


It was deleted because the information you posted was incorrect. This has been answered a number of times by active and retired CO's. The information that foxriver6 posted is correct.

Please read the sticky above "Laws Verses Opinions"......


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