# Pre-season fishing



## thumb fisherman (Jan 17, 2012)

Is it legal to pre season (catch and release) fish for trout in small streams in lower michigan. My buddy and I have been wondering. Having a hard time finding any information on it. If anyone could shed some light, id really appreciate it, thanks


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Probably illegal, if it is a small stream, with trout, most likely it is type 1. Type 1 are closed untill the last Saturday in April. I would call your local CO and ask if you cannot find out from the guide to just be sure.


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## Fowlersduckhunter (Oct 28, 2011)

unfortunately no....it is considered illegal to be actively fishing for any fish species outside of their closed season.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

yeah,,,mmm,,,i'd say no.


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## rcleofly (Feb 18, 2012)

I was asking the same question lol. I've always fished the Rogue catch and release above the gates. Along with many other fly fisherman. A cuple tickets were issued lastnite for the first time that anyone has known of. It kind of sucks. 2 weeks ago we had a huge hendrickson hatch and the caddis emergers have been amazing. Looks like its time to sit on the side lines. NOT ill fish below with drys for steelies 

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## fishinDon (May 23, 2002)

rcleofly said:


> I was asking the same question lol. I've always fished the Rogue catch and release above the gates. Along with many other fly fisherman. A cuple tickets were issued lastnite for the first time that anyone has known of. It kind of sucks. 2 weeks ago we had a huge hendrickson hatch and the caddis emergers have been amazing. Looks like its time to sit on the side lines. NOT ill fish below with drys for steelies
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


That is interesting, is it Type 4 above "the gates?" I am not familiar enough with the area to recognize that term...When I looked at the map online it looked like basically the whole mainstem of the Rogue was Type 4 water...

http://mi.gov/documents/dnr/2012_37_380776_7.pdf

We recently talked about this topic in the Coldwater Meetings and the idea of Catch and Release fishing in Type 4 water was specifically discussed as an alternative to an "early season" or opening the trout season up before last Sat in April...

Type 1 and Type 2 streams are different because the fishing season and posession seasons are both closed, not just posession like Type 4.

Don


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## carsonr2 (Jan 15, 2009)

The gates you refer to is that the dam in Rockford? If so that area upstream is open to trout fishing year round. Are you sure the tickets were written for fishing, or could it have been for possession of trout other than rainbows or maybe for an expired fishing license?

As Don alluded to on the link to the trout stream map, the area is open.....the only other regulatory page that is need of cross-checking is the individual County section which can be found here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/CountyListing-LakesStreams_380748_7.pdf

If you scroll to Kent County the only other specific it provides for the Rogue is noting that it is a Type 4 stream until the confluence with the Grand. It stretches up into Newaygo County as a Type 4 as well.

Regulations for the stream Type designations can be found here:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2012_pg23_380752_7.pdf


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## rcleofly (Feb 18, 2012)

All I know of when it comes to the tickets is here say. I was told by a buddy its do to a rule change. That's the reason I started the topic rule change. As far as I know its perfectly fine to fish a type 4. I've never had a problem. Yes the dam and gates are the same thing. There is flood control gates at the dam. The fishing above just keeps getting better and better.

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## carsonr2 (Jan 15, 2009)

rcleofly said:


> The fishing above just keeps getting better and better.



Shhhhh...lol...used to fish there quite a bit when I was younger and you're right I saw it get progressively better from the early 90's on.

Still have a number of friends who fish the stretch above the dam upstream regularly.


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