# Private lake fishing question



## thundrst (Oct 7, 2007)

A coworker is telling me that he does NOT need to buy a fishing license because he only fishes on a private lake (several individual property owners around the lake). I am almost 100% certain he is wrong, but could not seem to find it written in the humungus regulation book. Can anyone post a link with the verbage about this? Thanks in advance. JH


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## bornforsurvival (Jul 30, 2013)

My understanding is if you are fishing in Michigan, you need a license.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

he is wrong.


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## ReallyBigFish (May 8, 2014)

Needs a license


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## Take'm (Dec 6, 2011)

You do not need a license to fish a private lake/pond, assuming that there is no public access to the lake and the DNR has never planted any fish in the lake during prior years.

Think for example that on your property you dig a pond and plant fish in it. Are you required to have a license to catch your own fish? Same theory applies here. I cannot dig to point out the regulations, just know it to be true.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

No license needed if it's truely 100% private and never been stocked by tax-payer $$$ (state of mi).

Also...limits and regulations don't apply.


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

It has to be 100% on "your private" property as like if you own 100 acres and have a 5 acre pond/lake on it than no you don't need a liscense.

Private lakes u still need a liscense even if your one of the few property owners cause you "don't" own the water. 

If the body of water is all on and surrounded by ur land than u dont. 
Cause it's ur water 

So to answer ur question ur buddy is wrong and needs a liscense to fish on a private lake even if he owns it. That is unless he owns the lake all the property surrounding it along with all the other houses


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I live at a 350 acre private lake. No public access. No inlet or out let. All fish have been planted by the lake assn. 

No one with permission needs a fishing license to fish. They do need a license if they are going to transport their catch from the lake. 

I do not know why that is but that is the way I understand transporting the catch from the lake.


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

multibeard said:


> I live at a 350 acre private lake. No public access. No inlet or out let. All fish have been planted by the lake assn.
> 
> No one with permission needs a fishing license to fish. They do need a license if they are going to transport their catch from the lake.
> 
> I do not know why that is but that is the way I understand transporting the catch from the lake.


I've always been under impression that it had to be on property that u soley own and is surrounded by ur own private property. I could be wrong

Maybe (dead short) can chime in on this


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

gatorman841 said:


> .................. I could be wrong
> 
> .................


No one is right all of the time. There are a lot of private lakes in Michigan that have multiple owners. No license, no limits, no rules except for what the association sets for themselves, if any.

L & O


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## knu2xs (Mar 29, 2014)

multibeard said:


> No one with permission needs a fishing license to fish. They do need a license if they are going to transport their catch from the lake.


I didn't know the above, but thought that it might be the case. That's why, even though I fish a private lake, with no inlet or outlet, I make sure I follow legal limits and have my fishing license on me when traveling to & from the lake.


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

Liver and Onions said:


> No one is right all of the time. There are a lot of private lakes in Michigan that have multiple owners. No license, no limits, no rules except for what the association sets for themselves, if any.
> 
> L & O



Thanks L & O I wasn't aware of that


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## thundrst (Oct 7, 2007)

I always thought that you had to own 100% of the property yourself, but could not find that written anywhere.

A lot of you brought up some good points too, like catch and release vs. keeping/transporting, and DNR or public $ going into stocking or maintaining the lake, inlet & outlets etc. I thought of another scenario...what if a single owner or corp. owned a lake then split up the lakefront & sold it.

I think my coworkers lake is owned by a homeowners association and he only catches and releases. Not sure on the inlet/outlet or history of any public $, but I/he can find out.

Thanks again everyone & if you know of a link or a site that may clarify all this, let me know. If he is supposed to have a license I will do my best to convince him to buy one (will likely do that anyway - he's better off safe than sorry & the $ will go to a good cause). If I can show it to him in writing, however, I'm sure he'll buy one right away.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

As far as I know sizes seasons etc. still apply to our private lake.

Some of the fools think that because it is private, boat registration is not needed.

I have news for them as the county boat cops can and will write them tickets good for a trip to the judge.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

I'm still going with if there's more than one land owner to the lake, you need a license. i ice fish a small privite 12 acre lake & the DNr has been out there before


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

jimbo said:


> I'm still going with if there's more than one land owner to the lake, you need a license. i ice fish a small privite 12 acre lake & the DNr has been out there before


The DNR is welcome on our lake. they know that we do not have to have a license but can and will enforce others laws 

The county boat patrol shows up quite often. If you want to see the idiot jet skiers disappear just let them see the blue light o the Sherriff's boat.

Our lake was man made back in the late 60's as a development with some where around 300 lots. Some water front but way more off water that have access.

I do have a license to cover transporting if that is really an issue. Any one that fishes with me does not need a license as we never exceed my limit of fish when we go out. 

The only way not having a license could be a real issue is if I was transporting uncleaned fish some where away from the lake with no proof that I actually caught them on our lake. I could have caught them any where with out a license.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

multibeard said:


> As far as I know sizes seasons etc. still apply to our private lake.
> 
> ............


No seasons, no size limits unless the association wants to establish some limits.

http://michiganlakes.msue.msu.edu/f...hnopubliclandaroundit.DoIneedafishinglicsense

L & O


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

multibeard said:


> ............
> 
> Some of the fools think that because it is private, boat registration is not needed.
> 
> .............


I will add that not all boats need to be registered. However, registration applies to boats on both private and public where registration is needed.

L & O


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## Take'm (Dec 6, 2011)

To solve this discussion once and for all.... please see the link noted below:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Water97e_142928_7.pdf

You are interested in section B, beginning on page 13. If truly private, as described in the linked attachment, then no license is required. You can harvest as many fish as you desire and can transport them as you desire. You MAY face sanctions (ticket) if you do not have adequate proof of where you harvested said fish if you have an abundant amount.

A good read for all on this topic.


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