# Catch & Release Bass Season



## Little Roober (Jun 17, 2004)

Can anyone tell me when the catch and release season starts? I'm going to my uncle's and there's more bass than gills.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

*STATEWIDE COOLWATER REGULATIONS 
Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass*, Northern Pike, Walleye, 
Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch

Under the authority of sections 41101 through 41105 of Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, as amended, being sections 324.41101 through 324.41105 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources on November 3, 2005 ordered that for a period of five years the statewide size limits, possession limits and seasons on all state waters shall be as listed below, except as otherwise ordered:

STATEWIDE SIZE and POSSESSION LIMITS: (except as otherwise provided)

SPECIES / MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT / POSSESSION LIMIT

Largemouth bass* Smallmouth bass* 14 inches

Walleye* 15 inches** 5 in combination*

Northern pike* 24 inches

Flathead catfish* 15 inches

Muskellunge 42 inches 1

Channel catfish 12 inches 10

Yellow perch No size limit 50

* The possession limit for these species is 5 fish singly or in any combination, except as follows:

a. St. Clair River (beginning at the Ft. Gratiot Light) and Lake St. Clair: one (1) additional walleye may be taken from the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair.

b. Little Bay de Noc: no more than one (1) walleye over 23 may be possessed from Little Bay de Noc north of a line drawn from Peninsula Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the Ford River.

c. Michigan waters of Green Bay: from the mouth of the Menominee River northward to the latitudinal line (45 degrees/15 minutes) located approximately 3 miles south of Rochereau Point: from March 2 - Friday before 1st Saturday in May the daily possession limit is 1 walleye and from the 1st Saturday in May  March 1 the daily possession limit is 5 walleye.

c. St. Joseph River: no more than one (1) walleye over 23 may be possessed from the St. Joseph River below Berrien Springs Dam to the mouth at St. Joseph/Benton Harbor.

d. No more than two (2) of which may be northern pike, except the limit is five fish on those waters where northern pike may be taken at any size (refer to FO-214).

** The minimum size limit on Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River shall be 13 inches.

STATEWIDE SEASONS (except as otherwise provided)  A person shall not take, catch, or kill or attempt to take, catch or kill any of the fish of the species named below except during the open seasons specified below:

*1. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass*

a. Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River, Detroit River: From the last Sat. in April to the Fri. before the 3rd Sat. in June, catch and immediate release fishing is permitted. All bass caught during this period must be immediately returned to the water. The open possession season is 3rd Sat. in June to December 31;

b. On Lake Michigan, within one-half mile of the following islands of the Beaver Island Archipelago, Beaver, Garden, High and Hog, Charlevoix County: The open season is July 1 to December 31. Catch and immediate release fishing is not permitted on these waters prior to the open season;

c. All other waters: From the *last Sat. in April to the Fri. before Memorial Day* on all waters in the Lower Peninsula (including Lower Peninsula Great Lakes waters), and from May 15 to Fri. before Memorial Day on all waters in the Upper Peninsula (including Upper Peninsula Great Lakes waters), *catch and immediate release fishing is permitted. Bass caught during this period must be immediately returned to the water. The open possession season is Sat. before Memorial Day to December 31.*

2. Walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge (including tiger muskellunge).

a. In all Upper Peninsula waters including the surrounding Great Lakes and connecting waters not otherwise closed to fishing the open season shall be from May 15 to February 28, except:

For walleye only and only in waters of Green Bay, the following regulations apply to the harvest of walleye taken from Michigan waters of Green Bay from the mouth of the Menominee River northward to the latitudinal line (45 degrees/15 minutes) located approximately 3 miles south of Rochereau Point: from March 2 - Friday before 1st Saturday in May the daily possession limit is 1 walleye and from the 1st Saturday in May  March 1 the daily possession limit is 5 walleye.

b. In all Lower Peninsula inland waters not otherwise closed to fishing the open season shall be from the last Sat. in April to March 15.

c. In all Lower Peninsula Great Lakes and connecting waters not otherwise closed to fishing, the open season shall be year around, except: the open season for muskellunge in Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers shall be from the first Sat. in June to December 15.

3. Flathead and channel catfish: Open all year.

4. Yellow perch: Open all year.

This order is assigned number FO-215.06 and is titled Statewide Coolwater Regulations for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch.

This order supersedes the order entitled Statewide Coolwater Regulations for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch effective April 1, 2004, and assigned number FO-215.04.

This order rescinds the order entitled "Southern Michigan Catch and Release Bass Fishing" effective April 1, 2004, and assigned number FO-238.04.

This order shall take effect on April 1, 2006, and shall remain effective through March 31, 2011.


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## Little Roober (Jun 17, 2004)

Thank you Boehr.


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