The Michigan Natural Resources Commission enacted regulation changes to Fisheries Orders 254 and 205, effective September 10, 2026, affecting inland trout, salmon, and lake sturgeon fishing rules.
Updates to Fisheries Order 254 clarify possession limits and better reflect the fish communities present in Michigan's inland lakes. For the Silver Lake Basin in Marquette County, Type B fishing regulations have been removed and general regulations now apply. The lake was evaluated and found to lack adequate habitat to support trout populations. Stocking ended in 2002 and the Silver Lake Dam failed in spring 2003. When the basin was refilled, the fish community shifted toward warmwater species such as smallmouth bass and northern pike.
The Type E classification has been updated to include salmon and specify a daily possession limit of three trout per day. Recent Atlantic salmon stocking activities have resulted in an emerging fishery in Torch Lake in Antrim County and connected waters.
Fisheries Order 205 updates align Michigan's regulations with Wisconsin's on the Menominee River in Dickinson, Iron, and Menominee counties. Catch-and-immediate-release seasons and possession seasons with specific limits and size requirements were established for different river sections to maintain fishing opportunities and simplify enforcement.
Anglers should check the digital version of the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations online at Michigan.gov/DNRRegs or in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app for the most current information, the agency said.