Catch a Fish for Free this Weekend
Courtesy: Michigan DNR
There is nothing like sitting on a boat or a dock, casting a fishing line, and relaxing by the water. Michigan’s hundreds of lakes, and thousands of miles of rivers and stream will begin to fill with fishing enthusiasts for a favorite way to pass the time. This weekend the state will offer anglers the chance to get out on the water without the need for a fishing license. Free fishing weekend is a great chance to get out and explore Michigan’s lakes and streams in search of the perfect catch.
“Minnesota’s the land of 10,000 lakes. And Michigan is the land of 11,000 lakes. So we have a lot of places that to fish in. Lakes, river. If you go to our website there’s some lists of family friendly fishing spots throughout the state. And they’re places that you have a likelihood of catching a fish. There’s great places to take the kids. We also have on the website a database that shows where we’ve stocked fish in the great lakes. Brook trout, and any other kind of fish that we stock. And that database can help people figure out where they want to go.” – John Pepin, Michigan DNR Communications and Information Officer
The Upper Peninsula is a region full of incredible trout, walleye, deep water fishing, and bass. One of the most sought after fish in the state though is Splake. A unique fish found in lake superior, that is a cross between a lake trout and brook trout. They closely resemble brook trout in color and pattern, but will have a forked tail fin similar to lake trout. This year the Michigan DNR is asking anglers to report Splake catches to help the department accurately count the fish population.
“Sportsmen play a big role in population counts, cause they’re the ones out looking for the fish. Catching the fish. And those reports are very helpful to us. this is just one effort we have for fishers reporting their catch. Lots of the time we have a wide range of species that we ask anglers to report. When anglers catch a splake they should inspect it for missing fins, or a jaw-bone clip, and that indicates the marking on them. But people love to catch them. they’re fun, and good eating. And we’re asking folk to report those catches to us, as we’re studying splake and their population movements throughout the lakes. In particular in Lake Superior.” – John Pepin, Michigan DNR Communications and Information Officer
Free fishing weekend sure sounds like fun around the state of Michigan, and especially in the upper peninsula. Be sure to check out the michigan dnr’s fishing regulations and other fishing information on the state’s website