April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources kicked off the 2023 fishing season on April 1st and is reminding anglers to purchase a new license before hitting the water.

The 2023 fishing licenses are valid through March 31st, 2024. You must purchase a fishing license if you are 17 years of age or older to fish.

Annual all-species resident licenses are $26. Daily all species resident/nonresident are $10/day (you set the date/time for the license to start).


Fishing and hunting licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and purchasing via the app.

Michigan DNR Hunt Fish, an official app of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, gives you a mobile path to buy and store hunting, fishing, ORV and snowmobile licenses and permits, report harvests, access guides and digests, and outdoor recreation updates.


2023 fishing seasons throughout the state include the statewide trout opener and the Lower Peninsula inland walleye and northern pike seasons on Saturday, April 29th.

In Upper Peninsula waters, the walleye and northern pike seasons open Monday, May 15th.

Michigan’s muskellunge possession season on all Great Lakes, inland waters, the St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers opens Saturday, June 3rd. (Remember that catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year).

The catch-and-immediate-release season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open all year on nearly all waters (unless otherwise closed to fishing – check the current Michigan Fishing Guide for specifics).

The possession season for bass opens statewide Saturday, May 27th, except for Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and the Detroit rivers which open Saturday, June 17th.

The 2023 Michigan Fishing Guide and Inland Trout & Salmon Maps are available online along with a lot of other helpful fishing information – including fishing locations, species identification and tips for beginners – at Michigan.gov/Fishing.

The DNR also provides a weekly fishing report with updated fishing conditions around the state. The report can be found at the provided link.