(LANSING) - Michigan anglers are starting the 2026 fishing license year today, and it comes with new regulations already in effect plus the possibility of higher license fees ahead.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says about 1.2 million people bought fishing licenses in 2025, a modest increase over the past decade even with a slight dip from 2024.
For the new season, several rule changes are now active, including a new five-fish daily limit on burbot statewide, tighter protections for lake trout and splake in parts of Lake Superior, and updated walleye slot limits on Upper Peninsula lakes.
The DNR has also expanded underwater spearfishing opportunities in additional waters of Lakes Erie, Superior and Michigan.
At the Capitol, lawmakers are still weighing whether to increase hunting and fishing license fees to boost long-term DNR funding.
A package that would raise multiple outdoor license fees previously advanced in the Senate but remains stalled in the Michigan House, while Governor Gretchen Whitmer has also continued pushing fee increases as part of the broader budget discussion.
For now, the current resident annual all-species fishing license remains $26, but anglers could be paying more if lawmakers move the proposal forward later this year.