The Department of Natural Resources today reminded anglers that a new fishing license season begins Monday, April 1. All 2012 fishing licenses expire on March 31, 2013.

Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses and prices are unchanged from 2012. Fishing license options include:

24-hour license (good for all species)

72-hour license (good for all species)

Restricted license (good for the entire season for all species except trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, lake herring,

amphibians, reptiles or crustaceans)

All-species license (good for the entire season for all species)

Visit the online version of the 2013 Fishing Guide for license fee details.

Fishing license fees fund a variety of activities, including fish management work on Michigan’s waters, habitat rehabilitation and protection, fish stocking, information distribution, education and outreach efforts to anglers and the public, and much more. Fisheries Division does not receive any general funds and depends on angler fees, through license sales and federal excise tax dollars for fishing tackle, to manage Michigan’s fisheries. The purchase of a fishing license, even for someone who does not plan to fish, can make a big difference to the future health of Michigan’s prized waters and fisheries.

There are three simple ways to purchase a fishing license in Michigan:

1. Visit a local license retailer or DNR Operations Service Center and make a purchase in person.

2. Use the E-License system to buy a license online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just visit www.mdnrelicense.com to get started.

3. Visit the Mobile Fish website on your smartphone at www.mi.gov/fish to buy a 24-hour all-species fishing license. All that’s needed is the purchaser’s driver’s license number and a credit or debit card.

For more information on fishing in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/fishing.

The Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that a new license season begins Sunday, April 1. Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses and prices are unchanged from 2011. Fishing license options include:

• 24-hour license (good for all species).

• 72-hour license (good for all species).

• Season-long restricted license (good for all species except trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles or crustaceans).

• Season-long, all-species license (good for all species). An additional (free) lake sturgeon tag is required of anglers who fish for or target lake sturgeon.

Fishing license dollars fund a variety of activities, including fish management work on Michigan’s waters, habitat rehabilitation and protection, fish stocking, information distribution, education and outreach efforts to anglers and the public, and much more. Fisheries Division does not receive any general funds and depends on angler dollars, through license sales and federal excise tax dollars for fishing tackle, to manage Michigan’s fisheries. Buying a fishing license even if you do not plan to fish can make a big difference to the future health of Michigan’s prized freshwaters.

There are three simple ways to purchase a fishing license in Michigan:

* Visit your local license retailer or DNR Operations Service Center and make a purchase in person.

* Use the E-License system to buy a license online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just visit www.mdnr-elicense.com to get started.

* Visit the Mobile Fish website on your smartphone (www.mi.gov/fish) to buy a 24-hour all-species fishing license. All you need is your driver’s license number and a credit or debit card.

For more information on fishing in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/fishing.

The Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that a new license season begins Friday, April 1.

Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses. Anglers should know that lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles, and crustaceans have been added to the all-species fishing license requirement.  Anglers may opt for a 24-hour license (good for all species), 72-hour license (good for all species), a season-long restricted license (good for all species except trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles or crustaceans), or a season-long, all-species license (good for all species).  An additional (free) lake sturgeon tag is required of anglers who fish for or target lake sturgeon. License prices remain unchanged from 2010.

A number of new regulations have been adopted for 2011-12, including a new possession limit, which allows anglers to possess, in addition to one day’s daily possession limit of fish, an additional two daily possession limits of fish taken during previous fishing days provided that the additional limits of fish are processed (canned, cured by smoking or drying, or frozen).

There is an additional 81 miles of designated trout streams that had new modifications to the type of gear allowed. Some of those streams have seasonal gear restrictions. Please see the 2011 Michigan Fishing Guide for details.

There are two changes to the 2011 Fishing Guide that go into effect beginning May 1:

•    The daily possession limit for walleyes on Lake Erie will increase to six (up from five).

•    The maximum size for lake trout and splake in management unit MH-1 in northern Lake Huron will be 24 inches (down from 27 inches), except one fish may measure 32 inches or longer.

Both changes were made when new data became available after the 2011 Fishing Guide went to press. For more information, visit the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.