12-28-2022 6:16pm

Walleye Season Change Starts Jan. 1

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the possession season for walleye will be open year-round on the lower Saginaw River in Bay and Saginaw counties from the mouth of the river, upstream to West Center Street (Douglas G. Schenk) Bridge.

The same regulation is in effect on the Lake Huron waters of MH-4 (see page 20 of the 2022 fishing guide) including Saginaw Bay. The daily possession limit for walleye remains at eight walleye with a 13-inch minimum size limit on these same waters.

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved this regulation Dec. 9, 2021, to increase fishing and harvest opportunities on the Saginaw Bay walleye population. Prior to this new regulation, the season used to close March 16 and reopen the last Saturday in April.

For current regulations, anglers are encouraged to view and refer to the digital version of the fishing guide at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests. The fishing guide and other helpful resources also are available by downloading the new Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.

The DNR manages Michigan’s fisheries resources for current and future generations by making scientific, research-based decisions and regulatory recommendations. Regulations are one tool the DNR uses to implement management strategies to protect, conserve and improve Michigan’s fisheries. Learn more about these efforts at Michigan.gov/Fishing.