Rainbow trout rules adjusted; turkey opener today in UP

Rainbow trout regulations now depend on the stream type and size of fish. If the trout is 20 inches or larger, the limit is one per day for Type 3 and 4 streams. Two were previously allowed.

The fish in Type 3 and 4 streams are usually larger than those found in Type 1 and 2 because they come from the Great Lakes to spawn. About 1,400 of Michigan’s nearly 1,600 trout streams are Type 1 and 2.

This change was put in place to protect fish that can grow to larger sizes, according to fisheries biologists.

Another change combines the daily possession limit for lake trout and splake in the Great Lakes and connecting waters because the species are very similar. The limits range from two to five, depending on the lake and region. Lake Superior has the greatest limit — five fish.

Muskellunge possession season opens June 1 and anglers are reminded there’s a mandatory reporting requirement. Register harvests online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or by phone at 888-636-7778.

The spring turkey hunt is underway in Wisconsin while the Upper Peninsula opener is today.

Hunters and public land users may be sharing fields and forests and need to be aware and alert of others in their area. Hunters should follow safety rules, and non-hunters enjoying public lands should consider wearing blaze orange or other high-visibility clothing.

“The most common mistake we see is hunters not being certain of their targets,” said Lt. Michael Weber, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warden. “It’s essential for hunters to positively identify they are shooting at a turkey and that it’s a safe shot.”

The Menominee and Peshtigo rivers saw a major walleye spawning event around April 10, the Wisconsin DNR said. Last weekend, the fish started to go downriver. In southern Marinette County anglers had success night fishing with crankbaits.

The Cisco Lake Boating Access Site maintained by the Michigan DNR in Gogebic County will be closed for the next few weeks until repairs can be made. Concrete planks in the launch area heaved and shifted over the winter due to ice and frost.

Cisco Lake can be accessed in the meantime via the Thousand Island Lake Boating Access Site, located about 9 miles southwest of the DNR’s Cisco Lake Boating Access Site off Thousand Island Lake Road.

For the latest information on DNR facility closures, go to Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.

The DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Perch anglers reported fair to good fishing along the east shoreline, using minnows or worms on perch rigs. Smallmouth anglers reported slow fishing, although some were able to find a few fish.

Manistique: Anglers reported catching suckers and found some steelhead. Most anglers were drifting beads.

Marquette: Recent fishing for coho salmon on the break wall seemed to slow. Boat anglers found some luck when fishing for coho salmon in the lower harbor, with anglers averaging about two fish per outing. Trolling blue and silver spoons as well as fire tiger stripe-patterned Rapalas all seemed to work well. Most fish were caught in 8 to 20 feet of water and closer to shore. Anglers who were floating down the Chocolay River did well catching steelhead and brown trout. The Carp River remained steady for steelhead and at the mouth, whitefish were reported to have been caught off crawlers. Spawn bags and wax worms did well for steelhead in both the Carp and Chocolay rivers, along with champagne or orange beads.

Au Train: The smelt were reported to have started moving up the rivers, with the coho salmon right behind them in the lake. Good numbers of coho salmon and steelhead were caught when trolling or casting. Most fish were caught in 8 to 20 feet of water and closer to shore. Blue and silver spoons were reported to have done well for coho salmon. Fire tiger or bright orange and gold Rapalas worked well for brown trout and steelhead out by the northwest side of the island and close to shore by the river mouths.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers who trolled and jigged for lake trout found some success during morning and afternoon hours. Other successful fishing trips included trolling for coho salmon and splake. Most fish were caught during the morning hours; however, fish were reported to be caught all day. As the water warms up and continues pushing out of rivers, expect smelt to begin moving for spawning.

South Portage Entry Canal/Big Traverse Bay: Anglers had good success during trolling and jigging events when targeting lake trout. Lake trout were found both below and above 100 feet of water and throughout the water column. Anglers had less luck when trolling for salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout.

St. Ignace: Boat anglers reported catching lake trout when using jigs with cut bait. The water level in the Carp River was reported to have declined, and smelt were yet to have run upriver.

Black River Harbor: Coho salmon and brown trout were reported to be the common catch by anglers, with coho salmon being caught in high numbers. Anglers reported an active bite when trolling artificial lures in shallow waters.