Michigan's Free Ice Fishing Weekend is Coming Up

You can fish for free Feb. 13 and 14th and a license is not required. Residents and out-of-state visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes waters for all species of fish.

The Michigan DNR says all fishing license fees will be waived those two days, though all other fishing regulations will still apply.

Also, a Recreation Passport will not be required for entry into state parks and boating access sites during Free Fishing Weekend.

If you're a first-timer, the Michigan DNR offers info about ice fishing, including safety tips and the equipment you will need here.

Of course, you always need to be mindful of weather conditions if you're heading out to go ice fishing! Not to deter anyone, but just so you're aware of how careful you have to be -- this week, just before the current storm rolled through, 66 anglers got stranded on Lake Michigan ice floes that became detached from the shore off the coast of Wisconsin. Luckily, The U.S. Coast Guard and other authorities swung into action and created a massive plan to get everyone off the ice ahead of the storm.

The next Free Fishing Weekend in Michigan is going to be this summer, June 12-13, 2021.