April 1 begins a new set of fishing regulations for Wisconsin anglers.
DNR Fisheries Management policy specialist Meredith Penthorn, outlines one key change...
"One of the larger ones is a statewide catch-and-release bass season that will pretty much occur at all times of the year when there's not a harvest season ongoing. That catch-and-release season will apply on boundary waters, inland waters, Great Lakes, pretty much across the state. It will go into effect April 1...."
The closing date of the muskellunge fishing season will be Dec. 31 on open water in the northern zone north of US Highway 10, including Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters and outlying waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. Open water is considered to include any conditions that do not allow ice to be used as a platform for fishing.
There's another change in muskie rules on the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters...
"The season will open on June 1. The minimum length limit will be 50 inches for the most part. There's still water where it will remain at 54 inches, so that will not change. But for other waters it will be going to a fifty inch minimum length limit on the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters..."
The daily bag limit for cisco and whitefish will change from 25 pounds and one fish to 10 fish in total. This change will improve consistency in harvest limits among anglers and reduce pressure on inland cisco and whitefish populations.
We have a link to the DNR webpage with fishing regulations here.
