(WXYZ) — The 2026 Black Lake sturgeon fishing season will officially open on Saturday, Feb. 7, the Michigan DNR announced on Monday.
According to the DNR, the annual fishing season on Black Lake will feature a harvest limit of six lake sturgeon.
All anglers must register in advance for the season on the state's website, and registration must be done before the close of business on Friday, Feb. 6.
Watch below: Previous report on nearly 7-foot, 240-pound lake sturgeon caught in Detroit River believed to be 100+ years old
With the limit of six sturgeon, the season will officially close when one of two scenarios occurs. It will close either when the sixth fish is harvested or five fish have been harvested by the end of any fishing day.
Fishing hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, and in 2025, the season lasted just 17 minutes.
"Participating anglers must bring their own bright red flags (1-foot diameter or larger) to hang on their fishing shanties. Season officials emphasize that anglers are required to hang one or more flags in highly visible locations on their shanties so DNR personnel can readily identify which anglers are sturgeon fishing," the DNR said.
Anyone who harvests a lake sturgeon must immediately contact DNR personnel on the ice. Official registration will take place at a DNR trailer located on or near the ice at the end of Zollner Rd. in the northwest part of Black Lake.
