MARQUETTE – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is proposing an increase to the brook trout possession limit on select Upper Peninsula stream sections starting in April.

The brook trout daily possession limit has been set at five for the past 17 years. During that time, many requests were received from anglers wanting to keep more fish.

Sparked by these requests and with interest from the Natural Resources Commission and input from the DNR’s Coldwater Regulations Steering Committee, department fisheries staff investigated social and biological aspects of increasing the brook trout possession limit from five to 10 on a subset of Upper Peninsula streams.

From 2011 to 2017, public opinions were obtained through numerous public meetings, various surveys (internet, postcard, creel), consultations with sport clubs and other governing agencies, and from public e-mails, letters and phone calls. Biological information was gathered on seven streams using electrofishing surveys, and DNR creel clerks collected catch, effort and harvest data on four streams.

Using this information, fisheries staff worked to select specific stream segments or sub-watersheds to be considered for the 10-fish possession limit based on guidelines proposed by the DNR’s Fisheries Division and accepted by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

The proposal seeks to implement a higher brook trout possession limit on 33 stream sections distributed throughout the Upper Peninsula. In terms of stream mileage, the selected sections represent about 8 percent of the total mileage for Type 1 Upper Peninsula streams. Maps of the proposed streams are available on the DNR website.

Dickinson County streams on the list include the Sturgeon River watershed’s East Branch Sturgeon River and all tributaries upstream from Leeman Road; and Fern Creek and all tributaries upstream from Pine Creek Lake Road.

Iron County streams include the Michigamme River watershed’s Deer River and all tributaries upstream from Bradley Road; East Branch Fence River (Iron and Baraga counties) upstream from North Fence Line River Road; and Margeson Creek and tributaries upstream from Noyes Road.

Details about specific stream sections to be included under the proposed regulation will be presented at the Oct. 12 Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting in Alpena.