IRON MOUNTAIN — This is “Three Free” Weekend in Michigan.

Residents and out-of-state visitors can grab a fishing rod, ride off-road trails and visit state parks and boating access sites, all free of charge today and Sunday.

Free fishing arrives just as anglers are reporting more catches.

“From what I’ve heard, everything has been picking up,” said Ken Dabb at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis.

The walleye bite has been good as jumbo leeches and large fathead minnows are the best bet, the shop reported. Crappies are hitting small leeches and minnows, while small jigs tipped with worms are attracting bigger bluegills.

The cool spring has kept panfish on their beds longer than normal, Dabb said. “In lakes with deeper waters, the spawn has been late,” he said.

While no license is required in Michigan this weekend, all fishing regulations apply.

Michigan’s Family Friendly Fishing Waters map shows family-friendly fishing locations across the state that are easy to access and have a high likelihood of catching fish. Go to https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/fishing/where/fffw.

To encourage people to pursue free fishing and other outdoor fun, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources waives the regular Recreation Passport entry fee that grants vehicle access to Michigan’s 103 state parks, 1,300 state-managed boating access sites and many other outdoor spaces.

Off-road vehicle enthusiasts can legally ride DNR-designated routes and trails this weekend without purchasing an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply.

Upper Peninsula Recreational Off-Road ATV Riders, or UPROAR, will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at Big 10 Sports Bar & Grill in Quinnesec.

The DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting walleye reported fair to good fishing. Catch sizes were primarily smaller fish with sorting through the undersized fish necessary. Anglers had success with various tactics including trolling harnesses or hard baits and drifting harnesses. Some anglers fishing the Escanaba River had luck casting crank baits. Perch anglers reported mixed results. Smallmouth fishing was good. Many of the larger smallmouth moved out of the Ford River but were still being caught in the bay.

Manistique: Walleye anglers were having some success in the river. It appears that most of the steelhead have now moved out.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported decent numbers of fish caught while trolling and jigging around the mouth of Huron Bay and the Huron Islands. Most catches were lake trout but some coho and Chinook salmon were caught. More fish came off the water from jigging than trolling trips.

Munising: Fishing pressure was very low. Boat anglers were fishing in the mornings for Chinook and reporting fair catches. Boats were trolling mainly in Munising Bay and in the west channel towards Five Mile and AuTrain area. Shore fishing continued to be slow at the Anna River due to large sand bar out from the mouth.

Grand Marais: Fishing pressure was very low. Pier fishing dropped off dramatically with only about 10 anglers out. Pier anglers were targeting whitefish in the early morning and towards dusk. Boat anglers reported only a few lake trout caught.

Carp and Pine rivers: Walleye were caught in these locations with the rising water temperatures. Most fish were caught near the mouths of the rivers but up river on the Pine was productive also. Drift a leech under a slip bobber with enough of a leader that your bait is near the bottom. Jigging was less popular in these locations.

Marquette: Fishing activity increased over the last week. Majority of anglers were targeting lake trout with some anglers still targeting salmon. Lake trout were caught in upper harbor itself, as well as around White Rocks in deep water (100-plus feet). There was some angling effort near Stannard Rock where anglers reported great catch rates of lake trout. A lot of anglers fishing near Stannard Rock returned with their limit. Anglers should try jigging natural baits or trolling spoons in deep water by Stannard Rock. Anglers fishing in the lower harbor near the Carp and Chocolay rivers had some success trolling for lake trout. For lake trout in lower harbor, try trolling at low speeds using spoons or flickers near the bottom of the water column. For salmon, try fishing spoons or flickers in the top of the water column for best success.

Au Train: Shore fishing in the Rock and Au Train rivers was minimal. Off-shore anglers switched over to lake trout fishing. Some anglers were still determined to catch salmon, but there was little success. Anglers fishing to the west of the Brownstone Boat Launch reported mainly lake trout catches with some brown trout being reported. Anglers fishing east of the Brownstone had success catching lake trout. When fishing to the west of the Brownstone Boat Launch, try trolling or jigging in 150-plus feet of water for best results. When fishing to the east of the launch, try trolling spoons at slow speeds in deeper waters.

Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers were catching a good number of Atlantic salmon and lake trout around the lighthouse in Detour while using spoons when trolling.

Lake George: Fishing in Lake George has been somewhat consistent within the shallow bays along the shore of Sugar Island, where walleye, northern pike, perch and smallmouth have been reported being caught

Traverse Bays/ South Portage Canal Entry: Anglers were having success on the lake fishing for lake trout and other species. Anglers catching lake trout were mostly trolling though many anglers also had luck while jigging.

Upper St. Mary’s: Anglers were primarily targeting whitefish and steelhead toward the Soo Locks.