Michigan Fishing License Rules for Campground Ponds and Private Lakes

In Michigan, anyone 17 or older needs a fishing license to fish public waters, and kids under 17 can fish without one. Private lakes are a different situation. At The Oaks, Walnut Hills and Ridge Ranch, our lakes and ponds are private and completely surrounded by our own land, so you don’t need a license to fish them. If you fish a pond somewhere else and aren’t sure whether it counts as public water, ask the owner or the Michigan DNR first.

Here’s what the rules say, the questions to ask about a particular pond, and why no license is needed at The Oaks Campground.

Who needs a fishing license in Michigan?

According to the Michigan DNR:

• 17 and older: you must buy a fishing license to fish public waters in Michigan.
• Under 17: you can fish without a license, but you have to follow all fishing rules. A voluntary youth license is available for $2.
• Adults helping kids: any adult who is actively helping a minor fish must have a license.
• What counts as fishing: a license is required when targeting fish, amphibians, crustaceans and reptiles.

Michigan sells one all-species fishing license. For 2026, the DNR lists:

An annual license is valid from March 1 through March 31 of the following year. You can buy one online through the DNR’s eLicense system, in the DNR Hunt Fish app, or at license retailers.

Do you need a fishing license on a private pond in Michigan?

This is where people get conflicting answers. Here’s what the official sources actually say:

• The DNR’s license page says a license is required “to fish public waters.” It doesn’t address private ponds.
• State law (Section 324.43532 of Michigan’s natural resources code) says a person 17 or older can’t take fish “in the waters over which this state has jurisdiction” without a license. It doesn’t define a private-pond exception in that section.
• In 2019, a bill was introduced in the Michigan House to exempt residents of certain “qualified private lakes” from needing a license on their own lake. The fact that someone proposed it shows how unsettled the question is.

The answer can depend on whether the water is fully enclosed on private land or connected to a stream, river or public lake, and on who owns the water and the fish. That’s a question for the DNR, not a guess.

Questions to ask before you fish a campground pond

• Does the pond have an inlet or outlet? A pond that drains to a creek or river is connected to other waters.
• Is it stocked privately, by the state, or not at all?
• What does the campground ask? Many campgrounds ask anglers to follow state license rules on their water.
• Still unsure? Contact the DNR Fisheries Division at 517-284-5830 or DNR-Fisheries@michigan.gov.

How we handle it at The Oaks

The fishing lake at The Oaks is private: it sits entirely on the campground’s own land, with no public access. Our spring-fed swim lake spills into it, and our team believes big fish find their way in each spring from the outlet that feeds the Portage River watershed.

Because the lake is private and surrounded by our land, you don’t need a Michigan fishing license to fish it. You will need one on Portage Lake and the other Waterloo lakes a few minutes away, where anglers 17 and older must carry a license. If you have a question, ask at our camp store.

A few other house rules on our lake:

• You can keep fish, though most people release them, and we encourage it so the big fish are there for the next kid.
• Bait and fishing gear are sold at the store; there are no loaner rods.
• Kids start best on the dock. See a kid’s first fishing trip at a campground.

More about the lake is on our fishing at The Oaks page.

Free Fishing Weekends: fishing without a license

Twice a year, Michigan waives license fees for everyone, residents and visitors, for two days:

• Winter: the Saturday and Sunday of Presidents’ Day weekend in February.
• Summer: the Saturday and Sunday after the first full week of June (June 13 to 14 in 2026).

All fishing regulations still apply, and you don’t need a Recreation Passport to enter state parks or boating access sites those days. The June weekend falls in camping season, which makes it a good weekend to bring friends who’ve never fished.

Rules that apply with or without a license

• Carry it: if you have a license, carry it (or an electronic copy) while you fish.
• Bait: throw unused bait in the trash, not the water. That’s Michigan law.
• Boats: remove plants from boats and trailers and drain the water before moving between lakes; that’s also the law.
• Limits: state size and possession limits apply on public lakes. Check the current Michigan fishing regulations before you keep fish there.

For public lakes near the campground, see the best fishing lakes near Jackson and Chelsea. Rates vary by date and site; see The Oaks rates page to book your site, or visit The Oaks Campground page.

Questions