Artificial Fly means any commonly accepted single hook wet and dry flies, streamers, and nymphs without spinner, spoon, scoop, lip or any other fishing lure or bait attached. The fly or leader may be weighted but no weight shall be attached to the fly or to the terminal tackle in a manner that allows the weight to be suspended from or below the hook.

Artificial Lure means a manmade lure manufactured to imitate natural bait. Artificial lures include spoons, spinners, flies and plugs made of metal, plastic, wood and other non-edible materials. They also include plastic products made to resemble worms, eggs, fish and other aquatic organisms.

Cast Net means a net not exceeding eight feet in diameter without walls or sides that is thrown to take minnows, alewives, smelt and shad in the Great Lakes and connecting waters.

Catch and Immediate Release means each fish must be returned immediately to the water without injury, and may not be possessed. When practicing catch and release, please follow these suggestions to reduce the risk of injury to the fish:

• Land your catch carefully and quickly. Avoid handling the fish at all and remove the hook with pliers.
• Use a landing net made of soft or knotless mesh and always try to net your fish head first.
• Try to keep the fish in the water and gently cradle it while carefully removing the hook.
• Leave your fish in the water until you are ready to take a photo.
• Keep your fingers out of the fish's gills since a torn gill could cause the fish to bleed to death.
• Touch your fish as little as possible. Always wet your hands when touching your fish.
• Cut the line near the hook if a fish is deeply hooked. A steel hook will rust away leaving the fish unharmed.
• Release your fish, pointing it into a slow current or gently moving it back and forth until its gills are working properly and the fish regains its balance. Once fully recovered, allow the fish to swim from your hands (big fish may take longer to recover).

Daily Limit means the total number of fish, amphibians or reptiles that you are permitted to catch and keep in one day. Also see Possession Limit.

Designated Trout Lake means any lake so designated by the state in which trout are the predominant game fish (ask for FO-200) and Designated Trout Stream: any stream so designated by the state that contains a significant population of trout or salmon (ask for FO-210). You must have an all-species license to fish these waters.

Detroit R. begins at the imaginary line extending due south of the Windmill Point Light, Wayne County and ends at the imaginary east-west line drawn through the most southerly point of Celeron Island.

Dropper Line is a line in addition to the main fishing line, that contains a hook. Dropper lines usually are attached to the main line.

Drop-shotting involves using a weight suspended below a hook that is tied directly to the main fishing line.

Drowned River Mouth Lakes are considered inland waters and all are listed in Note 3 on p. 8.

FO is a Fisheries Order issued by the DNR Director that implements fishing regulations. FO's can be found online at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Great Lakes Connecting Waters means specific bodies of water in Michigan that connect the Great Lakes. Designated connecting waters are L. St. Clair, St. Marys R., St. Clair R. (St. Clair R. begins at the Ft. Gratiot Light) and the Detroit R.

Hand and Landing Net means a mesh bag of webbing or wire, suspended from a circular, oval or rectangular frame attached to a handle. These are the most common fishing nets used in Michigan.

Hook means a single, double or treble pointed hook. A hook, single, double or treble pointed and attached to a manufactured artificial lure shall be counted as 1 hook.

Inland Waters means all waters in Michigan except the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes connecting waters.

Minnows are chubs, shiners, dace, stonerollers, sculpins (muddlers), mudminnows and suckers of a size used for bait in "hook and line" fishing. See page 7 and pages 14-15.

Possession Limit is equal to the Daily Limit. Except a person may possess up to two (2) additional limits of coho, chinook, or pink salmon taken during previous fishing days provided that the additional limits are processed fish (canned, cured by smoking or drying, or frozen). Anglers who have not attained the age of 17 are entitled to the possession limit even though they do not have a fishing license. A person fishing waters bordered by other states or provinces AND possessing multiple fishing licenses may possess the limit allowed for ONLY ONE license while in transit, but while fishing in Michigan waters, must comply with Michigan possession and size limits.

Snagging means attempting to take fish in a manner that the fish does not take the hook voluntarily in its mouth. It is unlawful to snag fish.

Trapping means to catch or take by use of a device, such as a cage or net, designed to capture a fish or animal.