Spearfishing for walleyes and other game fish has slowly been gaining traction in the Great Lakes, and starting April 2026, the sport will enter a new phase there.

In November, after years of input from local spearfishermen, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission unanimously approved new and expanded spearfishing regulations for Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Although there are some exceptions for certain areas, the new regs that go into effect next spring will allow free-diving spearfishermen to target walleyes, northern pike, and lake trout in the Michigan portions of these lakes.

“It’s been one of largest expansions for freshwater game fish in the history of North America,“ says Jon Durtka, a lifelong Michigan sportsman and the guest on this week’s Outdoor Life Podcast. 

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