The highly anticipated 2026 Black Lake sturgeon season opens this week, bringing anglers back to the ice for one of Michigan’s most closely managed fishing events.
The season begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, and will run daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is a total harvest limit of six lake sturgeon, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
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State officials will end the season as soon as the sixth sturgeon is harvested or if five fish have been taken by the end of any fishing day. If neither scenario occurs, the season will conclude at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Anglers will be notified immediately by text message and in person on the ice by Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff when the season closes.
In 2025, the sturgeon season on Black Lake ended after just 17 minutes.
Anyone hoping to participate must register online by the close of business Friday, Feb. 6. Anglers ages 17 and older are also required to carry a valid Michigan fishing license. Registration and additional season details are available at Michigan.gov/Sturgeon.
To help officials monitor activity on the lake, participants are required to display bright red flags on their fishing shanties.
The flags must be at least one foot in diameter and placed in highly visible locations so DNR personnel can easily identify which anglers are targeting sturgeon.
Any angler who successfully harvests a lake sturgeon must immediately notify DNR staff on the ice. All harvested fish will be officially registered at a DNR trailer located on or near the ice at the end of Zollner Road on the northwest side of Black Lake. The registration process may include examining internal organs and collecting fin tissue samples for DNA analysis or age verification.
The limited harvest reflects decades of careful management and recovery efforts on Black Lake. Over the past 20 years, lake sturgeon numbers have increased through a collaborative rehabilitation effort involving the DNR, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, tribal agencies, Michigan State University and Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership.
Lake sturgeon are among the oldest fish species in the Great Lakes, often referred to as living fossils. These massive freshwater fish can grow more than six feet long and live for decades, sometimes reaching 100 years or more. Once abundant, sturgeon populations declined sharply due to overfishing and habitat loss, making today’s tightly regulated season a direct result of ongoing conservation work.
Officials say continued stocking, research and protection of spawning adults have played a key role in rebuilding the population.
Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can vary significantly across the lake and that extreme caution is essential. The season start date will not be delayed due to weather or ice conditions. However, under Fisheries Order 240, the DNR may cancel the season up to 48 hours before opening day if conditions pose a serious safety risk. Any changes will be posted on the department’s website and sent directly to registered anglers by text and email.
For many, the Black Lake sturgeon season represents both a rare fishing opportunity and a conservation success story, one that continues to draw statewide attention each winter.