Sylvania wilderness barbless question

[Allegheny Tom]

Everything I read says you can't fish with barbs in Sylvania.
But am I permitted to even possess lures that don't yet have the barbs pinched?
I'm fine with pinching barbs on the gear that I'm using to actually fish with but I sure hate the thoughts of pinching barbs on $15 lures that may never come out of the tackle box.
I was also surprised that I didn't read anywhere that lead jigs/weights are prohibited.

 

[jdeerfoot]

As a long time user of Sylvania (my first trip was May 1975 as I recall), I can tell you that the fishing regulations are specific to the area. Even though it is located in the Ottawa NF, the fishing regs are set by the State of Michigan. Also, the enforcement is strict. You don’t always encounter rangers but they are very keen on observance of fishing regs and the can/bottle prohibition. I have seen the rangers with USFS armed law enforcement at the entry point boat landings on Sundays when people are exiting the wilderness. They have checked people’s trash for cans/bottles - I think this is revenue generation. Signs at the entry points state that you will be cited violations. I used take beer in plastic stadium bottles, which don’t seem to be available anymore. They were legal because the float when empty. Now I just bagged wine and whisky.

Maybe try calling the headquarters, staffed M-Fr during normal business hours. I guess I wouldn’t chance having lures w/o pinched barbs. I was never a very successful fisherman so I gave it up years ago. All the special regs there further convinced me fishing wasn’t worth it to me. Crooked Lake has a few private properties on the north end, so it has always observed regular Michigan fishing regs. It also was a fairly good panfish lake.

I still go up there but only in the spring and fall during weekdays. During the summer and most weekends the place can be well used almost over used.