What you need to know for Saturdays fishing opener Outdoors

As far as presentations for the 2022 MN fishing opener, most will be using a jig and a minnow or frozen emerald shiner. Some go to colors are gold, glow, pink, orange and chartreuse, or a combination of them. When hooking your minnow, if you are missing fish, try putting the hook of your jig through the mouth and out the gill of the minnow. Then slide the minnow all the way up to the jig head and place the point of the hook half way back on the minnow. With the stained waters of the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, walleyes don’t seem to mind.

Smith said allowing enough time to be delayed is always a good plan for opening weekend. With the varying degrees of skill when it comes to backing boats and boat trailers into the access into the water, patience is key as the lake accesses are limited. Word around the bait store is the walleye bite might be a little light this year as anglers prepare to drop lines Saturday, May 14, for the Minnesota fishing opener. The most up to date information will come from local bait shops, lodges or residents on a lake, but a statewide listing of lake ice-out status is available at dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html.

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The event also brought in Indigenous practices for the first time, with Leech Lake Chairman Faron Jackson, Sr. making an offering of tobacco before fishing began, placing it on top of the water. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan speaks during a launch ceremony for the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the East Seelye Bay campground near Deer River. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, anglers need to be very cautious due to extremely cold water this time of year.

“We are a little behind schedule this year, last year was a very early ice out, a very early Spring, so this will be different, this will be a little more normal or to the late side. A lot of our lakes are about a week to ten days behind in ice particularly up north. An estimated half a million anglers from all over the state will be out fishing over the weekend. The fishing opener has been a tradition in Minnesota in 1948.

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It was a colder start to Spring compared to last year, and the Minnesota DNR says the cold water has an effect on the habits of the fish. The Minnesota Department of Resources reminds boaters and paddlers that cold water is dangerous and unexpected falls can turn tragic quickly. Each year, about 30% of fatal boating accidents happen during the cold-water period. In many instances, the victims weren’t wearing a life jacket.

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Don’t be afraid to slide up into shallow water as many years, that can be the ticket. This is a great way to find fish and on some days, despite the cold water, actually out fishes the anglers using jigs. Please be patient and lend a hand if a fellow angler needs help at a boat launch or dock. Also, please do your part to maintain the health of Minnesota’s fisheries by practicing selective harvest. With the lakes finally transitioning to open water, Sherree Wicktor, owner of S&W Bait by North Long Lake, is looking forward to one of her busiest days of the season, Minnesota’s fishing opener. Anglers on Gull Lake during a past walleye and northern pike fishing opener.

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Bonny Fryer has always been interested in animals, even since she was born. This interest led her to get a degree in Veterinary Medicine and start working as a veterinarian when she was only 22 years old. She is now 44 years old and still works as a veterinarian. She loves her job and finds it very fulfilling to help animals stay healthy and happy.