Opener is May 15, not May 8 this year. Mixed bag is expected on this "late" walleye and northern pike Minnesota fishing opener with bait shortages possible
Anglers, take note: State s fishing opener is NOT on Mother s Day weekend
Opener is May 15, not May 8 this year. Mixed bag is expected on this late walleye and northern pike Minnesota fishing opener with bait shortages possible 3:00 am, Apr. 27, 2021 ×
Diehard anglers are likely in the know, but not everyone may realize that the Minnesota walleye and northern pike fishing opener does not fall on Mother s Day weekend this year.
Mother s Day is Sunday, May 9; the fishing opener follows a week later, on Saturday, May 15.
To many, it may seem like the May 15 fishing opener is late, but in a way it s not.
That, Thoennes said, and the fish still have to pass a good old-fashioned eyeball test under the supervision of experienced anglers.
“The Jaycees will be on laptops or computers or devices and verifying the fish pictures. So, if the fish looks sketchy or if they haven’t measured it right, we can technically deny that picture and have them retake it,” Thoennes said. “Most of us are fishermen. So we know if a fish looks a day old, if it looks dead, so we’ll be verifying pictures, and we have the full power to accept or deny any that we don’t like.”