Tomorrow is Minnesota's fishing opener which has over 500,000 residents expected to hit the lakes this weekend.
This year’s opener is later than usual; however, that works out for local anglers, according to Adrenaline Fishing Manager Ryan Johnson.
"Most guys fish Cross Lake, Pokegama, and the Snake River for the panfish bite. Everybody tries to hit the spawn," Johnson told WCMP. "Last year, it fell on Memorial Day weekend, where this year it looks like it'll fall on this weekend."
Johnson says he’s seen an increase in customers at the Pine City bait shop off I-35 as people get ready for tomorrow. He also said bait shortages shouldn't be as much of an issue this year, but tackle has been scarce.
The DNR says license sales are up nearly 58% compared to 2019, so you should expect to see quite a few people on the water.
During his recent Sheriff's Report, Pine County Sheriff Jeff Nelson asked residents to have a little patience when dealing with what he called "amateur hour" at the boat launch.
Along with the extra traffic, the DNR also asks anglers to be wary of invasive species. They ask anglers to take a few extra minutes before leaving to drain their boats and clean out any aquatic hitchhikers.
Comments