A warm, dry spring has been bad for forests but good for walleyes, noted local Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries expert Steve Persons.
And on May 15, Cook County lakes should be flooded with fishermen wielding rod and reel, hoping to load their limits into creels and fish tanks on the opener.
“Thisis probably going to be one of the better walleye openers. This is of course speculation. But I guess I can speculate just about as well as anyone,” Persons said with a laugh.
Walleye should be done spawning and dispersed into their usual habitats, Persons said, noting, “Fishermen should be able to find walleyes in their normal locations if they know the lakes they are fishing opening weekend.”
And, unlike a lot of openers, anglers shouldn’t have to dodge snowflakes while they ply the waters for walleye, northern and sauger.
TheDNR moved the opener from May 8 to May 15 for three main reasons: It allows most walleye to spawn before being caught by anglers; it ensures the opener is on a weekend when more people can fish; and it allows two weekends for anglers and businesses before Memorial weekend.
Fishing regulations and fishing licensees can now be obtained by going online at www.dnr.state.mn.us or obtained at local gas stations and tackle shops as in the past.
This year anglers have the option of purchasing a walleye stamp to put on their licenses. Money earned from this purchase will be used to monitor and restock walleye lakes. It isn’t a mandatory purchase, like a trout stamp, which allows fishermen to catch and keep their limit of trout.
Persons said that locally the DNR has just completed stocking lake trout and on May 13 they will receive rainbow and brown trout from a hatchery in southeastern Minnesota and began stocking trout lakes.
But he noted that the state is short of money, and the fisheries budget has been cut back. “We got the fish that we requested for this year. But we have had to reduce the number of lake trout we usually stock,” Persons said.
“We are trying to maintain the same trout lakes, but we will only be able to stock them every other year.”
According to John at Buck’s Hardware, anglers have had some success catching steelhead after the recent rain at Brule, Kadunce, and Flute Reed rivers.
Fishermen can obtain stocking reports from the local DNR office or by going online to www.DNR.state.mn.us lake finder.
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