Cross Lake, Minnesota — With the weather heating up for Mother’s Day weekend, it could be a great fishing opener on Minnesota’s lakes.
Half a million anglers are expected to hit the water, and with temperatures above average, many people may head to the lakes to cool off. So your favorite fishing spot may feel a little crowded this year.
The opener officially begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, when anglers may legally reel in a lunker.
Here’s what you should know about the opener:
Getting a fishing license
Fishing licenses are issued by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). A license can be purchased online through the DNR, by phone at 1-888-665-4236, or at approved vendors across the state. Click here to see a list of vendor locations.
According to state officials, Minnesota businesses sell approximately 1.4 million angling licenses per year.
Except for exemptions, all Minnesota residents aged 16 to 89 must have a current Minnesota fishing license. Non-residents must also obtain a license; however, children under the age of 15 do not require one if their parent or guardian is licensed.
However, because opener weekend falls on Mother’s Day weekend, the DNR is also hosting Take a Mom Fishing Weekend, during which all moms can fish for free without a license.
Anglers are required to carry their license to and from the fishing location.
Finding your fishing hole
The Minnesota DNR maintains an online lake finder with information on over 4,500 fishing lakes.
In addition to Minnesota’s famous “10,000 lakes,” there are 3,800 miles of trout streams and 16,000 miles of fishable streams and rivers throughout the state.
Governor’s Annual Fishing Opener
The Governor’s Fishing Opener, a Minnesota tradition, began in 1948. This year’s event marks the 77th anniversary and will be held in Cross Lake, in the Brainerd Lakes area. This is the first time the Governor’s Fishing Opener has been held at Cross Lake, located on the eastern end of the Whitefish Chain.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) publishes all fishing regulations online, including a page listing which fish are available and how many each angler can keep. Fishing regulations are available in multiple languages, including English, Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish.
“We want to ensure that people do not spread invasive species,” said DNR regional fisheries manager Brian Nerbonne. “So make sure they pull the drain plug while driving around and dump their bait when they leave the water. But we want people to have a good time and appreciate the great fishing we have in Minnesota.”
Picking the date for the opener
Minnesota law requires the opener to take place two weekends before Memorial Day Weekend. In many years, that coincides with Mother’s Day weekend.