Minnesota Fishing Opener: Let Summer Begin!
Brainerd, MN—Minnesota’s annual fishing opener is a time-honored tradition that nearly half a million anglers participate in every year. This year opener will be on Saturday, May 14, 2022, and includes the fish species of walleye, sauger and northern pike. Stream trout fishing opened in late-April and sunfish, crappies, perch, and channel catfish season is always open. Learn more about Minnesota Fishing regulations and licensing on the DNR’s website.
The fishing opener typically aligns with Mother’s Day weekend, but this year’s will occur a week later than usual, because Minnesota state statute requires the opener to occur precisely two weeks before the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend.
Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” but in reality there are 11,842 of them. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources about 5,400 of them are fishable lakes. Couple that with 18,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams and there is plenty of shoreline and open water opportunities for anglers.
Brainerd is well-known as a Midwest fishing destination and offers some of the best freshwater fishing in the country. In Crow Wing County alone there are 400 lakes and 75 rivers and streams comprising 2,000 miles of shoreline. The Mississippi River also flows through Brainerd and Baxter, MN, and there are several access points along the way for those interested in fishing or exploring the river.
When planning your fishing trip to Brainerd, look no further than Visit Brainerd’s own website. Find information on lakes, licenses and regulations, guide services, current fishing reports, lodging, dining and entertainment all right here. To learn more about planning a fishing trip in Minnesota, reach out to Explore Minnesota Tourism.
Looking for tips on how to tackle this year’s opener? Check out this video from Brainerd Fishing Guide and Visit Brainerd partner Hawg Hunterz Guide Service.
