Fishing Opener – Go or No Go?

With Covid and Social Distancing, and lack of resorts, hotels, lodging, etc… Has anyone’s plans changed for opener?

I mean, technically, under the DNR rules/suggestions, we are not supposed to car pool, which is still easy to do. But, also, we are not supposed to share a residence with people other than our immediate family. In my fishing opener experiences, this is the tougher rule, as this is a tradition of several different family members getting together.

As of now, we are still planning on our fishing opener, with changes to try and accommodate social distancing. But in casual conversation, it sounds like there are some people not going to fishing opener because of the restrictions. I am going to assume the lakes around the Twin Cities will be crazy busy with day trippers not able to get out of the metro.

Anyone’s plans changed this year?

Nope! still doing yard work!

I intend to go but I may wait until later in the day because the temp at 8am looks to be right around freezing. I have been fishing by myself this spring and that’s what I’ll be doing on Saturday too.

The primary issue is close proximity indoors or in a car for 10 minutes or more. Being outside in a boat is a lot safer in my opinion but the decision has to be yours. The other people you generally fish with and their health/age should also be taken into account. Hopefully people aren’t crammed onto fishing boats with 4 or 5 people on opener otherwise there is going to be more rules implemented.

Angling license sales are up 40% compared to this time last year so some lakes could definitely be busier than usual. The weather usually plays a role and it doesn’t look very warm.

I will be out in the afternoon, doing a little fishing.

We’re heading out to Devils Lake for opener this year lol. Parts of the lake just had ice go out last week so hopefully they’re prespawn in those areas still. Otherwise we might have a tough time trying to coax post spawn fish to bite. I fish with my girlfriend, and we live together so our plans haven’t changed! Does look like I might need to bring my girlfriend a buddy heater to stay warm in the boat though!

I will be sticking around the cities. I would plan on the metro lakes being pretty busy. Any day fishing is better than any day working they say.

If it’s not too windy & wavy, I’ll be in the boat with my daughter and dad on a local lake. I didn’t ice fish for the first time in 35 years, so I’m looking forward to wetting a line!

I live right by tonka and I usually fish that or up with a buddy near Richmond but I’m starting to debate going out. Not because of covid19 but because I fully expect tonka to be a s***show and with the weather projections i might just stay home. Maybe I’ll throw the kayak in the truck and find a small quiet lake

crappie55369 wrote:

Not because of covid19 but because I fully expect tonka to be a s***show

Hopefully the weather puts a bit of a damper on the recreational riff raff out there. When I was out there a week ago it was amateur hour at the access trying to leave at 2:30pm. I don’t get why people just can’t figure out that they need to move their boat from the dock so the next person can use the access. Half the people can’t read signs that say “no parking launch and load only.” There are literally other docks not by the access that are specifically to be used for this purpose while you park.

Trip up north got cancelled due to Covid, not sure what the plan is for Saturday yet. Not very pleased with the whole state of affairs imposed by Warden Walz. He did approve the massive candy store on 169 to reopen, so maybe just take my candy and go home…

gimruis wrote:

When I was out there a week ago it was amateur hour at the access trying to leave at 2:30pm.

This year has been bananas! Launches completely packed on random weekdays. Never seen it this busy. A lot of people are testing their boats after getting them from storage but its never been this busy in the 5 years ive lived next to the lake. If i do go out Im thinking ill need to launch by sundown Friday evening just to get a spot at my preferred launch. Probably wont even get a spot then

Cancelled our usual cabin of four guys, all 60+, and all from different households. I will make a last minute call saturday as to where and when. Will be by myself and not stopping for bait or gas. I am just glad i have a boat and have options. Focusing on positives not negatives.

Its hard for me not to get a little jealous of the folks who haven’t changed their plans for the spring and have been getting together to fish. I hope I’m in the majority, I’ve been going by myself and don’t have any plans to travel for the weekend. It’s getting very old very quickly.

Not changing. But my plans were never to go more than 20 minutes from home.

Cody Meyers wrote:

I’ve been going by myself and don’t have any plans to travel for the weekend. It’s getting very old very quickly.

I have been doing this too Cody. The only partner going with me is the dog. I am sure others are not doing this, however.

Same here – no partners in the boat unless i can convince my wife to join me.

Will stay in town and pike fish. Tired of fishing by myself too, in a regular year I fish by myself about half of the time, sometimes prefer it. If you don’t usually fish the metro for walleyes it is very tough unless you go to the river
My 2 cents——yup metro lakes will be busy too.

No changes to my plans here. I’ll be home working. The river is open year round and I try to only fish it on weekdays. I refuse to play the opener bumper boats game on lakes around MN.

To those going out, stay safe and remember to be patient at landings.

I fully understand those of you that stay home and do other things on fishing opener. I have seen some crazy stuff at the launches and on the lake, and rarely do we ever have what I would call a great fishing weekend (of fishing). But it is more the tradition of it for me. Have been going to fishing opener with the same guys for 20+ years now. We are driving separately and have separate boats. Luckily the guy hosting has separate lodging, so no shared cabin. We are doing our best to stay safe, socially distance and still have our tradition.

I like the comment, focus on the positives.

Still debating on bait. I can haul everything I need with me, no need to stop other than at the gas pump. So may be an artificial bait fishing opener.

I have a seasonal on Mille Lacs so I am going. I expect the resort to be pretty full honestly. Also going to meet a buddy up at Leech for Sun/Mon for some fishing but we are driving seperate.

It’s been a long time since I took my boat out on Opener. The clownshow is just not worth it. People finding out their boats don’t work at the access, learning (or relearning) how to back in a trailer or park it in a packed lot, meat mongers desperate for a meal and bent-rod-patterning anyone who’s getting into fish, etc. Monday is my Opener, as well as Tues, Weds, and Thurs.

Based on traffic here in NE Wisconsin, some-but not all by any means-stayed closer to home last weekend than in past years. I live here, so don’t get super spun up about the opener; I can wait and fish it on a Tuesday or whatever. Our little community is simultaneously worried about any real outbreak that they can’t handle, and being worried about the economic impacts to an area that depends on tourism. No easy answers there…That being said, I hope everyone takes pains to stay safe and gets a chance to catch some fish if you go!

Regardless of coronavirus it’s Mother’s Day. I will never fish an opener because of that.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I have a seasonal on Mille Lacs so I am going. I expect the resort to be pretty full honestly. Also going to meet a buddy up at Leech for Sun/Mon for some fishing but we are driving seperate.

I drove around the lake last Saturday, lots of people opening the campers.

Havnt done a “walleye” opener in about 10 years.
Most years I take the FW up to Zim on opener and let her go nuts at Byrns Greenhouse, and hit Gordys for a late lunch on the way home.
This year she is on-call at the hospital, so we’re going to Zim Friday. That said, its supposed to be 28 here on Saturday morning, brrr. I thought about running up to Kab or Vermilion with the son for the day, but now he’s gotta work, so thats out. So if I decide to take the boat out at all, it will be on Superior for a few hours midday Saturday. Mothers day has been a no-fishing day for me forever.

It’s a Go for us. Be heading to Namakan early Friday morning & fishing till Monday. Crappies & walleyes on the agenda, maybe even a pike or two as well!

Our trip got canceled to vermillion. Group I go with mostly retired and older don’t blame them for not wanting to take a chance. Probably end up going by myself. Most likely fish the river.

We’ve got a cabin just north of Mora. The lake isn’t too spectacular for fishing these past few years since we get a lot of the pressure from folks that usually hit Mille Lacs. We’ve had some resistance from the locals about us weekenders coming up and us bringing unnecessary risk. We bring our own groceries and gas so we don’t have to stop anywhere in town. I can certainly see their point but I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’ve been paying lakeshore property taxes for years. I’ll use common sense and caution and stay in my boat, but I’m heading up.

Given how this spring has gone I think it’ll be a ridiculous busy opener. Missouri River was ridiculous even during weekdays, seems well documented on here what St. Croix was like last weekend. Traverse/Big Stone same deal.. significantly more boats. With nothing else to do you can post all the warnings you want but I expect a full invasion of lakes country

Our group is not going.