Walleye Opener must 2 Weeks before Memorial Day????

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I heard this afternoon on Channel 5 KSTP that State Law says the Walleye Opener “MUST BE” two weeks before memorial day weekend.

If this is true:

What the HECK does this have to do with anything???

Or at the very least what is the meaning behind it???

S.D.

[JohnMickish]

The walleye opener in Minnesota is set by state statute to ALWAYS be two saturdays before the Memorial weekend. Most of the time it works out to be on Mothers day but this year it's the weekend after mothers day.

Thats what it has to do with it.

[Maverick]

I heard this afternoon on Channel 5 KSTP that State Law says the Walleye Opener “MUST BE” two weeks before memorial day weekend.

If this is true:

What the HECK does this have to do with anything???

Or at the very least what is the meaning behind it???

S.D.

It was passed a few years ago to enhance tourism and help out the resorts by guaranteeing that there would be three fishing weekends in May. In the past there would be some years that the fishing opener was just one week before Memorial Day. I don't know anyone that has an issue with it, except a few mothers out there and their puzzy whipped husbands.

[LegattoAD]

I remember watching something about it on MN Bound or some such show. It was supposed to have something to do with the eye and pike spawn being finished by then.

Whether that is the case or it has to do with resorts, I couldn't tell you. Except that it is set by state law.

Direct quote: "97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.

Subdivision 1.Dates for certain species.

(a) The open seasons to take fish by angling are as follows:

(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February;"

[SkunkedAgain]

If it's a state law, I'd bet my dog that it has more to do with money & tourism versus caring about the walleye/pike spawn.

[Maverick]

If it's a state law, I'd bet my dog that it has more to do with money & tourism versus caring about the walleye/pike spawn.

It would be interesting to know when you think it should open. I see nothing wrong with helping out the bait shops, resorts, cafes, gas stations, lower unit repair shops, etc. etc.

It use to open on the Saturday closest to the 15th of May. Which meant it could open up between the 12th and the 18th. Now it can open up between the 9th and the 15th. So on the 12th, 13th 14th and 15th there was really no change. I think someone did some simple math and figured that 3 days in May one way or the other wouldn't greatly impact the spawn. There have been a lot of law changes that impact us fisherman, this appears to be one that was easily in our favor.

[waterbound]

That's exactly right, Maverick. The original Opener timeline was determined to allow the fish to be done spawning (or well on their way) by the time the season opened. Changing the law slightly to maintain it's original spirit and improve the economy is an excellent decision in my book.

[kevfish1]

I think opener should be the day you are born. And should close the day you die. Many states have no opener and do just fine. Maybe I would go rent a cabin in april instead of fleeing to south dakota.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I think opener should be the day you are born. And should close the day you die. Many states have no opener and do just fine. Maybe I would go rent a cabin in april instead of fleeing to south dakota.

Yeah, and they have half, if not even less of the fishing pressure we have here in MN.

Go get a cabin and hit some prime early season crappies or something! It's not like we are banned from every type of fishing this time of year. Expand your horizons, Dude!

[SkunkedAgain]

...and many states don't have the walleye fisheries that Minnesota boasts. If they did, more people would be flocking there to fish than here.

Maverick - to answer your question, in a perfect world they would wait until the spawning activities are complete in the various regions of the state, and then open the season for fishing. That would better accommodate early and late spring thaws. That could hurt resorts in years that the spawn is later, but offer them more guests in years (like this) when the spawn occurs earlier. Since humans like to have everything planned and on calendars, this wouldn't sit right with most folks.

My crude point from my previous post was that legislators typically follow the scent of money, versus doing what is best for the environment.

[kevfish1]

Sorry I should have stated the walleye pike season

[Back2Dakota]

Kevfish-shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[LMITOUT]

If it's a state law, I'd bet my dog that it has more to do with money & tourism versus caring about the walleye/pike spawn.

[LMITOUT]

I think opener should be the day you are born. And should close the day you die. Many states have no opener and do just fine.

[WyoChris]

Did a radio station play an april fools prank saying the walleye opener was on May 1st? There was some crazy rumor going around that the opener was changed at the beginning of this month?

[Dr Thunder]

I wish!! The ice is normally off a week or two before opener. So April 17th would be more like it. By May 15th this year I am afraid they will be out on mid-lake reefs.

[mainbutter]

Direct quote: "97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.

Subdivision 1.Dates for certain species.

(a) The open seasons to take fish by angling are as follows:

(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February;"

How does that jive with bass opener on May 29(for most of the state), and musky opener on june 5?

[Brad B]

Mainbutter,

if you read the exact statue that was quoted it goes on to say the DNR commisioner has the right to modify this as seen fit hence the 2 weeks later for bass and the june muskie opener.

[Brad B]

mainbutter here is the whole statue

97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.

Subdivision 1.Dates for certain species.(a) The open seasons to take fish by angling are as follows:

(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February;

(2) for lake trout, from January 1 to October 31;

(3) for the winter season for lake trout on all lakes located outside or partially within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 15 to March 31;

(4) for the winter season for lake trout on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 1 to March 31;

(5) for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January 1 to October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in section 97C.415, subdivision 2;

(6) for the winter season for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake on all lakes, from January 15 to March 31; and

(7) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.

( The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning and closing the season will protect the resource.

Subd. 2.Continuous season for certain species.For sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, catfish, rock bass, white bass, lake whitefish, and rough fish, the open season is continuous.

History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 41; 1989 c 242 s 2; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 42; 2005 c 146 s 46; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 67; 2009 c 176 art 2 s 63

this is the part that sets the bass and muskie openers

( The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning and closing the season will protect the resource.

[mainbutter]

excellent, thanks!

[jefflake]

1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February;[/b]

This is only for certain parts of the state for bass. The bottom half of the state for bass opens the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I can't remember exactly where the line is that separates when the season starts for bass.