Increased walleye limit on Mille Lacs Lake has anglers excited for fishing opener
The Minnesota fishing opener is just hours away, and thousands of anglers are expected to make their way to the state's lakes and rivers.
Fishing opener weekend begins in the kitchen at Appeldoorn's Sunset Bay Resort in Isle.
"We are making pizzas, burgers, wraps. It's what I know and what I love to do. I love feeding people," said Ty Relbecker, head chef.
Typically, business here doesn't pick up until Memorial Day weekend. But with a nearly perfect forecast, they're reeling in visitors from across the Midwest.
"The five-state area. Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, those are our main ones," said Aliah Vanchelli.
Vanchelli is the general manager at Appeldoorn's. She said the forecast for fish isn't bad either. Especially for walleyes.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now allowing anglers to keep two walleyes per day on Mille Lacs Lake. They have to be longer than 17 inches and only one can be over 20 inches.
It's the news Appeldoorn's and other resorts have been waiting for, after years of walleye restrictions.
"Everybody is very excited about it. That's one of the main things that they've been calling in for this year, is fishing. In the past it hasn't been as good. We're seeing an uptick," said Vanchelli.
Vanchelli said that momentum will likely carry through the summer. Reservations have gone up and it's possible that there could be weekends ahead where nearly all of their 44 cabins are booked.
"We are booking up fast and we are booking up good. It's very solid this year," said Vanchelli. "The resorts in general are making a really great comeback now that the DNR has changed some of the regulations and stuff for the fishing, so people are super excited this year."
