DNR expects a half-million anglers out for 1st day of Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener

Anglers are just days away from the 2026 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener, and you can bet lakes and rivers are going to be busy.

"I like to think of this as like one of Minnesota's unofficial state holidays," said Brian Nerbonne, regional fisheries manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "We estimate there's about half a million people that will be out fishing, if you can believe that, on opening day."

And all those anglers mean big bucks for the state. 

"It's a multi-billion dollar industry, and so this is for a lot of communities in Greater Minnesota this is a really important part of their economy," Nerbonne said. "And it's an awesome way to keep our dollars local and support those local businesses, too."

For many, it's also the unofficial start to summer — and everything that comes with it.

"It's when people open up that lake place, get that dock in the water, get that boat back on the water. It's a chance to get out and about and enjoy the great outdoors," he said.

But with a chilly last few weeks, Nerbonne has advice for those seeking walleye.

"Those walleye are probably going to be looking for maybe a little bit warmer water, and so that's the place that anglers maybe want to think about targeting when they are choosing to go fishing," he said.

Nerbonne says protected bays and shallower waters may be your best options. The DNR also suggests using their online LakeFinder tool for the most detailed information on Minnesota lakes.

"You can look up what our lake surveys have been showing and you can actually see what the fish populations look like from the last time we did our surveys," he said. "And you can do a little bit of scouting without leaving the comfort of your house."

Stillwater is hosting this year's opener for the first time, with a celebration Friday night and the fishing on Saturday.