The Governor's fishing opener will be back in full force this year with festivities planned over the span of several weeks.
“We’re trying to engage people throughout the state through a variety of events that will be leading up to that weekend of May 14th,” said Debbie Beyer, the outreach section manager for the Department of Natural Resources’ fish and wildlife division.
The event includes a roundtable on the state of the fishing industry, the annual "Take a Mom Fishing" event on May 7th and 8th and ending with the Governor's actual event on the Leech Lake Reservation May 14th.
“The fishing opener really is not just a celebration of the fishing tradition that Minnesota is known for but it is really a kickoff to the summer tourism and recreation seasons so we hope that folks will take advantage of this,” Beyer said.
Minnesota boasts about 1.4 million licensed anglers each year. And half a million Minnesotans are expected to celebrate the fishing opener, which often serves as the unofficial start to Minnesota summer activity.
"The Governor's Fishing Opener is an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the fishing tradition to Minnesotans and highlight its impact to our businesses, tourism, and outdoor economy," Governor Tim Walz said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the 2022 Governor's Fishing Opener events will get even more Minnesotans to participate in our state's time-honored fishing tradition."
The Governor's fishing opener has been a tradition in Minnesota since 1948. The event was designed to promote the development of Minnesota's $2.4 billion fishing industry. Prior to the pandemic, travel and tourism generated $16.6 billion in leisure and hospitality gross sales in Minnesota annually.