Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is in Crosslake Friday to kickoff the 77th annual Governor's Fishing Opener. While the governor tells WCCO's Adam Carter he's looking forward to spending time on the water, he's doing it with legislative leaders of both parties on Saturday with a budget deal looming before the end of the session.
Walz says he credits all sides for the work they're continuing to do to craft a new two-year budget.
"I think you'll get a budget that will probably make no one really happy, but that it will keep Minnesota on a path of economic growth that we've seen," Walz said from Crosslake. "And it will let us, I'm very proud of this, what we're seeing around the outdoors. That was a bipartisan investment that we made that's making a difference."
Walz says he expects the new budget to keep the state on a path of economic growth.
"Look, the economy's changing," Walz says. "You have to adjust and adapt. "It's not as simple as well, you guys spent that money in '23, we'd be fine now. None of that would, that's not true on where it went, but it is also I think an acknowledgement, look, you have some ambitious plans. If the economy changes a little bit, maybe you need to scale those ambitious plans a little bit, and I've told them I'm willing to do that."
The legislature adjourns a week from Monday on May 19. The governor has been calling for compromise on both sides of the aisle thanks to a tie in the Minnesota House. The DFL has a slim, one-seat majority in the Senate.
Walz is also helping stock walleye on Big Trout Lake and will be fishing with kids while in the Crosslake region this weekend.
Fishing Opener a boon for Minnesota tourism
And away we go for walleye fishing in Minnesota.
The season begins early Saturday morning with countless Minnesotans going to their favorite fishing spot and enjoying the early spring weather.
"We get people who are going from, you know, whether it's the Twin Cities or somewhere else and they're kind of driving to a spot," says Lauren Bennett McGinty of Explore Minnesota. "They're spending money at local restaurants and grocery stores, or hotels and resorts. So it's really wonderful way to kick off the summer and kind of ensure that we've got lots of people spending time outdoors."
McGinty says they also promote the fishing season in neighboring states and Canada, despite strained relations between the U.S. and our northern neighbor. More than half of Minnesota's international visitors come from Canada, but those numbers are a little off since the beginning of the year.
"What we're hearing from Canadians is that they love Minnesota and they are really supportive of us in general," says McGinty. 'And so I think they understand that we're welcoming and that we're safe. And that's the message we continue to send. Ultimately you know our message has always been we welcome you when you're ready to come and we're here to make sure that you feel safe and have a good time."
Also booming? Fishing license sales which are up compared to previous years. DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen says it shouldn't come as a shock and that's because of the gorgeous weather we've had, and are expecting all weekend.
"Some of it has to do with when in the season people buy their license, which has to do with weather and the ice being out," says Strommen. "So, of course, beautiful spring we're having, not that surprising that license sales are up."
If you're wondering how the number of licenses stacks up nationwide? It's very high.
"One of the good signs is that Minnesota is actually ranked fourth in the nation in terms of license sales behind California, Florida, and Texas," Strommen explains. "Those are big states with a lot of population, so that means we're doing pretty well. Minnesotans are committed to buying their licenses and getting out."