Fishing Opener Coming Soon

Here’s some fishing information from the Minnesota DNR.

The DNR compiled these Minnesota fishing facts in preparation for the 2015 fishing opener, which is Saturday, May 9.

Anglers and waters

There are about 1.5 million licensed anglers in Minnesota.
About 500,000 people are expected to fish on opening day of the walleye and northern pike season, Saturday, May 9.
Minnesota has 11,842 lakes, 5,400 of which are managed by DNR Fisheries. There are 18,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.
Average annual expenditure per angler is about $1,500.*
Although not every kind of fish lives everywhere, 162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters.
Participation and the economy

Fishing contributes $2.4 billion to the state’s economy in direct retail sales, ranking Minnesota fourth in the nation for angler expenditures.*
Fishing supports 35,400 Minnesota jobs.*
Minnesota ranks second in resident fishing participation at 32 percent, second only to Alaska.*
Minnesota is the third most-popular inland fishing destination in the country.*
Minnesota ranks sixth among states with the highest number of anglers. The top three states are Florida, Texas and Michigan.*
Who goes fishing

Most resident anglers – 855,000 of them in fact – are from urban areas. The remaining 474,000 resident anglers live in greater Minnesota.*
Men account for 66 percent of resident anglers. Women account for 34 percent.*
Fishing habits

Significantly more time is spent fishing on lakes than in rivers and streams.*
The average Minnesota angler spends 15 days fishing each year, with 84 percent of resident anglers never fishing anywhere else but in Minnesota.*
The most sought-after fish species, in order of preference, are crappie, panfish, walleye and northern pike.*
*2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (www.census.gov/prod/www/fishing.html)

Want to go fishing? DNR has a license to fit

A lone angler casts a lure into a glassy lake on a warm spring day, surrounded by the sounds of nature. What’s missing? A friend or family member could be sharing the scene.

“If you know someone who might be interested, ask them to go fishing. Many people won’t fish unless someone asks them to go,” said Jenifer Wical, of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources outreach section. “Before heading out, make sure to buy your fishing licenses.”

Buy licenses at any DNR license agent, online with a mobile or desktop device at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense, or by phone at 888-665-4236. Mobile buyers receive a text or email that serves as proof of a valid fish or game license to state conservation officers. An adult individual angling license is $22.

“There are types of fishing licenses to fit most anyone’s needs. There are licenses for married couples, for individual adults, and for 24-hour, 72-hour, and three-year time periods,” Wical said. “Lifetime licenses can make it easier for people to keep fishing long into the future, and licenses also come at reduced cost for children and those ages 51 and older.”

Youth ages 16 and 17 can buy an annual license for $5. Kids 15 and under are not required to buy a license to fish, but must comply with fishing regulations.

For those who hunt and fish, a Sports license includes angling and small game, and a Super Sports license includes a trout/salmon stamp, small game with pheasant and waterfowl, and a deer tag (archery, firearms or muzzleloader).

To read more about fishing licenses and regulations, see the 2015 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet or www.mndnr.gov/fishmn.