Fishing Opener Safety Reminders
/Important note about the 2021 fishing opener:
Fishing seasons open for walleye, bass, northern pike, and lake trout on Saturday, May 15. This year’s date is the latest possible opener under Minnesota statute, which sets the fishing opener as the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
Fish safely from the Minnesota DNR website:
Don't forget safety – and your life jacket – when fishing. Two good places to start are:
A lot of fishing is done from boats, canoes and kayaks here in Minnesota, which has more than 800,000 craft registered to ride its waters.
Just how important is a life jacket? The two largest contributing factors to boating fatalities are not wearing a life jacket and operator inattention. And the most common causes of boating accidents are falling overboard and capsizing.
With that in mind, we've compiled several tips to remember when you're on the water with family and friends trying to land that lunker.
Children younger than age 10 must wear a life jacket while boating unless:
They are in an enclosed cabin or below the top deck on a watercraft.
They are on an anchored boat that is a platform for swimming or diving.
They are aboard a charter (passenger) craft with a licensed captain.
Learn how to select a proper life jacket.