2025 MN Fishing Opener Outlook And Plan

 Today is Thursday, May 8th, and the Minnesota Fishing Opener is in two days. As of this moment, I have done zero prep for getting the Trophy into the water. I haven't even taken the cover off once. The bite at the Grumpy Old Man Hole has just been too good, and there was always tomorrow to start boat prep. Now my back is against the wall. I hope get some things done about the Trophy today, but I doubt I will have it in the water for the Opener. Todd will be up this weekend, but to what extent is unclear. His baby daughter graduates from High School this year, and that is where he is focused.

Spring gave way to summer this week, and that will continue for Opener Weekend. So, I expect many boats to be out this week, especially for the Opener. Fishing has been so good this year that I have been spoiled. The thought of dealing with crowds just does not appeal to me like it would if fishing were a struggle.    

 

The Plan:

As of right now, my only plans are to do my traditional midnight at Eddy's Jetty and hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole for sunrise.

Update: If the bite is anything, I'll probably stay through sunrise at Mille Lacs. Conditions look favorable, so I am optimistic.  If nothing happens by 2AM, I'll bag it, come home, and be at the Grumpy Old Man Hole by 4am. My bass tackle is in disarray right now, and the Trophy will not be on the water this weekend.  I'm not sure how much bass fishing I will do for the opening weekend.

5/11/24, MN Opener GOMH & Short Trophy Trip

 

 

4:35-5:40AM GOMH NE

43-52℉, MS, 0-2mph

Warer Level High and Rising, Temp: 58℉

I should have left 10 minutes earlier. The truck driving North in front of me was headed to the GOMH as well but, thankfully, didn't pull a U-turn at the bridge. I saw they were coming back, so I quickly grabbed two rods and the tackle bag and headed down to the untaken SE side. Wheel House Guy was already there on the SW. I got a bite on my second cast, but it got off quickly. That is what I get for leading with the swimbait instead of a jerkbait. I did switch to the UJShad and had a fish on briefly, but it felt very gator-like on the hit. I had a couple of bumps, and as it was getting light out, I had a jumper get off. I finally got two small jumpers on the Jerk Shad and headed for the Trophy as the first boat from Platte approached.

2 Jump

6:40-7:45AM Sullivan River Mouth, River & SW SPRO

54-59℉, M Sunny, 0-4mph W

With the pre-sets from last night so I was able to make a quick transition to the boat. I left the rods that were in the boat house in the boat house. 3 or 4 boats were fishing Platte. Only a couple on the North End of Sully. I started at the River Mouth. Nothing on the KO Shower Blows, so I went to an EVO Chatter. Lost a good feeling fish, then a good'n at the boat. I then caught a small pike. I got bit off. In the river, I had some good bites on the SBKO but only caught the small ones. I believe I was the first person to fish the river mouth. For the final 20 minutes, I ran the SWSPRO, getting the biggest fish of the morning, and missed a couple more good ones on the SBKO. It was a short trip because I needed to have the car back home.

7Bass 

3Pike 

 

5/11/24, MN Fishing Opener at Eddy's Jetty Mille Lacs

 

Setting the scene

 

Northern Lights Looking towards Indian Point

Northern Lights Looking South from our place when I got home

1st Fish of the 24 Season

5th Eye of the night

12:00-2:45AM Eddy's Jetty Mille Lacs Lake

43℉, Clear Sky w/ Northern Lights, 1-3mph W light ripple

I arrived at the Jetty around 11:30PM. The Northern Lights had a lot of watchers on the frontage road, but nobody came to fish the Jetty. There was a light ripple on the water. I started with a Minnesota Rig for my first 5 casts. Not a solid plan. After a fishless first 10 minutes, I switched to a Grass Pig and had a fish pull it halfway off the jig on the first cast. I may have missed another bite about 10 minutes later. I spent 45 minutes in the North Corner before giving the Harbor Mouth a try. 

At about 1 am, the Northern Lights got much brighter over the lake, and a baitfish got blasted just to the S of the Center Standing Rock. I quickly made my way to that spot. I turned on my headlamp and saw the fish, so I turned the headlamp off. I then cast about 20' past, where I saw the fish with the Jerk Shad, and it hit on the very first cast, bazinga! It was about 18." I caught 3 more at the Center Standing Rock in the next 20 minutes. I got my final bite of the night at the Old North Corner Standing Spot on the Jerk Shad. I foolishly decided 5 fish was enough and started trying other things. A couple other guys showed up with a boat at 2 am. The guy that went to Center Jetty got a fish quickly. His buddy showed up about 15 minutes later and caught a walleye as I was packing up. He was fishing off the N Harbor Mouth. The NL were really bright from W to E in the southern sky as I made my way home. I took a picture when I got home. Successful opening trip.

5Eyes 

MN Fishing Opener Outlook And Plan(5/9/24)

 I think it has the potential to be a banga. We have rising water levels and very good water temps so the shallows should be full of hungry fish. 

My plan is to sleep in on Friday, so I am well rested. I plan to leave for Eddy's Jetty by 11PM, which hopefully will allow me choice of location on the North Jetty, Maybe no one will be there and I'll have it all to myself. Unlikely, but it has happened. 

Decision Time will be at 2:45AM. If the fishing is nonstop lights-out action  I'll stay longer,  if not I'll head home with the goal of being at the Grumpy Old Man Hole by 4:15AM, which should allow put me there after the midnight crew and before the early risers thus getting me the NE corner. This may be the end of my Opener morning if the Trophy is not available.

I'm not sure if the Trophy will be in the water. The Pontoon lift is where I traditionally beach it and I think the water level is probably too high now for me to beach it on the West side of the dock where I beached it last year when water levels were really low. I'm pretty sure Todd and Kristen are coming up  this weekend, which means I'll have to tone down my fishing ambitions and assist Todd with getting the pontoon and wave runner launched.

I hope to update this when I know more. I've still got three days to get things nailed down. 

Update: It's Thursday. I plan to put the Trophy in Platte Lake this morning. It looks like there is enough room for it to fit and if not I'll tie it off on the East side of the dock. I'll do my tackle prep for Opener after I wake up Friday afternoon. I really haven't given much thought to bass fishing yet at all for this year. I would say there is 75% chance I will fish for at least a couple of hours in the Trophy Opener morning. I'm not sure what time Mom will need the car.  The rest of the weekend is up in the air. I'm guessing Todd and I will go out Saturday night for bass if everything goes smoothly getting the pontoon in. A Sunday morning trip is a big ? at this point; I will just have to see how fishing goes on Saturday and consult with Todd.

Dock In Today

 

I assisted Todd with getting the toys ready for summer. Mabel was disappointed she would not be getting a boat ride today. Fishing was not on Todd's to-do list, as he needs to get a license. I did have a small pike take a swipe at the swim jig I was throwing from the dock.

MN Fishing Opener Is Coming, Outlook A Week Out

 

It looks like it is setting up to be a banger. Due to the late ice off, I haven't had the Trophy in the water yet, and my tackle is still in its winter chaos state. The plan is to fish Rock Lake no later than Tuesday and get any bugs worked out. I think I will have it in the water on Platte Opener morning, but that may not happen. 

As far as my tackle goes. I will move it to the basement and do my organizing down there. In the past, I did most of my tackle organization when the parents were down in Florida. They didn't go this year, so I am running well behind. I don't know when I will get to it, as the iron will probably be hot, so my priority is to strike, not organize. But some organization in prep for Opener has to happen.

My plan for Opener is once again to fish off of Eddy's Jetty at midnight. My guess is that it is going to rain, but the fish will be there and biting. I'll probably hit the Grumpy Old Man Hole next. What I do with the Trophy is up in the air right now. My brother Todd might come up on Friday night. A lot to nail down yet. Thunderstorms would put a damper on things.

BP Story Time: MN Fishing Opener

Picture Fish, Not The One In Story

 My memory is foggy about when this story happened. It was when I was in high school, but it may have been when I was in college. It may have happened the weekend between Fishing Opener and Bass Opener. 

I was fishing in the channel between West Sylvia and Sylvia for pike with spinnerbaits. I was catching pike and bass, minding my own business, when some guy came out on his dock and chewed me out for fishing for bass out of season. I told him I was fishing for pike, but he wasn't having any of it. I was like, what an A-hole. Later that night, I caught a pike that maybe went 7 or 8 lbs and was the biggest of my life at that point on a different spot. A few years later, I caught a 10lb pike almost right where he chewed me out on Opener, setting a new personal best, and I got a 12lber there sometime in the Fall during the mid-1990s.