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.

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.

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.

2022 MN Fishing Opener Outlook (2 Weeks Out)

 

Photo was taken May 14, 2017, on the 2017 Opener.

If this forecast is accurate, we could be in for a banga this year. Water temps on P/S in the low 50's, probably mid forty's on the Pond. Yes, please! 

2021 Opener Outlook

It looks like we are getting stable weather with a slight warming trend for the 2021 Opener. This should make for phenomenal fishing.

My Plan:

Sleep in on Friday, so I am raring to go come midnight. I should arrive at Eddy's at 20 to midnight if not sooner. I'm going to invite both of my brothers don't know if they are up for it or not.  I'll bring the spotlight and see what I can. I'm guessing water levels are up slightly from last Fall. If the North Corner is open that is where I will start. My guess is that there will be other people there fishing, but you never know. I expect to catch a few walleyes, but I don't think it will be a smash fest. If fishing is really good I'll stay until 3:30AM. 

Developing...More Later.

2020 Opener Outlook

Weather:  The only thing for certain is that it is going to be cool/cold.  They took the rain off of the Saturday forecast today.

Current Plan: Still Eddy's Jetty at midnight.  I may or may not take the Slop Slip out.

Friday I plan to spend several hours on tackle prep.  I need to get my crap together.

Forecast For 2020 MN Fishing Opener a Week And A Half Out

The Weather:
It looks like it may be wet and cool, which is better than wet and cold. OK, 37 degrees is cold when combined with rain or wind, but right now it says showers which may mean not much precipitation.  And judging by the winds if it holds around the 10mph range, that probably means winds diminishing in the evening and picking up during the day.

My Plans Right Now:
As for my 2020 Opener, the plan is my usual Eddy's Jetty at Midnight And every night thereafter until the night ban starts.  Ice will basically be off the lake for two weeks at that point and it doesn't look like we are going to jump into June temperatures so the fish should still be shallow where I can get them.  Last year they were shallow throughout June.

The Big Question I Can't Answer: Will the motor on the Trophy be working by Opener?
My optimism on this question has diminished significantly.  None of my original ideas were as easy as they first appeared and now I'm in a time crunch. I most likely will have a boat on the water for Opener. It may be the Slop Slip in Platte/Sullivan, Rock, Erskine, Long, or Bulldog.  Or maybe I will outfit the Trophy with two trollers and launch that somewhere and do put and takes like it's the Slop Slip.

Update on the Big Question:  Hopefully, I didn't jump the gun on this.  I still had one iron in the fire still on my original ideas.  I didn't hear back from him last night, so today I took it upon myself to drop The Trophy and Motors off at a local Marine/Small Engine place. He had no idea when he would be getting back to me.  Obviously, this is the busy season for marine and small engine repair.  So now I wait and plan on using the Slop Slip on Opener unless a miracle happens.

Fishing Opener Outlook for 2017

The wind situation has me a little concerned.  It's really calm out right now and they have downgraded the forecast form 7MPH down to under 5, but at least it's supposed to be out of the North.  Enough wind to put some chop on the water should have me on eyes on Mille Lacs early tomorrow morning.  I didn't buy any leeches, so it's all artificials for me tonight.  I am going to start by throwing a 1/2oz Rippin' Rap.  From there I will go through various suspending jerkbaits trying to hit on a color combo they really are into. The clouds may or may not break up a little bit by midnight.  I hope the moon is visible most of the time.

I plan on fishing from the stroke of midnight to 3AM.  I might cut it short if I am skunked at 2AM.  Hopefully no one will be fishing the North Jetty when I arrive.  I plan on leaving the house by 11:15PM, so I should be there plenty early.  I'm bringing both Mojo's, 6'8" Avid, 6'4" Avid X, and the Muse Gold Spinning Rod.

Outlook for some eyes tonight is pretty good.

I'll come home get some food then head off to the GOMH.  How long I stay there depends on what I'm catching and how many people show up.  From there I am heading straight to the Lake Place to get the Trophy and heading to the river.  Hopefully there will be a school of fish in the PRO area and I won't need go anywhere else.  I think I am bringing 15 rods in the boat.  I plan to start off with topwater, but will quickly switch if that isn't happening.  I plan to be off the water by 12:30pm, so I can watch Major League Fishing.

I'll then get some sleep and plan to be back at Mille Lacs by midnight. The wind forecast is better for tomorrow night.

Good Luck this weekend everyone and be safe!

Bass Pundit's Fishing Outlook For May 2017

Ohhh Sucky Ducky, Sucky Ducky!!!

This is an expression I learned from a fellow Tentmaker  Youth Director to denote enthusiasm for something that has stuck with me since I first heard it back in the Summer of '97.  I am pretty excited to be putting the panfish rods aside for the most part in a couple of weeks.  I've caught over 800 panfish so far this year.  I am ready to start putting the hammer down on bass, pike, and eyes.  I actually welcomed those last couple of cold fronts with snow and freezing temps.  I want to keep as many bass as possible pre-spawn for the catch and release season, which starts 3 days after the full moon on May 10th.

I should be putting the Trophy at the Lake Place sometime early next week.  I plan to start out on Opener at Eddy's Jetty fishing for eye's at midnight and every night the night ban isn't in place, same as usual.  I should have an updated outlook for Opener with more details a day or two before the big day.

This month once season opens things are mostly going to be dedicated to pre-fishing for the Bass Snatcher Club Tournament on Platte/Sullivan on June 3rd and a lot of trips to the Grumpy Old Man Hole, of coarse.

The extended forecast looks like it's topwater fishing from the word go this year, Oh Sucky Ducky!!!

 

Sod Off Leap Year

Because of today, Leap Day, the first Saturday in May isn't until the 7th.  Thus the MN Fishing Opener isn't until the absolute latest date it can be instead of the absolute earliest it can be.  We lose a whole week.  What a frickin' rip off!

2015 Bass Pundit's MN Fishing Opener Outlook

May 17th 2014 Eddy's Jetty at Mille Lacs Lake Sunset

Having to go in and get my ICD checked in the cities on Tuesday made for a long day and has kicked my butt for the last couple of days.  I didn't fish either Wed. or Thur. and I feel very unprepared for Opener at this point.  I'm not gonna sweat it though.  I've decided to let getting my boat The Trophy wait until early next week.  I could do it later this morning, but if I run into any issues at all, and when aren't there issues, I really will run into the risk of being unprepared.  I really should of had that situation squared away before this week, but I chose to fish instead of mess with the boat on all the nice days we had.

As it stands I plan to fish midnight at Mille Lacs off of Eddy's Jetty.  If that is unavailable,  I will put on my waders and go where I've gone the previous two years.  I will make a call sometime between 2 to 4AM whether or not I will stay or go home and get ready for sun up at the GOMH.  I'm thinking there is a 90% probability that I will be at the GOMH pre-sunrise.  I would really have to be whacking the eyes, to not be at the GOMH pre-sunrise fishing for bullheads and doggies.   I'm guessing that I will have to pick one side (N or S) or the other, but I'm hoping the cool temps might discourage some early risers  How the fish bite and the amount of fishermen that come out will determine how long I stay at the Grumpy Old Man Hole.  I may hit the Rock Dock and or Bulldog as well.  It looks like it's going to be a half way descent day on Saturday, so I may just have to let other people fish.

I don't expect golden bullheads to be a player at the GOMH, but toothy's and jumpers should.  I don't plan on having rods rigged for silvers.  I've caught plenty of them this year already.  As for eye's at midnight at Mille Lacs, my expectations are not high due to the forecast low wind conditions.  But the fish have surprised me before.

I would think I'd be a little more gung ho over the bass opening for catch and release, but I'm not all charged up about it for some reason.  Probably has to do with me not having the boat ready to go or the fact that I've already caught some donkey's this year already.

I will report on the days fishing here as well as at the Fishing Log Blog of coarse.