MN Walleye Opener 2013

Today, Saturday, May 11, is Walleye Opener in Minnesota. Although there will probably be few, if any, boats on Leech Lake today because most of the lake is still covered in ice.

Average ice out for Leech Lake occurs on April 27. The earliest the ice was off the lake was April 2, 2012, just last year. The latest the ice has come off Leech Lake was May 23, 1950. This year may push close to the record.

The weather today is not ideal for fishing even if there was open water. The temperature at Federal Dam at 2:00 p.m. was 41 degrees, the wind was out of the NW at 17-25 mph, with gusts up near 35 mph and the sky was mostly cloudy and grey.

Looking northwest out over Sucker Bay from the Malay's cabin

I arrive in Minnesota on May 16 and will pick up my boat in Bemidji the following day. But with this much ice on the lake, my boat may be sitting at the top of my boat ramp for quite some time before I'm able to get it in the water. Absolutely crazy!