Businesses, Work Crews, And Anglers Get Ready For Fishing Opener

This weekend is the kick-off of an unofficial holiday in Minnesota: the fishing opener. In the Brainerd Lakes area, it represents the start of long lines, crowds, and traffic…better known as tourist season. In the Bemidji area, though, the late ice-out has made it a race against time to place docks, fix ramps, and otherwise get lakes ready for the opener. In this team report from Sarah Winkelmann in Nisswa and Josh Peterson in Bemidji, we look at the work that goes into the fishing opener and the business and tourism it brings to northern and central Minnesota.