Fishing Season Means Big Business for MN

UNDATED -- When Minnesota's fishing opener arrives Saturday, as many as 500,000 anglers are expected to wet a line. It represents about a third of all the licensed anglers in the state and also means big business.

DNR spokesman Mike Kurre says Minnesota's fishing industry is an economic shot-in-the-arm for the state of Minnesota.  Fishing contributes approximately $2,400,000,000 to the state's economy.

Minnesota has about 1,500,000 licensed anglers, each of which spends an average of $1,500 per year, good for fourth highest in the nation.

Kurre says all of that translates into more than 34,000 jobs supported by the fishing industry.

The walleye and northern pike season gets underway at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.