The 2011 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener

The annual Minnesota Holiday began with excitement - Catching up with old radio friends, making sure the broadcast gear is good to go, and seeing what is in "the goodie bag" is always highly anticipated. Plus, I'd never been to the fishing hotbed of Grand Rapids!
Despite being stiffed by Governor Dayton (apparently he thought that solving the State's deficit was more important than talking to you!), Friday the 13th wasn't too unlucky.
Yet.

I hit the water with a fishing friend of mine that afternoon. He'd told me of a super secret hotspot he knew from days gone by when he used to work for In Fisherman.

Uh-huh.
After 3 hours of wind and rain and 45-degree temperatures - and NO FISH! - we decided to try the Mississippi River.
We promptly caught a nice crappie, a 15 inch largemouth bass, and a 27 in northern, all of which are still up there for you to catch and release again.

That evening, the city-wide picnic was an event to remember, as Governor Dayton showed up, and we all enjoyed a delicious meal.
I wondered what other people in saner states would think if they saw pictures of a parking lot full of picnic attendees, sitting around tables in 45 degree weather, glamorously attired in their finest snowmobile suits.
We also enjoyed Kemps ice cream, which wasn't melting very much at all...
On Opening Day, the Governor had to settle for a northern, no one in Jerry Carlson's boat caught any walleye, and I didn't, either.

Nonetheless, a good time was had by all, because it was The Opener!
I can't wait until next year - Has anyone ever fished Lake Waconia?