CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports fishing opener was the usual boom or bust depending on which lake you were on. Most anglers found at least some success, but that varied between two or three 12- to 13-inch walleyes to nearly a limit of 17- to 18-inch fish. Violations included angling without a license in possession, no PFD, and illegal slot fish.

CO Darn Fagerman (Grand Marais) worked an enforcement detail with CO Fondie in the Voyageurs National Park and the western side of the BWCAW during the fishing opener.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) reports numerous anglers were disappointed to find their destination lakes still mostly frozen, but with not enough to ice fish on. Manning checked steelhead anglers, Lake Superior anglers and a few folks who managed to find some open water for opening day. After another round of snow, the following warmup has bears, foxes and grouse out and about; grouse numbers look promising for the fall season. Manning also assisted Cook County Sheriff’s deputies with a couple calls and attended an Honor Guard meeting.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked a very busy opening weekend of fishing. Time was spent inside and outside the BWCA. A college drinking party was discovered on U.S. Forest Service land with numerous underage drinking citations issued. Plenty of fishing, boating, and other violations to report including fishing after suspension, insufficient PFDs, watercraft registration violations, litter, marijuana possession, and unlawful OHM operation. Several anglers did well on walleyes. Numerous car-hit deer were dispatched this past week.  

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked a busy fish opener. Anglers had to be less picky about what lake they fished as a fair number still are ice-covered. Time was also spent on trespass and trapping issues.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the fishing opener checking anglers and ATV riders. Wahlstrom attended training on Lake Superior with the U.S. Border Patrol in Duluth. He helped instruct the ATV field day at the Cook County school. Enforcement action was taken for several ATV, boating and angling violations. 

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked a sunny fishing opener on the North Shore. Most anglers checked reported a slow bite but ended up with enough fish for dinner. A trespass case was investigated and enforcement action was taken for unattended lines and failure to remove drain plugs before transporting watercraft.