Warmer Day Brings More Anglers Out For Walleye Season

More anglers are out on Detroit Lake the second day of the Walleye Opener.

Frigid weather caused a slow kickoff, but with temperatures rising, more people will be out fishing.

The opener started Saturday at midnight, but most anglers who didn’t want to brave the cold held out until today.

Some will say the Walleye Opener in Detroit Lakes is like a holiday and people look forward to this day all year round.

But this year’s opener started a little chillier than most anglers would have preferred.

“Really cold and windy, if it wasn’t so windy, we would’ve had twice as many people,” says Quality Bait and Tackle Shop owner John Store.

His doors were opened 24 hours for the Walleye Opener and said nearly 300 anglers came through.

It’s a slow start, but he’s optimistic that the season will finish strong.

Store adds, “I think it’s going to be awesome. I mean, we need more rain but basically, we need warm weather than the rain.”

This week’s forecast is in the favor of anglers.

Andrew Slette and his friend John Francis is planning their first day out on the water this Walleye season, by making sure their bait is ready.

Slette says he didn’t make it to the opener but is itching to start casting away.

“It kind of kicks off everything for the year, bass comes next then muskies. We’ve been waiting a long time now, winter’s been long,” says Slette.

Everyone has their own objective when it comes to this season.

For some anglers, it’s the taste of fish, but for this Twin Valley fisherman, he’s a catch and release kind of guy.

“I don’t care if I catch anything. It’s just very relaxing. And I’m retired, so what else do I have to do,” says Terry Woodliff of Twin Valley.

Experts say next week the water is expected to be five degrees warmer, causing the bite to be 10 times better.