Fishing opener … or deer opener?

Fishing opener 2016: rods, reels, deer-hunting clothing.

It was easy to pack for this year’s fishing opener. I just grabbed the bin that contains my deer-hunting gear. The forecast for opening day – Saturday, May 14 – is remarkably similar to the conditions during last year’s Nov. 7 deer opener – a high of about 48 degrees and a low of 30 degrees. Not bad, until you throw in forecasted 21-mile-per-hour winds with gusts to 53 mph. Sounds uncomfortable to me, though it could result in a good “walleye chop,” I suppose.

It’s become our tradition to haul the boat to Bad Medicine Lake to fish for rainbow trout, but given the stiff northwest winds in the forecast, I don’t see that happening. So we’ll probably join the other half-million or so fishermen dragging Lindy rigs and pitching jigs for walleyes. Pretty much all the opening day prognostications I’ve seen call for walleyes to be in the shallows and actively feeding – read: easy to catch – though I know from experience that doesn’t mean I’ll find ‘em and catch ‘em.  

Best of luck to everyone heading out this weekend.