Early opener idea hits snags

• Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen

Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen

Talk about it

Walleye and northern pike may be safe until Mother’s Day weekend after all, if discussion in a Senate committee Monday is any indication.

Members of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee Monday expressed no support for moving the fishing opener to May 5, a week earlier than the traditional Mother’s Day opener.

A record-warm March prompted a drive to move up this year’s fishing opener. Then, walleye were spawning earlier than normal; now, however, fish experts say spawning has slowed and is closer to normal, raising a concern among biologists that an early opener could hurt the fish.

Anglers told the committee that they, too, were concerned for fish and urged lawmakers to keep the opening as is.

“Ninety percent of the guides in my area...are against the early opener,” fishing guide Tom Neustrom of Grand Rapids said. “We need to protect these fish, we need to protect the walleyes in Minnesota from being overharvested.”

Representatives of resort organizations said their members are divided on the subject, but whatever lawmakers do, they want a decision as soon as possible.

“They are not mixed in my district,” Senator John Carlson, R-Bemidji, said. “They don’t want it. I have not had one – not one phone call, not one e-mail – from anyone who wants it.”

When contacted by the Echo Press Monday, workers at Christopherson Bait in Alexandria were undecided about the issue. Dick Gustafson said he didn’t think moving the season up a week would help business.

“I don’t think it would have a big effect here,” he said. “People have already made plans for May 12. They made reservations and that’s not always easy to change.”

Spawning is a bigger issue to consider, Gustafson said. When spawning, fish are more vulnerable to being caught and it could hurt reproduction. Anglers are still finding spawn in crappies around the Alexandria area, Gustfason said. He added that the water temperatures on local lakes have not warmed up enough for spawning to stop.

Although allowing anglers to get an early jump on the walleye and northern season could perhaps trigger an early surge of business, Gustfason isn’t sold on the idea. “With the economy and gas prices the way they are, I doubt that would happen,” he said.

Opinions about the issue are changing quickly, Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, said Monday after his environment and natural resources committee heard testimony that produced no support for the earlier openers.

“The more people are weighing in on it, the more of a concern it became,” Ingebrigtsen said.

During a 10-day Easter-Passover break, including a trip through the Red River Valley, he heard lots of opposition. “I will be strongly against it on the Senate floor tomorrow, if it comes up,” Ingebrigtsen said.

With just 20 days left before an early opener, getting things done in time would be difficult. Resorters “are struggling right now to meet the May 12 opener,” said Tony Kwilas, representing larger Minnesota resorts and other hospitality businesses.

The House overwhelmingly voted to amend a bill April 3 to push the opener up to May 5, so anglers can get out a week before Mother’s Day weekend.

A leading House member on outdoors issues said the final decision cannot come until next week, too late in resort owners’ opinions.

“It was not as well researched when we voted on it,” Representative Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, said.

Before the House vote, there were no committee hearings and little discussion about the issue.

Representative David Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, and Senator Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, presented the idea, given the warm weather at the time.

Senators plan to debate Ingebrigtsen’s game and fish bill Tuesday, and there could be an attempt to amend the bill to move the opener. Ingebrigtsen said he would talk to Bakk before the vote, but a Bakk spokesman said his boss would make no comment Monday.

“If you are talking about a resort or the guides or whoever it is, it is too late,” Senator Tim Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, said.

Had legislators approved the plan three weeks ago, he added, “it would have been fine. As far as I’m concerned, it is a moot point.”

Increased license fees?

On a related issue, Ingebrigtsen said that he expects the House to go along with the Senate-approved provision to raise hunting and fishing fees.

The Senate bill contains the increase, but a House-passed measure does not. The Senate chairman said he expects the fee increase to prevail in negotiations.

Tags: local news, news, legislation, fishing, opener