Seasons
Minnesota Fishing Opener 2027: Dates by Species & Where to Go
When Minnesota fishing seasons open: walleye and pike on May 15, 2027, plus bass, muskie and trout dates, the Governor's Opener and where to fish.
Updated
The Minnesota fishing opener is the Saturday two weeks before Memorial Day weekend, when walleye, sauger and northern pike seasons open on inland waters. In 2026 that was May 9. In 2027 it is May 15. Other species open on their own schedules, from stream trout in April to muskie in June.
Dates below come from the 2026 Minnesota fishing regulations and the DNR's fishing seasons page, checked in October 2026. The walleye opener formula is written into Minnesota Statutes 97C.395. The 2027-28 booklet will be published in early 2027; confirm any date not yet listed there.
Opening dates by species
| Species | 2026 season | 2027 opener (where announced) |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger, northern pike | May 9, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 | May 15, 2027 |
| Muskellunge | June 6 - Nov. 30 | June 5, 2027 |
| Bass, catch-and-release | Any time harvest is closed | Same |
| Bass harvest, Northeast Zone | May 9, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 | Confirm in 2027 booklet |
| Bass harvest, rest of state | May 23, 2026 onward (smallmouth harvest ends Sept. 13) | Confirm in 2027 booklet |
| Stream trout in streams, statewide | April 11 - Sept. 30 | April 10, 2027 |
| Stream trout in streams, southeast catch-and-release | Jan. 1 - April 10 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Stream trout in lakes, summer | May 9 - Oct. 31 | Confirm in 2027 booklet |
| Lake trout, summer | May 9 - Sept. 30 | Confirm in 2027 booklet |
| Lake trout and stream trout in lakes, winter, outside the BWCAW | Jan. 17 - March 31, 2026 | Jan. 16 - March 31, 2027 |
| Lake trout and stream trout in lakes, winter, entirely inside the BWCAW | Jan. 1 - March 31, 2026 | Jan. 1 - March 31, 2027 |
| Flathead catfish | April 1 - Nov. 30 | Same dates |
| Lake sturgeon, inland catch-and-release | June 16 - April 14 | Same dates every year |
| Crappie, sunfish, perch, channel catfish, bullhead | Continuous | Continuous |
A few points the table cannot carry:
- Walleye and pike close after the last day of February. From March 1 until the opener, inland walleye and pike fishing is closed, including catch-and-release.
- The stream trout opener moved. Starting in 2026, harvest season on trout streams opens the second Saturday in April every year. Southeast Minnesota streams in counties such as Fillmore, Houston and Winona are open to catch-and-release from January 1.
- Bass changed in 2026. A catch-and-release season now covers every part of the year outside the harvest season, so bass caught while crappie fishing in April are no longer a legal headache. You still have to release them immediately.
- Trout waters are all-or-nothing. When trout season is closed on a designated trout lake or stream, the water is closed to fishing for every species.
- Winter lake trout is its own opener, and a serious one. Lakes entirely inside the Boundary Waters open January 1; lakes outside or partly outside open in mid-January.
Border waters run on different calendars
- Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake and most Canadian border waters: walleye stay open through April 14, then reopen on the regular opener. The Rainy River and Four Mile Bay switch to catch-and-release from March 1 to April 14, which is the famous spring run for big river walleye.
- Mississippi River pools 3 through 8 and Lake Pepin: walleye season is continuous.
- St. Croix River: walleye and pike opened May 2 in 2026, a week ahead of inland waters.
- Big Stone, Traverse and the Red River: continuous walleye seasons under the Dakota border rules.
These exceptions are how serious walleye anglers fish legally in March and April.
Why the opener is a big deal
Roughly 1.7 million people fish in Minnesota each year by the DNR's count, and a large share of them treat the second or third Saturday in May as a fixed appointment. Resorts on Leech, Winnibigoshish and Mille Lacs book a year out. Highway 169 and Highway 371 are slow on Friday afternoon. Bait shops run short of shiners.
The Governor's Fishing Opener
The Governor's Fishing Opener has been held since 1948. A different community hosts each year, the governor fishes the host water on opening morning, and the event doubles as the kickoff for the summer tourism season. The 2026 event was hosted by Stillwater on the St. Croix River. Explore Minnesota has announced Cold Spring, in Stearns County, as host for May 14-15, 2027. Most of the program is invitation-only, with a public community celebration alongside it.
Take a Mom Fishing Weekend
Opener usually lands on Mother's Day weekend, and the DNR's Take a Mom Fishing Weekend lets Minnesota-resident mothers fish without a license. In 2026 it fell on May 9-10. Confirm the 2027 dates on the DNR seasons page.
Where to go for opener
Early-season walleye fishing is about water temperature. Walleye have recently finished spawning and are in shallow water near current, rock and gravel, and newly emerged weeds. Lakes that warm first fish best.
- Shallow, stained, fertile lakes warm fastest and tend to produce on opener. Upper Red Lake is the classic example: shallow, dark and full of walleye near shore. Its walleye limit is set each season; for open water 2026 it was five with one over 17 inches.
- Big natural walleye lakes in the north-central region, such as Leech, Winnibigoshish and Cass, concentrate fish around river mouths, shoreline breaks and wind-blown points. Jig and shiner in 6 to 12 feet is the traditional pattern.
- Mille Lacs draws the largest crowd within reach of the Twin Cities. Its walleye rules are announced each March; the 2026 open-water rule was three fish, 17 inches or longer, with one over 20.
- Brainerd Lakes and Otter Tail County offer hundreds of smaller lakes where a public access at dawn is far less crowded. See Crow Wing County lakes and Otter Tail County lakes.
- Twin Cities metro lakes such as Minnetonka, White Bear and the stocked walleye lakes in Hennepin County are a reasonable choice if you would rather not drive.
- Far north lakes such as Vermilion, Kabetogama and Rainy can be excellent or still half frozen. In a late spring, check the ice-out tracker and our ice-out dates guide first.
If walleye do not cooperate, northern pike open the same day and are usually easier, and crappies are often in shallow bays within casting distance of shore. Our stocked lakes list and walleye guide can help narrow the options.
What catches people out
- Cold water. Lake temperatures in mid-May are often in the 40s and 50s. A fall overboard is dangerous well before you are tired. Wear the life jacket.
- Special regulations. Nearly every famous opener lake has its own limit or slot. Read the sign at the access.
- A possible new statewide limit. The DNR has proposed lowering the statewide walleye limit from six to four, and says the change would take effect March 1, 2027 if the rule is adopted. That would make the 2027 opener the first under the new number. See statewide limits.
- Licenses. Last year's license expired on the last day of February. Buy the new one before Friday night; see license costs.
- Bait. Drain your bait bucket before leaving and never dump minnows in the lake.
Bottom line
- Walleye and pike open Saturday, May 15, 2027. Muskie follows on June 5, and stream trout streams open April 10.
- Panfish never close and bass are now catch-and-release legal all year, so nobody has to wait for May to fish.
- Pick opener water by temperature and ice-out, then check that lake's special regulations before you keep anything.