Nice day for the opener

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., May 14, 2007

Warm weather and reeling in walleye and other fish made for a pleasant opening fishing weekend for many in Otter Tail County. One of the hot lakes for walleye was Lida northeast of Pelican Rapids and just north of Maplewood State Park.

“People had good luck on Lida using shiner minnows,” Pelican Rapids Park Region Sport Shop manager Lee Brenna said. “Many of the walleye caught were 12 to 13 inches in length — just shy of the 17-inch limit for keepers.

“People stopping here for bait came from near and far. I even had one young man from Norway stop here at the shop to purchase some fishing supplies.”

At Otter Tail Lake, a prime fishing Lake in Otter Tail County, it also was a good opener.

“Walleye fishing was excellent,” Barky’s Resort co-owner Kathy Gruenenwald said. “Most of the people who stayed here drove up from the Twin Cities. They waited until after sunrise Saturday morning and had good luck right away.”

The owners of Barky’s, located on the west side of Otter Tail Lake, were not unlike others in the area who appreciated the influx of guests for the fishing opening weekend — and also this year’s good weather.

Across the lake, on the east side, Bubba’s Bait Shop at Ottertail also reported good fishing.

“It was fantastic,” bait shop owner Gary Henstorf said. “The weather cooperated and people caught lots of fish. And despite gas being $3.15 a gallon, lots of people were driving around here opening weekend.”

Shiners and leeches were the main bait for walleye fishermen, Henstorf said. Others, taking off in boats before sunrise Saturday morning, at first used crank baits such as Rapala and other lures, he said.

Henstorf and his son Josh, to their pleasant surprise, sold more than the projected amount of fishing accessories like rods and reels over the weekend.

“You had to have been here to realize just how good it was here at Otter Tail Lake for the fishing opener — and also the very nice weather,” Gary Henstorf said.

Not everyone fished for walleye opening weekend. They were satisfied catching cold-water crappies, which many fishermen say are just as good tasting as walleye this time of year.

“Our lake is a spring-fed lake and is about two weeks behind walleye fishing, temperature-wise, at places like Otter Tail Lake,” Big McDonald Lake resort owner Jerry Lowe said. “That’s one reason that people come here opening weekend to fish for crappies and other pan fish. They enjoy relaxing on Mother’s Day weekend and just having fun while being outdoors.”

Big McDonald is in north central Otter Tail County.

It was good fishing for Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and his companions at Leech Lake. Before heading in for a shore lunch at Huddle's Resort, the governor caught two northern pike, two walleye and a perch.

First Lady Mary Pawlenty caught three walleye and two perch and Lt. Governor Carol Molnau caught three walleye and nine perch.

The Governor’s Fishing Opener at Leech Lake was the first on the lake since Gov. Harold LeVander fished there during the opener in 1968.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---