2025 Minnesota Fishing Opener Guide
Opener Fast Facts
• Legal start: 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 10, 2025
• Governor’s Opener: Cross Lake, – 77th annual event
• Species opening: Walleye • Northern Pike • Sauger (bass is catch‑and‑release until May 24)
• License momentum: 220 k+ sold—roughly 10 % higher than 2024
• Statewide hub: 👉 Minnesota Fishing Reports
Quick Tip: Explore any lake with pre‑pinned boat landings, free waypoint marking, and optional PRO overlays.
What’s New in the 2025 Regulations?
• Combined Yellow & White Bass limit 30
• Burbot (eelpout) possession now 4
• Cisco / Whitefish (≥ 7″) limit 15
• Expanded border‑waters rules on the Rainy, St Croix, and more
Early‑Season Conditions & Fish Behavior
• Ice‑out wrapped by April 17th; most lakes now sit 44 – 50 °F
• Wind‑stacked shorelines gather warm surface water—use the wind overlay to pick your side
• Stained water means bright, noisy baits; slow rolls until temps top 52 °F
Try PRO free for seven days to unlock Wind overlays on any map.
Lakes to Watch Opening Weekend
Cross Lake (Governor’s Opener)
On Cross Lake this pre‑spawn window, largemouth bass fire up once the water slides into 48–58 °F, stacking on secondary points and 14‑ to 18‑ft weedline humps that border the shallow spawning flats. Work a lipless crank along emerging vegetation, slow‑roll a bladed jig through the staging zone, or twitch a soft jerkbait with long pauses when a cold front stalls the bite—natural craw or subtle shad hues match the bluegills and craws currently moving shallow. Smallmouths wake at 45–55 °F, roaming 8‑ to 15‑ft rocky points and 20‑ft offshore humps near spawning bays; crawl a Ned rig or tube across the rocks, or suspend a jerkbait with extended pauses to tempt fish keying on perch and juvenile crawfish.
Mille Lacs
On Mille Lacs right now, smallmouths perk up once surface temps climb into 46–55 °F, holding on 8‑ to 15‑ft boulder piles and rock‑sand transitions—crawl a blade bait, drag a Ned, or subtle drop‑shot in natural craw tones. Walleyes feed hard in 42–52 °F at dawn and dusk on rock‑to‑mud breaks and reef points that steer them toward gravel spawning bays; slow vertical jigs, live‑bait rigs, or blade baits in perch or metallic shad patterns score. Largemouths become active at 52–62 °F, prowling reed edges and brush in protected bays—pitch a Texas‑rig or flip a compact jig; a lipless crank along emergent weeds cleans up roaming fish. Northern pike stage in 42–52 °F tributary mouths and shallow bays with new vegetation; steady spinnerbaits or slow large swimbaits around weed edges draw aggressive strikes. Pre‑spawn muskies start showing on 8‑ to 15‑ft rock reefs and windward shoreline points once temps reach 45–58 °F—crawl a big swimbait, long‑pause a jerkbait, or troll shallow along deep‑to‑flat transitions where ciscoes stack.
Leech Lake
On Leech Lake this pre‑spawn stretch, largemouth bass flood 2‑ to 4‑ft grassy flats once temps push 57–74 °F, slamming swim‑jigs, weightless worms, and jigs around reed edges. Walleyes in 45–61 °F slide onto shallow rock points and protected bays at dawn and dusk—slow live‑bait rigs, lift‑and‑drop blade baits, or vertical jigs in natural baitfish or craw colors get bit. Smallmouths perk up in 52–65 °F, feeding on craws across 8‑ to 15‑ft boulder fields; crawl a Ned rig, downsized swimbait, or drop‑shot to stay tight to bottom. Schooling perch shift from basin to 15‑25 ft green‑weed edges in 42–52 °F—vertical jigs or small live‑bait rigs capitalize on the bite. Northern muskies track bait near the dam and 8‑ to 15‑ft rock‑weed transitions in 45–58 °F; slow‑roll spoons, large swimbaits, or inline spinners. Lake whitefish suspend 5–15 ft off bottom along 25‑35 ft humps as water hits 38–48 °F—mid‑depth jigging or trolling blade baits in metallic shades scores steady action.
Lake Minnetonka
On Lake Minnetonka this pre‑spawn period, largemouth bass become aggressive once the lake hits 52–62 °F, keying on rock–weed edges in 8‑12 ft and smashing quick‑twitch jerkbaits, steady swimbaits, or finesse Ned rigs around boulders. Crappies slide out of 20‑ft basins to suspend in 10–12 ft over breaks as water climbs into the high‑40s; target them at dawn and dusk with minnows or small plastics under a bobber. Smallmouths wake up at 48–58 °F, holding on rock piles and gravel points—slow Ned rigs, pause‑heavy jerkbaits, and blade baits shine. Walleyes stage on 8‑15 ft wind‑blown rock points in 42–52 °F: work a subtle vertical jig or minnow‑rig tight to the rocks. Bluegills gather near docks and first‑break weeds once temps top 48 °F; a slip‑bobber and micro‑jig produce. Northern pike roam 4‑10 ft warming bays in 38–52 °F, crushing slow‑rolled spinnerbaits or lipless cranks through new cabbage. When surface temps push past 52 °F, pre‑spawn muskies patrol inside weed edges and shallow flats—crawl a big swimbait or long‑pause jerkbait to intercept them.
Lake Vermilion
Smallmouth stack on Vermilion’s 6‑10 ft rock points and boulder flats once surface temps read 48–55 °F—work a hard jerkbait with 5–10 sec pauses or drag a tube. Walleyes in 48–56 °F hold on 15–30 ft sand‑to‑rock humps off Pike Bay and Big Bay; slow live‑bait rigs or vertical jigs (chartreuse/orange) pay off at dawn and dusk. Muskies stirring in 45–58 °F shadow cisco schools along reef edges and early weedlines—crawl a large soft‑swimbait or long‑pause jerkbait. Northern pike prowling 38–48 °F north‑shore coves crush slow‑rolled spinnerbaits or lipless cranks through emerging cabbage. Largemouth moving toward Vermilion’s dark‑bottom bays and secondary points hit fire‑craw lipless cranks, bladed jigs, and pitched Texas‑rigs once temps climb into 48–62 °F.
FAQ
When can I start fishing on opener?
12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 10, 2025
Where is the 2025 Governor’s Opener?
Cross Lake, Crow Wing County
Can I keep bass on May 10?
No—statewide bass harvest opens on May 24
