The Minnesota walleye opener Saturday marks the first time many people get their boats in the water.
And while Borderland anglers are lucky enough to have early walleye and sturgeon seasons to wet their appetite for the coming season, most others are just now getting boats, rods and reels and other equipment ready.
Protecting the resource by taking steps to stop the transport of harmful invasive species from one lake or river to another should be an important part of our overall enjoyment of the open water season.
These aquatic nuisance species can hitch a ride on clothing, boats, and items used in the water. When they are taken to another lake or stream, the nuisance species can be released. And, if the conditions are right, these introduced species can become established and create drastic results, such as displacing native fish and habitat.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, it is illegal to transport harmful invasive species.
The DNR offers the following tips to protect Minnesota waters from invasive species:
• Inspect your boat, trailer, and boating equipment (anchors, centerboards, rollers, axles) and remove any plants and animals that are visible before leaving any waterbody.
• Drain water from the motor, livewell, bilge, and transom wells while on land before leaving any waterbody.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash. Never release live bait into a waterbody, or release aquatic animals from one waterbody into another.
• Wash then dry your boat, tackle, downriggers, trailer, and other boating equipment to kill harmful species that were not visible at the boat launch. This can be done on your way home or once you have returned home. Some aquatic nuisance species can survive more than two weeks out of water, so it is important to rinse your boat and equipment that normally get wet with hot (at least 104-degrees F) tap water, or spray your boat and trailer with high-pressure water, or dry your boat and equipment for at least five days, before transporting to another waterbody.
Walleye opener is the start to a season many of us enjoy. Taking extra steps to control the spread of invasive species may play a role in enjoying the fishing season for generations to come.