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The Latest: Governor claims success on fishing opener

Last Updated May 14, 2016 at 12:20 pm MDT

MCGREGOR, Minn. – The Latest on Minnesota’s fishing opener (all times local):

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12:15 p.m.

Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders are claiming success as Minnesota’s fishing season gets underway.

Big Sandy Lake near McGregor is hosting the annual Governor’s Fishing Opener. Dayton and his party bundled up against the cold and wind, but they managed to catch some decent fish. The temperature was 32 degrees for the send-off ceremony at Big Sandy Resort.

The Democratic governor landed one walleye, one crappie and two perch, while Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt caught two walleyes and Democratic Assistant Senate Majority Leader Katie Sieben got one walleye, two crappies and a perch. Lt. Gov. Tina Smith landed only one fish, but her walleye was the first catch of the day for the official party.

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10:40 a.m.

Minnesota’s walleye season is off to a chilly start.

Temperatures in the 20s and 30s, and even snow flurries in some places, greeted anglers as they took to the lakes and rivers on Saturday morning. Freeze warnings and frost advisories were out for a large part of Minnesota.

Gov. Mark Dayton is fishing on Big Sandy Lake near McGregor in northeastern Minnesota for the annual Governor’s Fishing Opener, a tradition since 1948.

Henry Drewes, the Bemidji regional fisheries manager for the Department of Natural Resources, says he doesn’t expect the cold to deter many anglers. He says people have a tradition of fishing on the opener and they don’t let weather stop it.

DNR officials estimate that around 500,000 anglers will fish on a typical opening weekend with decent weather.