Minnesota Fishing Facts: MNDNR

Minnesota fishing facts

Note: Here are some facts about Minnesota fishing in anticipation of the 2016 fishing opener, which is Saturday, May 14.

Anglers and waters

• There are about 1.4 million licensed anglers in Minnesota.
• About 500,000 people are expected to fish on Minnesota’s opening day of the walleye and northern pike season, Saturday, May 14.
• Minnesota has 11,842 lakes, 5,400 of which are considered fishing lakes. There are over 18,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.
• Average annual expenditure per angler in Minnesota is about $1,500.¹
• Although not every kind of fish lives everywhere, 162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters.

Participation and the economy

• Fishing contributes $2.4 billion to the state’s economy in direct retail sales, ranking Minnesota third in the nation for angler expenditures.¹
• Fishing supports nearly 35,500 Minnesota jobs.²
• Minnesota ranks second in resident fishing participation at 32 percent, second only to Alaska.¹

Who goes fishing?

• Most resident anglers are from urban areas. However, a higher percentage of people living in rural Minnesota fish compared to the percentage of people living in urban areas who fish.¹
• Males account for 65 percent of fishing license holders. Females account for 35 percent.

Fishing habits

• Significantly more time is spent fishing on lakes than on rivers and streams.¹
• The average Minnesota angler spends 15 days fishing each year.¹
• Walleye are the most sought-after fish in Minnesota, followed by northern pike and muskie combined, then panfish, bass, crappie and trout.¹

¹ 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, (U.S. and Minnesota reports) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
² Sportfishing in America, January 2013, produced by Southwick and Associates.

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