Pike Bay opener date

Does Pike Bay have special opener dates? I was reading a 2020 fishing report that said:

The first week of the season has seen a bit of everything. Ice, snow, rain, warmth, calm, windy, you name it. The water level is extremely high right now. The walleyes have been most consistent in the mid range 15-20 foot range on minnows. Water temps in our bay are approaching the high 40’s. Temps are much lower on big bay. Pike Bay opens Saturday for fishing and it should be pretty good but crowded.

I can’t find anything about it in the regulations but am wondering if I am missing something or not.

Never heard that before

Bearcat89 wrote:

Never heard that before

I checked the 2020 book too and I have no idea what they were talking about.

No, it’s the same all the other inland lakes. Some years they have it closed down by the hatchery on opener. Their signs and what not.

Not sure I remember this right but one year was late ice out like the week of opener and they closed the bay down for fishing.

carver wrote:

No, it’s the same all the other inland lakes. Some years they have it closed down by the hatchery on opener. Their signs and what not.

Not sure I remember this right but one year was late ice out like the week of opener and they closed the bay down for fishing.

100% correct, they close down Pike Bay if the spawn is still going. The Pike Bay Hatchery is an important place for stocking in lake all over the state. I think Red lake was all stocked with Pike Bay walleye!

DaveB wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>carver wrote:</div>
No, it’s the same all the other inland lakes. Some years they have it closed down by the hatchery on opener. Their signs and what not.

Not sure I remember this right but one year was late ice out like the week of opener and they closed the bay down for fishing.

100% correct, they close down <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Pike Bay if the spawn is still going. The <em class=”ido-tag-em”>Pike Bay Hatchery is an important place for stocking in lake all over the state. I think Red lake was all stocked with Pike Bay walleye!

That is correct. However they also did take some out via hoop nets to red lake as well to boost that population in red.

Thanks everybody, makes sense.

Opener is always on a Saturday. That article was probably from the week leading up to that Saturday. As others mentioned, the hatchery will have signage when you aren’t allowed to be there.

KPE wrote:

Opener is always on a Saturday. That article was probably from the week leading up to that Saturday. As others mentioned, the hatchery will have signage when you aren’t allowed to be there.

Did you read anything besides the bold text in the original post?

The report must not have been from 2020 like I thought it was. The only thing I’ve been able to find was this article from 2008 that says the bay was closed for a week: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/2373403-dnr-delays-fishing-opener-some-areas

Pike Bay of Lake Vermilion in St. Louis County, also closed to fishing from May 10 through May 16. The portion of Pike Bay affected is from the Pike River Dam to a north-south line at the narrowest portion between Echo Point and Puncher Point. The closed area also includes East Two River and West Two River between Minnesota Highway 169 and Pike Bay.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>KYLE P ERICKSON wrote:</div>
Opener is always on a Saturday. That article was probably from the week leading up to that Saturday. As others mentioned, the hatchery will have signage when you aren’t allowed to be there.

Did you read anything besides the bold text in the original post?

Yeah I read the whole thing. At which point does it indicate this was after actual walleye opener? When they say “first week of the season” I take that to mean first week of open water. What do I know I’ve only been fishing pikes bay on opener for 25 years. Whooligan nailed it, it wasn’t from 2020.