The following information can be used for stories in preparation for the 2025 fishing opener, which is Saturday, May 10. Some information is from the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and others.
A report summarizing the survey results for Minnesota is available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ license dollars at work webpage.
Anglers and waters
1.7 million anglers fished in Minnesota in 2022. Of these, 1.2 million were Minnesota residents while 508,000 were nonresidents, according to the USFWS survey.
About 500,000 people are expected to fish on Saturday, May 10, Minnesota’s opening day of the walleye, northern pike, bass and trout-in-lakes season in 2025.
Minnesota has 11,842 lakes that are 10 or more acres in size, 4,500 of which are considered fishing lakes. There are more than 16,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.
Although not every kind of fish lives everywhere, 162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters.
Participation and the economy
Minnesota anglers spent $5.9 billion dollars on angling related expenses (for example, angling trips, equipment and licenses) in 2022, according to the USFWS survey.
Average annual expenditures per angler in Minnesota in 2022 were $3,600, according to the USFWS survey.
Fishing supports 28,000 Minnesota jobs, according to the American Sportfishing Association.
Who goes fishing?
According to the survey led by the USFWS, an estimated 26% of Minnesota residents aged 16 and older went fishing in 2022. A closer look at participation by race and ethnicity found that 21% of Black, 26% of Hispanic, and 27% of white Minnesotans aged 16 and older fished in 2022.
An estimated 38% of male and 14% of female Minnesota residents fished in 2022.
Among Minnesotans who did not possess a fishing license in 2022, 36% expressed an interest in fishing in Minnesota in the future.
The most frequently reported barrier to fishing — for Minnesotans interested in fishing — is lacking friends and family to fish with.
The purchase price of every fishing license goes into the Game and Fish Fund, a dedicated account that can only be used for fish, wildlife, law enforcement and certain other outdoor-related activities. More information on fishing in Minnesota is available on the Minnesota DNR fishing webpage.
