Of course, "opening day" is a bit deceiving, because a lot of anglers have already been on the water. Some have found ice-free waters to pursue crappies. Others have fished the Mississippi border waters south of the Twin Cities, which are open for walleyes and sauger year-round. And some - like me - have been stalking the banks of trout streams since mid-April, hoping to find cooperative browns or brook trout.

But regardless of the number who have already been afloat or astream for other fish species, here in Minnesota no fisherman confuses "opener" with anything but the first legal fishing for walleyes on inland waters. Northern pike become legal then, too, and that can be a good thing, because "snakes" - an unflattering and undeserved nickname - often save an angler from a skunking.

Judging from reports from across the state as recently as May 1, it looks like anglers may be dealt the additional wild card of frigid lakes that have just lost their ice, or are still even partially covered with ice. The odds of these barely-thawed conditions increase the farther north one goes. Some northern lakes still had ice over a foot in thickness little more than a week ago.

Though it's never a good idea to say "always" or "never," it's a widely-held belief that lakes barely free of ice are not likely to produce hot fishing action. I've certainly had that experience. I recall one Governor's Fishing Opener that was held in the Park Rapids area. Al Quie was the governor, so history-minded readers can figure out just how long ago that was.

The many writers and other guests were taken out fishing by local guides, and hopes were high that we would all get into fish. Unfortunately, no one had informed the fish. One thing I do remember, the relatively small lake on which we fished was very deep, and had just lost its ice several days before. That was as good an excuse as any for not catching walleyes. Most fish are just plain lethargic in water that is barely above freezing. And who can blame them?

I recall another opener many years later, and a young daughter who I was eager to introduce to the pleasures and rewards of angling. I was onto the conventional wisdom that it's important to show children fishing action and success to keep them from losing interest. To that end I had decided we would target crappies, fish likely to be more willing than walleyes to sacrifice themselves to help sell my pre-teen on fishing. I picked a small lake whose ice had gone out earlier than some of the larger, big name lakes nearby.

After an early breakfast at a local eatery, we headed off to our chosen lake, loaded our gear into the boat and shoved off. To anyone but a Minnesotan, or perhaps a Canadian, the snow flurries that alternately came and went would have seemed wildly out of place for being almost two weeks into May.

I was surprised that we didn't find the crappies in a half day of fishing. But the small northerns did find us, and interrupted the cold, fishless, snowy intervals just often enough to keep our spirits up. Not wanting to blow a chance to develop another eager angler in the family, I called off the effort and weighed anchor at midday. There would be other, more hospitable days ahead.

Simple, hopefully sound, advice

I seldom give serious technical advice on how to succeed in fishing. But one general approach seems like common sense for this year's opener. Lakes that have been free of ice the longest, and that are shallower than others, warm the soonest. Warmer waters are likely to hold more active fish, and that - all other things being equal - should mean a better "bite."

As nice as it is to maintain traditions of fishing the same waters year after year, this may be a good year to break out of that pattern, if your favorite lake is big, deep, and late in shedding its ice.

Finally, it might be a good idea to follow the advice implied in the title of a familiar book on Minnesota immigrants: "Bring Warm Clothes."