Here’s the Fishing Outlook for the Duluth Area, Iron Range, and Arrowhead

The 2016 Minnesota fishing opener is shaping up to be a chilly one, with cold temperatures and even a chance of a little snow predicted in some areas of Northern Minnesota. Chilly or not, how does the fishing look? Here's what the Minnesota DNR is saying.

From the summaries prepared by the DNR's fisheries managers, some areas can expect good fishing to kick off the 2016 season, while other parts of the region might not be so great due to a slow arrival of normal spring weather conditions to warm up the lakes.

As a general rule, many of the bigger and deeper lakes in the Duluth area and northward haven't had the chance to warm up to where they should be to bring on the placement/movement of fish like walleyes for the season. If you're heading south or west of Duluth to areas like Aitkin or Brainerd, spawning runs may be wrapping up or completed for the season.

Regardless of whether or not the fish will be active this weekend on the lake you're hitting for opening weekend, most of the area's fisheries reports have a great outlook for the season ahead.

Before heading out this weekend, make sure your boat is prepped, you have properly-fitting life jackets for everyone, and you've checked out the latest fishing regulations for the lake you'll be fishing. Remember, management rules do change from year to year and can be different from lake to lake, so make sure you know the rules for where you'll be wetting a line!