HAYWARD – The 2026 Wisconsin fishing season got its official start Saturday, May 2 under Chamber of Commerce conditions in the North Woods.
As boats launched to start the day, the lakes were calm, the mercury was rising and the sun shined through a clear sky.
At least that’s the way it was on Nelson Lake near Hayward.
Gov. Tony Evers was among the anglers hitting the state’s waters and within minutes of his first cast landed a 32-inch-long northern pike.
Evers fished on Nelson Lake with Capt. Barb Carey of Oxford, Jane McMahon of Poynette and Rikki Pardun of Oxford as part of the Governor’s Fishing Opener.
The event also included a dinner and banquet at Sevenwinds Casino near Hayward on May 1, breakfast at the Nelson Lake boat landing, and lunch and educational displays at Lake Hayward Beach in Hayward.
This year marks the 60th time the Governor’s Fishing Opener has been held. The event was started by Gov. Warren Knowles in 1966. Knowles, a Wisconsin native, graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s law school and World War II veteran, served three two-year terms as governor from 1965-71.
The annual event is an opportunity to highlight Wisconsin’s fishing opportunities and the tourism industry. Each governor after Knowles has continued the tradition, held on the first day of the Wisconsin general fishing season.
No governor since Knowles has caught as many fish as Evers, however. He’s caught at least one fish each of the six openers he’s fished with Carey, Pardun and McMahon. The women are members of the Wisconsin Women Fish organization.
“I enjoy every outing,” Evers said at 9 a.m. May 2 as he walked to the Nelson Lake boat landing. “And like with the rest of life, I learn something new every day.”
After landing the pike on the 2026 opener, Evers also caught a largemouth bass and a bunch of bluegills and black crappies.
In late morning it was unknown if the catches were enough to win a wager with Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. Rodridguez fished on Nelson Lake with Brenda and John Maier of True North Guiding and Outfitters. The stakes were an ice cream cone.
Other state officials taking part in the Governor’s Fishing Opener included Secs. Karen Hyun of the Department of Natural Resources and Anne Sayers of the Tourism Department.
The event was organized by the Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau.
At dawn the temperature in Hayward was 30 degrees and steam rose from lakes in the area. But by mid-morning the mercury read 37 and midges were hatching and flitting through the air. At 11 a.m. the temperature was 50 in Hayward with a mild west wind.
“We were really just hoping for no snow,” said Mindy Simons, executive director of the Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau. “So we’re thrilled.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Governor’s Fishing Opener casts off with good conditions near Hayward
Reporting by Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
