District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2026-05-11
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent fishing opener checking anglers on the Red Lake River and the Red River. Anglers were observed having success throughout opening weekend. Enforcement action was taken for multiple fishing and ATV violations. Nuisance-animal complaints were handled during the week.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent time checking area anglers and responding to various complaints. Violations encountered included no license in possession, displaying expired watercraft registration, and failure to have sufficient PFDs on board.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week assisting with boat and water training for a group of deputies from all around the state. Fontes reports a cold and gusty fishing opener that kept a lot of the area anglers to more sheltered areas like Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River. Enforcement action was taken for insufficient number of PFDs.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) worked Upper Red Lake during the 2026 opener with a neighboring officer. Many fish were caught despite the incessant wind and cooler weather. The COs were contacted regarding a boat that beached itself and took on water, becoming inoperable. All occupants made it back to shore safely thanks to nearby resort owners. Enforcement action was taken for illegal-length walleyes, watercraft safety violations, litter, and open bottle in a motor vehicle on a roadway.
CO Bobby Stringer (Thief River Falls West) reports a slow fishing opener due to colder weather and high winds at Lake of the Woods. Despite area conditions, anglers found tight lines below the dam in Thief River Falls. Stringer provided dive support for the Deputy Boat School at Camp Ripley and worked AIS boat checks for anglers heading north. Enforcement actions for the week included angling without a license and several failures to properly display current watercraft registration as required.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time working fishing opener with overall good compliance. Many anglers managed to fill their limit of walleyes. Enforcement action was taken for a burning violation and fishing without a license.
Baudette East – vacant.
Blackduck South – vacant.
Blackduck North – vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2026-05-11
CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #1) checked anglers on a cold opening weekend of fishing on area lakes. Most anglers reported limited success. Enforcement actions were taken for no license in possession, personal floatation device required, expired boat registration, no throwable on board, and angling without a license.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) worked a busy fishing opening weekend on area lakes and rivers. Many folks were surprised to find low water levels and water temperatures still hovering around 50 degrees. Fishing success was sporadic, with a range from limits of walleyes to many folks being skunked. Water safety equipment and watercraft registration compliance were very high, contributing to a safe and rather uneventful weekend in Otter Tail County.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) assisted with training at the DNR’s Deputy Boat and Water School this week. Swedberg assisted with training deputies to operate watercrafts and in water survival situations. Other time was spent on the water checking anglers. Weather wasn’t perfect, but some people still had success finding fish on opener.
CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Fishing opener was worked, with a few anglers out and about. Anglers checked reported a tough bite with windy conditions. Boating safety checks were performed. Leeching activity was worked and AIS compliance was monitored. Warren provided information on nuisance-bear activity, wildlife management area rules and regulations, and angling limits.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking anglers in the Moorhead station. Weather conditions over walleye opener kept many people off the lakes. Those anglers who did stick out the wind and cooler weather had poor success. Anglers should find a better bite as water temperatures increase. It was encouraging to find high compliance, as no violations were encountered over walleye opener.
CO Grey Corbus (Pelican Rapids) spent the week monitoring angling activity, ATV activity and assisting other local agencies. The wind made fishing opener a challenge for those who braved the weather in a boat. Success varied. Corbus also worked with the District 2 intern as well. Enforcement action was taken for various ATV violations, an overlimit of crappies, and various boating violations.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked anglers for the opening weekend. Seventeen lakes in the region were checked, with minimal to no activity due to the high winds. Balm Lake had a fair bass bite and water temps were 48 to 49 degrees. Burning without a permit for a fire that got out of control in a restricted zone was addressed. Training for water survival was provided to county deputies from around the state this week.
CO Ryan Schaefer (Bemidji #2) spent this past week checking local anglers, as the 2026 fishing season began. High winds and cold water made for a very slow bite on area lakes. Schaefer and other area COs assisted the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension with a joint ground search for a missing person from last year. Schaefer also gave an ATV law and ethics presentation to a group of youth at Bagley High School, in conjunction with the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office. Enforcement action was taken for individuals attempting to take beavers by improper means and fishing in a closed spawning area before the season opener.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2026-05-11
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) conducted a boating safety talk to several youth, investigated a possible wolf-depredation case, and worked fishing and boating activity over the weekend. Assistance was given to local authorities with a missing 3-year-old child who was found safe. A possession tag for a car-killed otter was given.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports checking anglers and boaters over the week going into the fishing opener weekend. Success varied among anglers, with more of a mixed bag of fish being caught on Sunday. ATV activity was also worked over the busy weekend.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters and ATV riders. Training was given at Deputy Boat School for officer water survival training. Questions about boat registration and burning were received and handled.
CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County for angling activities. Time was spent assisting local law enforcement agencies on numerous calls for service. Enforcement action was taken for angling and off-highway motorcycle violations.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) reports a busy fishing opening weekend. Even with the chilly winds, many anglers still ventured out and had moderate success. Znajda taught officer water survival tactics at Deputy Boating School to deputies from 20 different counties. She also taught firearms safety at the Alexandria Safety Day Camp to numerous fifth-grade students.
CO Curtis Jepson (Wheaton) patrolled the station, checking turkey hunters and anglers. He assisted the neighboring station with the fishing opener. Despite windy and cool conditions, there were still plenty of anglers on the water. He also responded to various calls for service
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) worked fishing and recreational enforcement. A limited number of fish were seen over opening weekend. Enforcement action was taken for taking bass out of season, failure to remove a boat plug before transporting, and fishing without a fishing license.
CO Andrew Ladzinski (Glenwood) dedicated his time to angling and boating enforcement. Many anglers braved the high winds to find some walleyes. Many anglers were checked. They were having varying success for walleyes. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession, insufficient life jackets, possessing bass out of season, and various watercraft safety item violations.
Osage – vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2026-05-11
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the local area for angling, boating, and recreational vehicle traffic. Baum assisted Hennepin County Medical Center doctors with rural medicine training at Camp Ripley. Baum and CO Mike Cross attended Park Rapids Elementary School to educate youth on ATV safety and water safety. Baum found anglers having some success on area lakes for the 2026 fishing opener. He took enforcement action for various angling and boating violations. Baum wants to remind boaters to doublecheck required safety equipment on their boats before hitting the water.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) conducted boat and water safety outreach at Menahga School, getting the students ready for a Hooked On Fishing event for next week. Angling and bowfishing activity were monitored. The fishing opener was worked; anglers appeared to have limited success. Enforcement action on various types of off-highway vehicles continues.
CO Patrick McGowan (Cass Lake) worked Leech Lake over the walleye-opener weekend. Overall, fishing was slow for most anglers and weather conditions made for difficult fishing. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license, expired boat registration, insufficient life jackets, and numerous other boating violations.
CO Jack Lien (Walker) teamed up with his supervisor, Lt. Mark Mathy, and they patrolled Leech Lake for the 2026 fishing opener. Rough water and cold water made for overall slow fishing success for anglers. Many boats were seen and checked. Lien worked trapping activity after a call was received about a pile of dead coyotes in the woods. The carcass pile led to finding bobcats left out in the woods deceased at a different location. Enforcement action was taken. Lien reminds people to make sure they have all their watercraft safety equipment operational as the water temps are still in the 40s, increasing the risk in the event of an emergency.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) reports tough fishing conditions over the weekend, with a slow bite Saturday seeming to get a little better on Sunday for those willing to stick out another windy day on the water. Sura received a call of a turkey that was believed to have been shot from the roadway. The complaint is being investigated.
ATV rec officer – vacant.
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