opener traditions

[98prosport]

I have spoke with many who say they don't bother with the walleye opener saying that the weather is always cold and rainy, or too many "wanna bee's" at the launch blah blah blah. I'd like to read about some good old walleye opener traditions. Maybe it will influence me to start one of my own with my grand kids. anyone care to share....

[huntnfish]

We don't do anything too crazy. A few beers and some jalapeño cheddar brats from L&M meats in Grand Forks. We also crack open some smoked oysters while the brats are cooking. Head out fishing at midnight and if we're lucky cleaning a few fish for breakfast. I don't do it as much to fish as I do to get away and relax for a couple days.

[Deet]

It goes something like this:

Friday night, non-vacationing guys arrive at shack just after dinner. Vacationing guys give us crap for getting up there so late, for not doing enough of the prep work, and tell us about the delicious food we missed.

B.S. about the work day and eat some of the goodies our wives made.

Start to discuss what spots we're going to fish the next morning based on previous and current weather and the forecast. A few of us decide we're going to go hit the river with waders at midnight.

Decide to get an hour of sleep before hitting the river. End up sitting around the fire 'til 11:30 pm and decide to start heading to the river.

Fish the river for an hour regardless if we catch zero or half a limit.

Get back to the shack and sleep 'til 5:00. Wake up ticked off that we did the midnight river run.

Launch the boats at 6:00 and head our separate ways, agreeing to call each other if we get on a hot spot.

Someone gets on a hot spot but doesn't tell the rest of the group until it's too late. We all catch fish, almost all of them too big to keep. By late afternoon, someone finds some keepers and eventually tells the rest of the group. By the end of the day we have enough fish to fry.

Sunday, the wives, mothers, and young'ns come up to the shack. The men and boys fry the fish and prepare the side dishes to treat the women to a delicious mother's day fish fry. We are never short of excuses if there aren't enough fillets for an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Repeat on Memorial Day weekend.