Yesterday was the Minnesota fishing opener – a tradition celebrated across the state.  It’s the official opening of fishing for walleye and northern pike.  The past few years we’ve joined in this celebration, and we had a grand time again this year.  Here are my top five points about the fishing opener:  (1)  May is not summer yet in Minnesota; long underwear was required this year.  (2)  Prepare for lines at the boat landing; don’t fret, relax, and enjoy your fellow fishermen and women (everyone has stories to tell).  (3)  That new foraging minnow you bought the week before was a winner; the northern pike loved it!  (4)  Northern pike are fighters; you’ll know when they strike your line and that’s part of the fun of catching them.  (5)  A weekend of cabin-life, fishing, loons and eagles, and a campfire are a great cure for stress and the city life.  (Plus, it was a good sign when we won the meat raffle at the bar where we had dinner on our drive up Friday night — we knew the weekend was going to be grand!)