The first day of the state's inland fishing season began at Crane Lake, a northern border lake in Minnesota, on Saturday. Despite a chilly start, anglers were successful in finding a fish in the water, despite the chilly conditions. The first fish was a female walleye, which was released after a long fight and weighed 26 inches, making it a legal keeper on Crane Lake. The group of anglers fished in a narrow river that drains into Crane Lake in front of Nelson's Resort, where they were headquartered for the weekend. Despite the chilly weather, the group found it to be a great start to the season, with the water temperature rising from the mid-50s to around the 60th degree. The author suggests that while the ice went off Crane late last year, its water quickly warmed quickly due to the more temperate weather that prevailed in April and May 2025.