Minnesota
Women, kids and the future of fishing: thoughts off the Minnesota opener
The goodwill that exists among Minnesotans for conservation of the state’s natural resources and especially for preservation of outdoor traditions — fishing among them — is unbounded.
That was among my thoughts last weekend during the inland walleye and northern pike opener, which some friends and I spent on Lake Winnibigoshish (“Winnie”) while fishing out of McArdle’s Resort on Winnie and nearby Paradise Resort on Moose Lake.
On the season’s first day, Winnie was loaded with boats, most carrying an average of three anglers. An hour’s drive north or so of that giant lake, Upper Red Lake also was crowded, as were, not far away, Leech and Cass lakes.
Department of Natural Resources conservation officer (CO) Andrew Goodman of Perham concurred the opener was bustling, saying it was the busiest he’s seen in recent memory.
CO Aaron Larson of Tower agreed, reporting a busy opener on Lake Vermilion, while CO John Slatinski IV, working out of Ray, said he couldn’t remember a recent opener as hectic.
Fishing license sales just before the opener were 7% higher than a year ago, confirming the officers’ observations.
While waiting last weekend in long lines at bait shops and at boat launches, and while trolling a quarter-ounce jig in 12 feet of water on the opener (fishing partners Joe Hermes, Steve Vilks, my wife, Jan, and I had good luck), these were two of my observations:
- More women are fishing now than in previous years, a trend that in my view must continue for fishing to remain the state’s premier outdoor activity.
- Perhaps counterintuitively, given the meteoric rise in popularity of competitive fishing in Minnesota among 7th-12th graders, fewer young people appear to be fishing on the opener — and at other times — than has been the case in Minnesota historically. (This could be because many school fishing competitions are for bass, not walleyes.)
The two issues are connected in my view, and how they play out, alone and together, will help determine whether fishing, Minnesota’s premier outdoor pastime, continues to thrive or suffers.
The issue is important to everyone, not just anglers, because fishing is second only to camping in the amount of money ($36 billion) it contributes to the U.S. recreation economy. The funds not only underwrite fisheries management, they help ensure the presence of surface and sub-surface clean water.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, about 20% of anglers in Minnesota are women. That percentage is impressive and might be the highest among all states. But it will have to increase markedly to ensure future generations of kids are exposed to fishing and other outdoor activities in intentional ways.
That’s because women generally have more influence on how a family spends its time than men do. And given that any young kid doing anything outdoors — playing in mud included — is likely to be better off psychologically and emotionally than a kid who stares at a phone or computer all day, more women (and men) of the future will, in my view, have to help kids make healthier choices, including some that include rods, reels and lures.
Diane Scott, a Future Anglers of Minnesota (FAM) board member, believes fishing might hold special promise for a kid’s development.
“Our group probably interacts with 250 kids a year,” Scott said of FAM. “This includes Callan Wagner, my grandson, who was my biggest reason for getting involved with FAM.”
As proud as Scott is of 13-year-old Callan’s developing angling prowess, she’s prouder still of the fundraiser he and other FAM kids participated in. Soliciting pledges for every fish they caught in a winter tournament, Callan raised $6,885 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, while fellow FAM member Khloe Thorson did better still, raising $7,200 for a cancer foundation.
“We challenge our young anglers not only to develop their fishing skills but to help their communities,” Scott said.
Meanwhile, Women Anglers of Minnesota (WAM), the fishing group founded in 1977 to introduce women to the joys of fishing, continues to thrive. On June 8 on Lake Osakis, the group will host its 46th WAM Open Water Fishing Tournament, and members also will volunteer June 15 at Buffalo Days Fishing Klinics for Kids, and June 28 at the Jiggin’ with Kids nationwide virtual fishing tournament.
Impressively, WAM also sponsors 25 high school fishing teams and, in Minnesota, also sponsors the Student Angler Tournament Trail.
Of course, these groups can’t provide outdoor opportunities for all Minnesota kids. Parents also must help attempt to counter the temptations of electronics and social media with outdoor activities. In my experience, as a parent and observer of parents, that can be an uphill climb if a child isn’t brought to a park or similar environment by age 2 or 3, and isn’t soon thereafter taken camping, hiking, biking, fishing or otherwise doing something outdoors.
Which is why the seeming absence on this opener, as on previous openers, of young people is worrying. Not only because the future of fisheries and clean water depend on continued participation by the masses, but because society will benefit if more people spend more time outdoors.
A retired Twin Cities teacher and expert angler, Kay Hawley agrees.
A member of three fishing clubs — Minnesota Valley In-Fisherman, Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited and WAM — Hawley this weekend is passing on the joy of fishing by helping to host the Minnesota Angler Meet-Up at Vermilion Dam Lodge on Lake Vermilion.
“We have 30 anglers here representing the three clubs, and by joining forces and learning from each other, each of us will have a greater opportunity to positively impact the Minnesota fishing community,” Hawley said.
Then she went fishing, as she should.
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FIRST ON FOX: ICE officials on Saturday released a shocking list of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested during their recent surge in the sanctuary state of Minnesota, including child rapists and nearly a dozen killers.
ICE told Fox News the criminal illegal immigrants were roaming freely in Minnesota prior to their recent arrest, and that they are the type of people Democratic politicians and activists are referring to as their “neighbors,” as they attempt to interfere with ICE.
“Regardless of staged political theatrics, ICE is going to continue to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota and elsewhere,” ICE director Todd M. Lyons wrote in a statement. “Some of these criminal aliens have had final orders of removal for 30 years, but they’ve been free to terrorize Minnesotans.”
Anti-immigration enforcement agitators clash with federal law enforcement outside an ICE facility in Minneapolis, Minn. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“ICE’s arrests prevent recidivism and make communities safer, but it feels like local politicians want to ignore that part and drum up discontent rather than protect their own constituents,” he continued.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to the arrests on X Saturday, calling the convicts “sick people.”
“This is why we have ICE Agents,” Leavitt wrote in the post. “May God Bless them for their thankless work to protect American communities from these sick people.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a photo of a plane on X Saturday captioned, “Lawbreakers going wheels up in Minneapolis.”
Some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested in Minnesota include:
Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy and strong-arm sodomy of a girl. (ICE)
Sriudorn Phaivan
Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy and strong-arm sodomy of a girl, another aggravated sex offense, nine counts of larceny, unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of fraud, vehicle theft, two counts of drug possession, obstructing justice, possession of stolen property, receiving stolen property, burglary and check forgery.
He also has pending charges for two counts of receiving stolen property, flight to avoid prosecution or confinement and burglary.
Phaivan has had a deportation order since 2018.
Tou Vang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under the age of 13, and procuring a child for prostitution. (ICE)
Tou Vang
Tou Vang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under the age of 13, and procuring a child for prostitution.
Vang has had a deportation order since 2006.
Chong Vue, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl, and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her. (ICE)
Chong Vue
Chong Vue, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl, and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her.
Vue has had a deportation order since 2004.
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Ge Yang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation. (ICE)
Ge Yang
Ge Yang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation.
Yang has had a deportation order since 2012.
Pao Choua Xiong, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape and child fondling. (ICE)
Pao Choua Xiong
Pao Choua Xiong, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape and child fondling.
Xiong has had a deportation order since 2003.
Kou Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault. (ICE)
Kou Lor
Kou Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault.
Lor has had a deportation order since 1996.
Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was ordered to leave the country in 2016 and has been convicted of sexual assault against a child, sexual assault-carnal abuse and four DUIs. (ICE)
Hernan Cortes-Valencia
Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault of a child and DUI.
Cortes-Valencia has had a deportation order since 2016.
Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide. (ICE)
Abdirashid Adosh Elmi
Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.
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Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a criminal illegal immigrant from El Salvador, has been convicted of three counts of homicide. (ICE)
Gilberto Salguero Landaverde
Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant, was convicted of three counts of homicide.
Landaverde has had a deportation order since June 2025.
Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide. (ICE)
Gabriel Figueroa Gama
Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.
Gama was previously deported in 2002.
Galuak Michael Rotgai, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sudan, has been convicted of homicide and assault. (ICE)
Galuak Michael Rotgai
Galuak Michael Rotgai, a Sudanese illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.
Thai Lor, a criminal illegal immigrant from Laos, has been convicted of two counts of homicide. (ICE)
Thai Lor
Thai Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of two counts of homicide.
Lor has had a deportation order since 2009.
Mariama Sia Kanu, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, has been convicted of two counts of homicide, four DUIs, three counts of larceny and burglary. (ICE)
Mariana Sia Kanu
Mariana Sia Kanu, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, was convicted of two counts of homicide.
Kanu has had a deportation order since 2022.
Aldrin Guerrero Munoz, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, has been convicted of homicide and assault.
Aldrin Guerrero Munoz
Aldrin Guerrero Munoz, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.
Munoz has had a deportation order since 2015.
Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of manslaughter.
Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed
Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of manslaughter.
Ahmed has had a deportation order since 2022.
Mongong Kual Maniang Deng, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sudan, has been convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession and DUI.
Mongong Dual Maniang Deng
Mongong Dual Maniang Deng, a Sudanese illegal immigrant, was convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession and DUI.
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Aler Gomez Lucas, a criminal illegal immigrant from Guatemala, has been convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI.
Aler Gomez Lucas
Aler Gomez Lucas, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, was convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI.
Lucas has had a deportation order since 2022.
Shwe Htoo, a criminal illegal immigrant from Burma, has been convicted of negligent homicide with a weapon. (ICE)
Shwe Htoo
Shwe Htoo, a Burmese illegal immigrant, was convicted of negligent homicide.
Vice President JD Vance: ‘I stand with ICE’
Vice President JD Vance said he stands with ICE agents after the fatal shooting of a woman at a protest in Minnesota.
Childhood vaccine schedule gets lighter
Kids in the United States will now have four fewer recommended vaccines on their childhood vaccine schedule, the Department of Health and Human Services announced. The four vaccines are for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A, which will now be considered a shared decision between parents and doctors. Insurers will continue covering the vaccines regardless of the category, the HHS said. The administration says the move aligns the U.S. vaccine schedule with that of other developed nations; public health experts say the decision puts children’s health at risk.
Fraud scandal drags down Tim Walz
A bare-knuckles 2026 campaign season has barely begun, and it has already knocked out one high-profile candidate. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, dogged by a scandal that saw hundreds of millions of dollars in state Medicaid payouts exposed as possibly fraudulent, says he will not seek reelection. “I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election,” Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential campaign, said in a statement. Dozens of people in Minnesota have been charged with stealing taxpayer dollars in what the Justice Department called the “largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country.”
I’ll have a sniff and a slice
Candle shoppers are still melting down over some of the offerings in Bath & Body Works’ “Perfect Pairings” collection − in particular, the Pizza & Ranch candle, which promises notes of “gooey cheese, crispy pepperonis and ranch.” The fragrance, released in December as one of the “fun and unexpected” fragrances for Candle Day 2025, brought reactions that border on the unprintable, including one that referenced a Diaper Genie pail. Other scents were Coffee & Donuts, Chips & Salsa and Popcorn & Slushie. As of Jan. 5, only the Chips & Salsa candle was available on the company’s website, and alas, there was no word on restocking.
The great Oscars countdown has begun
Roll out the red carpets and chill the champagne: Hollywood’s race for the Oscars kicked off Jan. 4 with the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, where “Sinners” and “Frankenstein” led the field with four wins each. “One Battle After Another” won best picture; for best actor and actress, Timothée Chalamet of “Marty Supreme” and Jessie Buckley of “Hamnet” took home the trophies. Next up on the watch list: the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11. Hollywood’s biggest night, the Academy Awards, comes March 15.
Snoop goes unleashed in his NBA game call
Coaches clashing with officials is nothing new, but this brouhaha came with a Snoop Dogg play-by-play – and a rebuke from the coach’s mom. The coach was the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr, who had to be restrained after he was ejected from the game in a dispute over a missed goaltending call against the LA Clippers. “Steve’s raining fire on them. Woo-hoo!” barked Snoop, a guest analyst for Peacock. “The Arizona Wildcat came out. … Rawr, rawr!” Later, Kerr said he was amused by Snoop’s call, but his mother, who was at the game, was “terribly disappointed in me.” − Compiled and written by Robert Abitbol
Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are continuing across the Triangle this week, fueled by anger and fear after a woman was shot and killed during an immigration enforcement operation Wednesday in Minnesota.
Adali Abeldanez, owner of Moroleon Supermarket in Durham, said fear is impacting daily life and local businesses, including his own.
“People are still stressed and worried,” he said.
Abeldanez said he has seen a noticeable change in customer behavior since ICE operations intensified. While his store has offered delivery services for years, he noticed requests surged in November, when ICE was in the state, and have remained high.
“That uptick in delivery – do you believe that’s directly tied to people’s fear about ICE?” WRAL asked Abeldanez.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” he said.
He said some store clients are afraid to leave their homes and are relying on organized deliveries instead. Abeldanez said his wife is undocumented and frightened, a feeling he said is widely shared in the immigrant community.
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Abeldanez believes ICE agents need more training and greater accountability.
“They’re dealing with people — human beings. It’s life,” he said. “The law should be enforced, but obviously with due process and taking into consideration humanity, being humane.”
He also criticized what he described as racial profiling; he said agents approach people in public spaces based on appearance rather than targeted investigations.
“They should have some kind of plan to know where to go, who to look for, and not just randomly pick people,” Abeldanez said.
Despite his concerns, Abeldanez said he felt encouraged by this week’s protests, as long as they remain peaceful.
“As long as it’s something peaceful, I feel proud,” he said. “Seeing people protest in favor of protecting the immigrant community — I think that’s awesome.”
But while both sides believe peaceful protesting is important, the divide is regarding ICE’s actions.
Matt Mercer, communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, said the Minnesota shooting involved an agent acting in self-defense, citing video evidence and injuries the agent sustained.
“There’s a human element where someone loses their life, which you never want to see,” Mercer said. “But the video speaks for itself.”
Mercer said recent confrontations with ICE agents are not peaceful protests but attempts to obstruct federal law enforcement.
“If you wish to protest, do that in ways you can traditionally protest,” Mercer said. “Surrounding agents, obstructing vehicles or creating chaos is not legitimate protest.”
The Minnesota incident remains under investigation. Meanwhile, protests in the Triangle are expected to continue, including one Friday night in Durham.
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