Minnesota

Dokken: Walleyes might be prized in Minnesota and North Dakota, but not in this Idaho lake

Published

11 months ago

July 12, 2025

Dokken: Walleyes might be prized in Minnesota and North Dakota, but not in this Idaho lake

Now here’s something you’ll never see in Minnesota or North Dakota.

I came across a story from the Idaho Statesman newspaper the other day about a walleye “invasion” in Lake Lowell, a southwestern Idaho lake known for its largemouth bass fishing.

Brad Dokken

As a result of the unwanted influx, Idaho’s Fish and Game department is asking anglers to have at it with the walleyes, the Idaho Statesman reported. No limits; instead, anglers should “catch, kill and keep” every walleye they catch.

The fish apparently were illegally introduced by a fisherman in 2022, the Statesman reported, and may “be competing and taking food from largemouth bass.” The population has “advanced quickly” since 2022, fisheries biologist Art Butts told the newspaper.

“Idaho and walleye just aren’t a good match in most places,” the newspaper said, citing a news release from Idaho Fish and Game.

“Just because there’s places in the Midwest that do really good with walleye, and they haven’t impacted largemouth bass … that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to have an impact here,” Butts told the Statesman.

Given the mindset of many anglers in Minnesota and North Dakota, where “if it’s not a walleye, it’s not a fish” is a common perception, it might be hard to grasp the concept of walleyes being an undesirable species.

But just like any invasive species, walleyes can have a big-time impact on the ecology of lakes and rivers where they don’t belong. And once the genie’s out of the bottle, so to speak, reversing the impact is difficult, if not impossible.

That’s no different than any other invasive species, whether it’s zebra mussels or jumping carp.

As the Statesman reported, Idaho’s Fish and Game is encouraging anglers to target walleyes, even though it probably won’t fix the problem.

As the old saying goes: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

“We know that angling by itself is probably not going to do much for the population,” Butts says in the article. “Walleye are considered one of the best-eating fish in freshwater, and so while we’ve got this problem, let’s get the word out to folks that might be interested in fishing for them.

“Here’s a place where you … have a good opportunity to do that.”

This isn’t the first time fisheries managers have raised the alarm about walleyes, of course. The Columbia River has long had a population of unwanted walleyes, to the detriment of native salmon species, and now has a reputation as a trophy walleye fishery. As with Lake Lowell in Idaho, there’s no size or bag limit on walleyes in the Columbia River.

There have been other instances of unwanted game fish species, as well, and not just walleyes. According to the National Park Service, non-native lake trout were discovered in Wyoming’s Yellowstone Lake in 1994. Since then, millions of lake trout have been removed from Yellowstone Lake through gillnetting, in an effort to lower the population and lessen the negative impact on native cutthroat trout. Other techniques, such as spreading plant-based pellets over lake trout spawning sites to suffocate the eggs,

also are being explored, the NPS said.

Lake trout are probably my favorite fish to catch, and walleyes are right up there. Just goes to show, I guess – one angler’s prize is another angler’s problem.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again:

There’s something about watching a bobber that just never gets old.

I thought about that again last weekend, when I got the chance to spend a few hours walleye fishing on Devils Lake.

My fishing partners had been over there a few days already and had done well dunking leeches below slip bobbers in about 15 feet of water, give or take, the previous two mornings. Eater-size fish, mostly, with their biggest stretching the tape at 19½ inches.

That fish went back in the lake to hopefully make more anglers’ bobbers sink sometime down the road.

Expecting a spot to produce walleyes three days in a row might be a stretch, especially in a location as small as this particular area, but we decided to give it a few hours anyway.

Boat traffic certainly wouldn’t be a problem. Even though it was a holiday weekend, I was struck by how quiet the lake was – at least in the area where we were fishing. We didn’t see more than a handful of boats the whole time.

Not that I’m complaining, mind you.

The action was considerably slower than what my fishing partners had experienced the previous two days – just my luck – but we still managed to put three eaters in the box during our short time on the water.

I had the pleasure of watching my bobber sink to a 17-inch walleye.

I’ll take fish like that any day of the week. And if getting to watch a bobber sink is part of the deal, all the better.

Brad Dokken joined the Herald company in November 1985 as a copy editor for Agweek magazine and has been the Grand Forks Herald’s outdoors editor since 1998.

Besides his role as an outdoors writer, Dokken has an extensive background in northwest Minnesota and Canadian border issues and provides occasional coverage on those topics.

Reach him at bdokken@gfherald.com, by phone at (701) 780-1148 or on X (formerly Twitter) at @gfhoutdoor.

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Minnesota

Where to watch Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 30

Published

9 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 30

The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.

The MLB action continues on Saturday as the Minnesota Twins visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.

See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.

What time is Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates?

First pitch between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 30.

How to watch Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday

All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.

Matchup: MIN at PIT
Date: Saturday, May 30
Time: 4:05 p.m. (ET)
Venue: PNC Park
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: Twins.TV and SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Watch MLB all season long with Fubo

MLB regional blackout restrictions apply

MLB scores, results

MLB scores for May 30 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:

See scores, results for all of today’s games.

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Minnesota

Minnesota DFL Convention gets underway in Rochester

Published

19 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota DFL Convention gets underway in Rochester

(ABC 6 News) — It’s a big weekend for politics in Minnesota as both the DFL and GOP conventions are getting underway.

The DFL Convention is being held in Rochester, and delegates will endorse candidates for attorney general, secretary of state, and governor on Friday night.

Current Attorney General Keith Ellison received the DFL endorsement for attorney general.

Meanwhile, endorsements for U.S. Senate will be up on Saturday.

On Sunday, delegates will be voting on who they will back for state auditor.

A big shakeup in the convention took place earlier this week with Rep. Angie Craig announcing she will not seek the DFL endorsement as she campaigns for U.S. Senate.

Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig no longer seeking DFL endorsement in Senate race

Both Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are running for the seat on the DFL side.

This U.S. Senate seat is open after current Sen. Tina Smith announced she will not be running for reelection.

Senator Tina Smith will not seek reelection in 2026

As for the gubernatorial race, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is expected to receive the DFL endorsement on Friday night. ABC 6 News is at the convention, and we will have the latest updates throughout the weekend both on air and online.

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Minnesota

The midterms loom as another chance for Minnesota to set an example for the nation

Published

1 day ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

The midterms loom as another chance for Minnesota to set an example for the nation

by Tom Mohr, MinnPost
May 29, 2026

How often history turns on the courage and conviction of a desperate few.

Consider Ukraine. Consider Minnesota.

Two peoples. Different arenas. Yet in the crucible, each faced the same demand: defend your own and save democracy — or lose both.

And the people answered yes.

Ukraine has shown the world what it takes to fight an authoritarian force from without: courage, ingenuity, self-sacrifice, stamina. A love of country so great that a whole people has willingly suffered years of war rather than bow to tyranny.

Minnesota has shown the world what it takes to resist authoritarian force from within: moral clarity, peaceful and creative mass action, legal resistance, public witness, democratic solidarity. A love of neighbor so deep that fear, winter and even bloodshed could not empty the streets or silence the whistles.

The lesson is the same in both places: Democracy is fragile. It cannot save itself. It survives grave threat only when ordinary people decide that comfort and normalcy must give way to the defense of freedom.

Minnesota: This past winter, we awakened America.

We showed millions that hate can be defeated by love, tyranny by unity, and anti-democratic machinations by the disciplined courage of a free people. We did it, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, with “our blood and bones and these whistles and phones” — and with them, we stirred the conscience of a nation.

But Minnesota: We must awaken America again.

For the midterms loom.

Our winter fight was one skirmish in a much broader battle. Across this nation, the assault on our constitutional republican democracy continues unabated. Free and fair elections are under attack. The rule of law is under attack. The separation of powers is under attack. The free press, freedom of speech and the right to protest without intimidation are under attack.

So the question rings out: Who will stoke the fire of resistance? Who will stand again for democracy? Who will bring America back to the streets, and from the streets to the ballot box in November?

Minnesota, let it be us.

Doubt not that our president, his administration, and his Republican Party are working in lockstep to bend our free republic toward tyranny. They advance by pressure, threat, intimidation, distortion and the steady bending of rules. Watch them gerrymander where they can. Restrict voting where they can. Flood the zone with lies. Attack election workers. Pre-poison trust in outcomes.

All to make us feel powerless. Isolated. Afraid.

We cannot let that happen. We must rise again, Minnesota; we must lead America again — all the way to the ballot box.

Let this be our next Minnesota miracle.

Because we cannot lose this election. We must win. Not narrowly. Not barely. We must win so decisively that no trick can overcome it, so broadly that no lie can explain it away, so clearly that America’s birthright is reclaimed — and the long journey of healing can begin.

Our part is to flip Minnesota’s two most reachable red congressional districts — the First and Eighth. We will do it by forging a grand coalition:

Minnesota Blue joined with Minnesota Middle.

Let’s be clear: In Minnesota and across the nation, it will not be enough simply to turn out the blue base. A victory large enough to overcome every trick, lie, and scheme will require the middle.

And the middle can be won.

Not by asking people to abandon every conviction they hold. Not by asking conservatives to become liberals, or independents to become Democrats. But by helping our neighbors see the stakes clearly: this is not an ordinary election, to be decided by ordinary policy preferences or old party habits.

This is a democracy election.

And in a democracy election, the question is not: Which party do I usually prefer?

The question is: Which vote will best preserve our constitutional republican democracy?

Minnesota, it’s on us to build on the moral authority we won this winter. To show the nation the way: Blue and middle, hand in hand.

Democrats. Independents. Disillusioned Republicans. People of faith. People of conscience. Veterans. Students. Teachers. Nurses. Farmers. Union workers. Small-business owners. Parents, grandparents and first-time voters.

All gathered around one sacred civic duty: to defend the republic.

With whistle parades and coffee meetups, voter registration drives and neighbor-to-neighbor conversations, let us organize. Not only in Minneapolis and St. Paul. In Rochester, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, the Iron Range, and in Olmsted, Blue Earth, Steele, Freeborn, Carlton, Itasca, St. Louis and Beltrami counties.

Let us go to college towns and mining towns, lake country and Trump country — wherever blue voters must be reawakened, and wherever voters who have voted red may yet prove to be members of the vast quiet middle, ready to hear the call of democracy.

This is our hour, Minnesota.

Let not our whistles go silent. Let not our streets stay empty. Let not the blue base grow weary. Let not the middle go unreached.

Organize. Mobilize. Work. And win.

Win by a margin no scheme can defeat.

Toward that end, may we Minnesotans highly resolve anew:

“That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Tom Mohr is founder and CEO of CEO Quest, a CEO coaching company; author of “Letters to Rising Leaders”; and creator of the “We The Middle Vote” substack (WeTheMiddleVote.substack.com).

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