In light of the Minnesota fishing opener this weekend, here are some fun statistics regarding Minnesota fishing provided by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR):

 Anglers

* 2.1 million people fish in Minnesota each year.

* 1.4 million fishing licenses are sold.

* 25 percent of anglers specifically target walleye when they fish.

* 88 fishing licenses are sold per minute during peak of sales 24 hours before the fishing opener 

Walleye

* It is estimated that there are 16 million harvestable walleye statewide.

* The average annual statewide walleye harvest is 3-4 million.

* 85 percent of walleye harvest is naturally produced fish.

* There are 1,200 lakes in Minnesota with fishable walleye populations.

* There are 58 walleye lakes with special walleye regulations.

* 78 lakes provide nearly half the state’s walleye harvest.

* 900 Minnesota lakes are stocked with walleye on a rotating basis.

* The year 1880 was the first year walleye were stocked in Minnesota.

* There will be 212 million fry to be stocked this year in 319 lakes.

* There will be 160,000 pounds of fingerlings stocked by the DNR this year.* The Minnesota record for a walleye is 17 pounds and 8 ounces caught by Leroy Chiovette in 1979.

 Weather

* There have been four Minnesota fishing openers (of the last 54) where a trace of snow was recorded.

* The lowest temperature recoded for a fishing opener was 24 degrees in International Falls in 1996.

* The highest temperature recorded for a fishing opener was 91 degrees in Minneapolis in 1987.

* 25 percent of the time there is measurable precipitation recorded on the fishing opener. 

Economics

* There are 43,812 fishing-related jobs in Minnesota.

* $2.8 billion in fishing-related retail sales.

* $4.7 billion in the ripple effect of fishing-related sales on Minnesota’s economy

* $1.36 billion in fishing-related salaries, wages and business earnings

* $342.2 million in fishing-related state and local tax revenues