Wisconsin Governor's Fishing Opener

The Wisconsin Governors Fishing Opener exists to raise awareness of the fishing and tourism industries in the State of Wisconsin. The event brings Wisconsin dignitaries to the area, including the Governor and Cabinet Secretaries from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. A main goal of the event is to obtain significant media coverage highlighting the host community and Wisconsin’s fishing and tourism industries. It also provides a fun, outdoor-focused community event. One of the significant updates to the event in 2022 was to create a family-focused event on Saturday to inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.

With the event changing hands in 2022, some changes were made to the VIP portion of the event. While the group would love to invite everyone, due to limited seating, the banquet, destination showcase tours, and breakfast will be by invitation only. Invitations will be extended to select dignitaries and active members of the media.

The Family Fishing Day and Community Fish Fry are open to the public, so everyone is welcome to attend. And, of course, everyone is welcome to join in on the fishing!

According to the Wisconsin Outdoor News, Wisconsin Indian Head Country, Inc. worked with Governor Warren Knowles to celebrate the official start of the Wisconsin Fishing season. Knowles, who was governor from 1965 to 1971, had grown up hunting and fishing with his father, Judge Warren P. Knowles in River Falls, and always went fishing with his Dad and friends on the opening weekend. 

When Knowles became governor he realized the need to promote the opening of the fishing season, and bring attention to some of the northern counties that he felt were often overlooked by media in southern Wisconsin’s large cities.

Knowles came up with the idea of inviting governors in adjoining states to join him fishing in northwest Wisconsin, and he knew that the newspapers and TV stations would cover the event and bring attention to the natural resources there and thus promote tourism.

The first opener was held at Red Cedar Lake in Barron & Washburn Counties in 1968. Back in 1993 Knowles told this reporter that, “After the first year, we concluded that the event was so well received that we would move it to other communities where facilities were available and people could promote their local area,” Knowles said. 

In 2022, the torch was passed to Travel Northwest Wisconsin to keep the event alive and well into the future.