5/15/05 – This has been a classic Minnesota fishing opener. Friday morning, is was 31.5 degrees, pouring down rain with a 25 mph east wind. The rain was freezing so the canoes were covered with a layer of ice. The white pines turned white in their tops and started to droop as the ice slowly built up. Saturday was rainy, windy and cold all day. A driving snow squall greeted us this morning with the high winds continuing, now from the northwest. I haven’t heard of anyone even attempting to fish, much less catching anything. All this on top of more than 4″ of rain this week has made for a very soggy wilderness. This is good for the fire danger and the emerging plantlife. All the returning parties have been exhilarated but glad to be back to central heat and warm showers. – Bill

Yes, those are snow flakes coming down on the 15th of May.