By Steve Morris

It rained off and on most of the weekend as fisherman from near and far gathered on lakes around the area for the annual fishing opener May 13.

Ray Abrizenski, owner of Rayís Fishing Guide and Taxidermy Service in Rush City, said it was a little slower from last year, mainly because of the weather.

ìThe cold front moved in and slowed things down,î he said.

Abrizenski said the cold weather lowered the water temperature by around five degrees. The drop in temperature puts the fish into a ìnegative biteî he said.

ìCold fronts shut fish down,î he said.

On Rush Lake, people still were able to catch fish, they just needed to be patient, Abrizenski said.

A few hundreds boats were scattered around Rush Lake for last weekendís opener.

Abrizenski guided three trips on the opener. He said they caught eight fish on Saturday and a couple on Sunday.

The northerns were biting especially well for one local fisherman. Jim Rechtzigel, who lives on East Rush Lake, said the northerns were bitting like crazy. Rechtzigel has been fishing on the lake for more than 25 years and said he canít remember an opener when the northerns bit like they did.

Rechtzigel went fishing with his son and grandson for a total of five hours on Saturday and two hours Sunday.

ìThe northerns bit everything we put out,î he said. ìThey were just crazy.î

Rechtzigel and his family caught five northerns ranging in size from 27 inches to 33 inches.

East and West Rush Lake also have plenty of walleye. Abrizenski said at one time, Rush Lake was ranked in the top 10 in the state for Walleye. But on opener, they were no where to be found for Rechtzigel his family.

If people didnít have the opportunity to drop their lines in the water on opener they have ten months ahead of them. Fishing season goes until Feb. 24, 2007. The muskellunge opener isnít until June 30.

ìWe expect to have a good year on muskie,î Abrizenski said.

Abrizenski, who has been a full-time guide for 15 years, said a good way to find the hot fishing spots is to ask the local guides.

ìListen to local guides; they wonít steer you wrong,î he said.

If the cold weather continues, Abrizenski recommends slowing it down. Fish around sharp drop offís and you may have good luck, he said.

For northerns, the best place in cold weather is around five to 10 feet of water near weed beds.

As the season moves along people need to switch their fishing habits, Abrizenski said.