Minnesotans with particularly stubborn cases of cabin fever are counting down the hours to Saturday’s fishing opener — but state officials say anglers must stay close to home to avoid spreading COVID-19 to areas of the state with more vulnerable populations. D-N-R Commissioner Sarah Strommen notes when people go fishing, they don’t just go to the boat ramp — they also visit the local convenience store, gas station or grocery store. She says, “In small towns these are the same retail outlets that locals rely for their everyday needs, and the reality is that even one transmission can have a very serious impact on those small communities.”
Strommen says “staying close to home” means no overnight stays, bring all needed supplies with you, and only go as far as you can travel and return on a single tank of gas or one E-V charge.