Minnesotans have a holiday that's not on the calendar for the rest of the country. It is a day that always falls in the middle of May, and it is known as "The Opener." Over 1 million anglers celebrate this self-imposed holiday by taking to one of the thousands of lakes in the state to signify the beginning of the walleye and northern pike fishing season.

The Opener is a tradition that has been going on for years, a celebration that requires more than just a few hours of idly dunking night crawlers. In fact, for many anglers the opener begins well before the first boat is launched.

Chris Kuduk has been a guide on Lake Mille Lacs for 30 years. He now guides from his personal boat but for years captained a party boat on the western shores of this popular walleye fishery. His phone begins ringing eight to 10 days before the opener with calls from anglers with high levels of anticipation gathering tips on where to go and how to catch walleyes when the big day arrives.

"The Opener can require some guessing because we haven't been able to fish for walleyes in a long time," said Kuduk. "Putting together a game plan means looking at the water temperature, the weather forecast, where the walleyes are in the post-spawn period and if the lake where they're fishing gets pressured heavily or not."

Of course, Kuduk is on Mille Lacs on The Opener, where the fishing pressure is high and the harvest is tightly regulated.

"Wind is a big factor on Mille Lacs," said Kuduk. "It's tough to control the boat when it is windy. A spring cold front will also slow the fishing, and it always seems like there's a major weather system passing through on the eve of The Opener."

Kuduk's remedy for those tough opening day conditions is to use an anchor.

"Most anglers fish too fast on opening day," he noted. "They should keep in mind that the big walleyes are recuperating from the spawn, the water is still cold, and those big drops in the barometer simply slow them down.

"My game plan on opening day is to set up with an anchor right on top of a shallow rockpile and cast a slip-bobber rig. The wind will drift the bait right over the rocks, and even when the fish are in a negative mood, there will be some hungry ones around," Kuduk said.

One trick that Kuduk uses on his bobber rigs is in the jig.

"I tie on a 1/32-ounce jig and add a split shot about 18 inches above that," Kuduk said. "I don't use jumbo leeches either. The panfish leech is too small and the jumbo is too big. I've found that an average-sized leech works best."

Kuduk also recommends being on the water during the mid-day period.

"On opening day, those walleyes will bite right in the middle of the day," he said. "We're conditioned to fish for walleyes during the low-light periods in the morning and evening, but early-season walleyes will bite all day, so take your lunch with you and fish all day. That way you won't miss the bite if it happens at noon when you've gone in to eat some lunch and take a nap."

With all this in mind, here is a look at some of the best lakes in this "Land of 10,000 Lakes" to be on opening day: