‘Don’t you like the smell of walleye in the morning?’ By JIM JOHNSON, Sports Editor

“It was fabulous,” Pawlenty told The Journal when asked about Saturday’s weather.

In an event that annually gets punished by Mother Nature (and Mother’s Day), Saturday’s GFO festivities were highlighted by 70-degree temperatures, hungry walleyes and an impressive performance by one of the smallest communities to ever host the event.

“You all saved the best for last,” said First Lady Mary Pawlenty, speaking for her husband Saturday night at the celebration dinner. “This has truly been a glorious weekend. This is an area we will certainly come back to.”

Gov. Pawlenty left Kabetogama around 1 p.m. Saturday to return to the Capitol. The Republican governor and Democratic-controlled Legislature still hadn’t settled on the $3 billion deficit.

“I advocated strongly for him to stay, but duty calls,” the First Lady said.

Before the governor departed, however, he was able reel in four fish, including a 22 1/2-inch walleye. He caught two walleyes and two saugers, while Mary caught three fish, including the first one of the weekend around 7:30 a.m.

“No. 1, politics aside, they’re just great people,” said Tim Watson, the community host for the Pawlentys. “They were great in the boat.”

The First Lady landed a northern pike while fishing with friends in the afternoon, bringing her grand total to four. Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau topped both Pawlentys with five fish, including a 19-inch walleye. Molnau fished with community host Frank House.

“We had a great time,” Molnau said at the celebration dinner.

The annual competitive banter between Gov. Pawlenty and Molnau was missed at the dinner, but Molnau was quick to point out that while the governor caught the biggest fish, she caught the first and most between the duo. Plus, Molnau’s 4-year-old granddaughter, Bela Karels, pulled in a 24-inch walleye, pumping up the Lt. Governor’s family name even more.

“There’s memories all over,” Molnau said. “ ... And you guys gave them to us.”

Harlan and Heidi Schauer, the co-chairs of the event, both sported wide smiles Saturday evening after the dinner.

“It was just a great weekend. It really was,” Heidi said. “Everyone will take away memories and great fish stories.”

And sunburn.

While photos from the 2006 GFO on Rainy Lake in International Falls featured winter coats stocking caps, and last year’s GFO in White Bear Lake barely cleared the 40-degree mark, Saturday’s high hit 75 in the late afternoon.

“I remember that 2006 one, cause it was so darn cold. You can’t ask for anything better here,” said Doug Grindall Koochiching County engineer and community fishing host, participating in his fourth GFO.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky at one point before lunch, and calm winds in the afternoon added to Kabetogama’s mystique. No one reportedly got skunked fishing, either. Fish were getting caught all over the place in depths from 8 to 35 feet.

“I can’t think of an opener where we came out with sunburn,” said Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten, who spoke to Saturday night’s crowd wearing a camouflage sport coat.

Watson, 63, fished in his first opener at 12 years old, and he would put Saturday’s weather up against any of the 50-plus openers he’s fished.

“We’ve broken ice. We’ve fished in snow storms, wind blowing. We always did it,” he said.

Maj. Troy Fink was one of 10 National Guard members to accept an invite this year from the governor, and he couldn’t get to representatives from Grand Rapids quick enough on Saturday night to try and get an invitation to next year’s GFO. The 2011 GFO was awarded to Grand Rapids at the celebration dinner.

“It’s beautiful up here. It’s awesome,” Fink said.

Before leaving for duty in Iraq in 2004, Fink, of the 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery based in Montevideo, asked Gov. Pawlenty for an invite to the 2006 GFO on Rainy Lake. Five National Guard members fished in 2006 and 10 more returned last weekend. The unit had just returned from Iraq on April 3 after a year deployment.

“It’s kind of a neat deal to get invited to come up,” Fink said. “It’s a treat after getting deployed for a year.”

The National Guard was much appreciated, receiving two standing ovations at the celebration dinner.

Many thought Kabetogama should receive a standing ovation, as well.

Participating in his eighth GFO, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson noted the biggest difference between Kabetogama’s opener and the other seven was everything took place in a tent.

“And you know what? It was a good call,” he said.

Magnuson, who admitted the 2006 GFO on Rainy Lake was his favorite, caught a “fair amount” of fish and his 26-inch walleye narrowly lost to the 26 1/2-incher that won the fishing challenge between invitees.

Blake Johnson, co-chair of the Park Rapids Lake Area Chamber of Commerce attempting to bring the GFO to his community in 2012, was also impressed by Kabetogama.

“They did a great job. This is first class,” he said, noting his party caught over a dozen fish. “I feel the day couldn’t have been better.”

And would he come back to visit?

“I’d come back to fish. It’s a good lake,” he said.

It was a wide-spread opinion.

“These people are awesome,” Fink said. “And it all seems genuine.”

Fishing opener locations

Gov. Tim Pawlenty participated in eight Governor’s Fishing Openers, including the 2006 opener on Rainy Lake in Int’l Falls.

2003 — Detroit Lakes

2004 — Lake of the Woods/Rainy River

2005 — Lake Vermilion

2006 — Rainy Lake

2007 — Leech Lake Walker Area

2008 — Pequot Lakes and Breezy Point

2009 — White Bear Lake

2010 — Kabetogama Lake/Ash River