歪歪漫画

BRAINERD 鈥� With more than 20 years of experience as a fishing guide in the Brainerd lakes area, Nate Blasing knows plenty about local lakes and fishing.

It might not have come as a surprise when he was recommended and selected to guide for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the 2025 Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener in Crosslake on Saturday, May 10.

Outside of the politics surrounding the event, Blasing said he sees being chosen as the governor鈥檚 fishing guide as an honor and an opportunity to showcase the Crosslake area and fishing on the Whitefish Chain.

鈥淧olitics are politics right now, and I just look at this as a once-in-a-lifetime honor just to be asked. So, no matter who the governor was, it鈥檚 an honor as a fishing guide just to be asked to do that,鈥� Blasing said.

Blasing, along with his father, Butch Blasing, both work as fishing guides with the Nisswa Guides League based out of S&W Bait and Tackle on Highway 371 north of Brainerd.

Blasing said it was his dad鈥檚 own work as a fishing guide that initially drew him into the profession.

鈥淥ur paths have pretty much mirrored each other, other than he was doing it before I was. That鈥檚 how I got into it. He was so busy with guiding before I had a boat to fish out of. So I bought a boat one fall, and the next spring got asked by Walleyedan鈥檚 group to do some trips. That was how I got my start,鈥� he said.

Apart from his work as a guide, Blasing is involved with Walleye Alliance, Inc., a local nonprofit that works to ensure future generations have excellent walleye fishing opportunities in the Brainerd lakes area and beyond.

The organization started by working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources after there were noticeable changes in the walleye fishing in local lakes between 2012 and 2015.

鈥淲e formed it to just give the community anglers a voice and a say in what was going on with walleye fishing, stocking, youth activities, all that kind of stuff,鈥� he said.

While Blasing is a multi-species guide who can cater to fishing for bass or panfish in the lakes area, he enjoys and specializes in walleye fishing and takes part in local walleye tournaments.

Contributed

Whether it鈥檚 for a fishing opener or local charity fishing events, Blasing said it can often be difficult to find guides who are able to volunteer their time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just been harder and harder to get volunteers to do that kind of thing where you donate your day, just because people are so busy and your boats are expensive,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 also one of the few weekends a lot of us don鈥檛 take customers out. We spend it with family. We have traditions. So that was one of the other stumbling blocks.鈥�

For this year鈥檚 Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener, fishing will be on Cross Lake and the greater Whitefish Chain of Lakes.

Blasing said that while some of his favorite local fishing is on the Whitefish Chain, it can also present its own set of unique challenges.

鈥淭he lakes we have are so neat. The Whitefish Chain is just amazing. There are so many lakes attached and so many different things you can do. Whitefish is one of my favorite lakes to fish. But the Whitefish Chain can be pretty intimidating if you don鈥檛 spend a lot of time out there, because there are just so many different areas you can fish,鈥� he said.

Blasing expects they will likely be trying for walleye during the opener, but their plans for the event itself are still in the works and he has been working with the Minnesota DNR as they get finalized.

Regardless of what the plan ends up being for that Saturday, his main goal is to have a good time fishing out on the water.

鈥淚 hope we have good fishing and can catch some fish. There鈥檚 definitely some pressure as a fishing guide. But at the same time, I鈥檝e had several larger profile clients before where you just go out and fish and have a good time and make the best of it. And I think that it鈥檒l work out,鈥� Blasing said.