The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says roughly 531,000 licenses were sold through the Friday before Memorial Day, the Pioneer Press reports. Next year, the price of Minnesota hunting and fishing licenses will increase for the first time in 12 years. License sales help pay for fish stockings and surveillance of lakes.

Police are warning anglers to get their ice houses off the lakes as soon as possible after another shelter broke through the ice, this time on Clear Lake in Forest Lake.

Outdoors groups say mild winters could hurt fish that rely on the cold to survive, which could hurt the state's $4.8 million fishing industry and provide an even wider opening for unwanted invaders like the Asian carp.

Leaders say they're not hearing much support for a proposal to move up the fishing opener to a week before Mother's Day weekend.

The agency is urging anglers to learn and remember the rules after reporting a rash of fishing violations.

Governor Dayton signed into law the outdoors bill that raises the cost of a fishing or hunting license in Minnesota. The additional revenue will help keep the DNR's game and fish fund solvent. The same bill authorizes the first wolf hunting season since the gray wolf came off the endangered species list.

Democratic Sen. Tom Bakk wants to move up the fishing opener from Mother's Day weekend to May 5 and 6 and resolve a conflict that so often comes between anglers and mothers. Could the plan even bring together Democrats and Republicans?