MINNEAPOLIS — The ice is receding as Minnesota’s fishing opener approaches, and that has longtime Leech Lake resort owners Steve Jacobson and Roy Huddle breathing a little easier and optimistic for a strong start to the season.

Despite a record cold winter, more of Minnesota’s lakes are expected to be ice-free when Minnesota’s walleye season opens on Saturday than were clear for last year’s opener. Gov. Mark Dayton had to fish on a river last year because the lakes near Park Rapids were still frozen over, but Gull Lake near Nisswa is expected to be wide open for the 2014 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener.

The Department of Natural Resources’ online ice-out map for the state showed that many lakes across the southern two-thirds of the state were ice-free by Friday.