Trout Season opened with a splash as rain was the forecast for the opening weekend festivities. Many anglers hit the local waters for the traditional trout festivities that kick off Spring and bring the end of winter.

Don’t let the dates on the calendar fool you because there is still plenty of chill and rain in the air as winter holds on for one last hurrah before Easter egg hunts replace snow shoveling.

Getting outdoors and having some fun routines brings plenty of relaxation around my household. The daffodils are wanting to burst out in yellow glory and the spring beauties are popping up in bunches everywhere.

When I fish along some streams I get to witness the emergence of the violets and trout lily as a sure sign of trout season opening up. Early weeks display naked branches along the waterways, in a few weeks the burst of green shoots indicates that winter is likely gone for this year.

I was admittedly lax as I had left a few of my rods and reels in the garage over the winter. It’s not a wise move as the cold can do some damage to the fishing line and equipment. The good news is that there was no direct light on the fishing gear which could result in sun damage to the line especially.

If I have any doubt, I will replace the line because of a failure in its integrity. As I look over the last lures, spoons and set ups that I had used I found that my recall of its success was crystal clear. My wife always asks me how I can remember a certain cast or hunting shot so vividly and yet forget one small chore she asked me to do so completely.

We made up a big batch of deer sausage to enjoy on the first Saturday of trout season but had a tragic problem with our plan. Somehow the freezer plug was pulled and we lost our bounty!

Fortunately, we had some sausage stashed away in another freezer and my friend Matt Zanella had some back up supplies for me at Zanella’s Milling in West Sunbury. My plan B went into effect and my bacon was saved for another opening day! Then I stopped to see Shawn Casper owner of Annandale Station Convenience Store and Gas Station.

Shawn fixed me up with my favorite supplies…fried bologna sandwich fixings. Thick sliced meat that’s fried until domed up, American cheese, eggs and Italian bread…what a sandwich to start the day with along a trout stream, add some hot peppers and we don’t even care if the fish are biting! We do want a super-hot cup of coffee to keep our hands warm as well as heating our bellies as a finishing touch!

The weather dictates the type of fishing we will be doing. Too much rain and the streams will be out of control and flood the banks or stain the waters muddy brown as it rushes by us. The best bet is to find a lake or pond that can handle the extra water levels and give the fish a chance to see or smell our offerings.

Live bait, spinners, spoons and power bait dough will work very well. I personally love to mix up my offerings until I find a winning combination. One of my favorite lures is the Kastmaster in a silver finish. Don’t be afraid of tossing a bigger spoon to get it out there on your cast. A steady retrieve will often bring a jarring strike from a lunker trout as it covers the longer distances.

One good thing about spoons and lures is that you can release a fish caught by the lip much easier and without the fish swallowing the baited hook combos. Trout need careful releases without much handling if at all. Trout anglers can use forceps, barbless hooks and soft nets to reduce any chances of injury to the fish. Anglers age 16 and older are required to have a fishing license and a trout stamp on any approved trout waters that are stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

The daily limit is 5 trout of any combined species of 7 inches or longer. The species of trout in local waters are brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. You may find some golden trout which are a variation of the rainbow trout.

For the anglers that do not pursue trout you can opt out for true lake fishing for yellow perch, crappies, blue gills and catfish. Depending on your waters you may also have the opportunity to fish for walleye. There is always a challenge to choose between trout fishing and pan fishing.

The lake pan fish are a pretty tasty option if you can catch a mess of fish on your trip. Crappie filets are not that thick and you may need to catch double digit numbers to fill the frying pan. Until we meet again remember any day of fishing beats a day of work…so go fishing!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle