CRANBERRY TWP — As the weather turns warmer and daylight grows longer, fishermen start looking forward to the fishing season.

Because of that, many people attended a fishing expo Sunday at the Pittsburgh Marriott North that had more than 60 vendors.

Trout season in most of the state begins April 16, according to Lenny Lichvar, a commissioner with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. That causes a surge in fishing license sales, he said.

The state has already begun its annual stocking, putting about 3.2 million trout into fishing waters statewide, Lichvar said.

“We stock more trout than anything else,” he said. “But not all trout are stocked.”

In fact, people tend to overlook the waters that aren't stocked, but Lichvar said they have their own naturally reproducing populations. Wild trout still are fairly common across the state, he said.

Pennsylvania has hundreds of miles of wild trout waters, so Lichvar said visiting those unstocked waters might be a good way to mix up a typical fishing routine. He noted the state has more flowing water than any other state except Alaska.

But for those who might not want to change their fishing location, fly fishing might be another fun change to consider.

John Hayes, 83, has made his own artificial fishing flies for 60 years. He's perfected his method, but his flies aren't for sale.

Many of the lures are created to look similar to a species' natural prey, such as crane-fly larvae, according to Mark Fedosick with the Montour Run Watershed Association.

But some lures are designed to be bright and dramatic, which excites and confuses the fish, according to Tyler Straight with Autumn Siren Flies.

Straight said fish will investigate the foreign object by biting at it, and the larger fish like steelheads and pikes will do that aggressively.

Different flies can help catch virtually any kind of fish, Hayes said, but fly fishing does tend to be a little more difficult than conventional fishing. This is primarily due to the flexibility of the rod, especially trying to catch a larger fish.

But if you ask Matty Michanowicz of Pittsburgh, all fishing is fairly hard.

“It's hard to catch a fish period. I don't care how you do it,” he said. “They call it fishing. They don't call it 'catching.'”

For a trout fisherman who wants to upgrade to fly fishing, Hayes recommends using a four or five weight rod and line, which is typically an eight- or nine-foot rod, he said.

While winter fishing was particularly good this year, it could impact how good the fishing season is later on, according to Todd Deluccia of Keystone Predator Outfitters.

Winter snows can help recharge the water table, he said, but with this year's lower snowfall, the water levels will depend on how wet this spring and summer are, he said.

If there is little rain, the water levels may not be ideal for fishing.

If fishing is an activity that someone wants to try, there's a group that can help: Venture Outdoors.

This nonprofit group out of Pittsburgh helps make fishing more accessible, according to Cyndi Kolowski of Venture Outdoors.

The organization conducts tours of about 10 people each with some trips to Lake Arthur in Butler County. The tours are typically one day, and are for different skill and experience levels, Kolowski said.

“Some trips may require previous experience,” she said. “But most of the classes are beginner friendly.”

For her, the best part of fishing is the beauty of nature, she said, especially the brook trout.

“It's like God's little painting on the side of the fish,” she said.

Because of the beauty and the closeness to nature that the tours provide, Kolowski believes they are a wonderful experience and a good way to relax.

She noted that Venture Outdoors helps provide the necessary gear and knowledge to people who may never have fished before.