Trout season kicks off on Easter weekend throughout all regions of the commonwealth. To many anglers this is the true start of the fishing season for cold water species in 2017.

The First Day of Trout ranks up there with the First Day of Buck in deer season. Many camps closed during the winter months will get an early spring cleaning and see the bunks full of early season trout anglers. Many anglers use the trout opener as a time for camaraderie and an excuse to get back to the outdoors. Cooking over an open fire or grilling is very commonplace and an expected part of the fishing ritual.

Friends of mine put on a cookout in northern Butler county that includes 240 hotdogs and 200 sausage sandwiches. The sausage was homemade during the winter months and will be a staple of the party!

Friends of mine introduced me to the festivities of the Opening Day of Trout when I was about 12 years old. t was an awesome experience and one that makes me want to shake off the winter blahs and get outside to wet a line.

Now that I have finagled a permanent four-day weekend position I am certainly going to do a bit more angling on the shoreline and on the water.

My wife gave me the word that she plans to do some fishing as well and if the fishing gets slow she can always fall back on a good book.

I have been working on some bait and lure combos that I want to try this year and know that every day brings a new challenge in matching up the bait or lure with the fish.

One of my tried and true bait selection has always been the night crawler.

Depending on the fish species I have used various lengths and presentations with the crawlers, many times I will just use the tail section.

Sometimes I find that the common garden red worm is a great bait to use when the crawlers are just not getting the job done. To the redworm I have added a single salmon egg and called it bacon and eggs for an effective fish catcher. Meal worms, wax worms, maggots and crickets round out the meat baits as I like to call them.

I would be amiss if I didn’t mention the classic trout fishing tool of the minnow. Anglers use fathead minnows, salted emerald shiners, rosy reds, and some local caught minnows. Live emerald shiners from Lake Erie used to be my number one choice but they were banned from inland waters when it was found that they were promoting a hemorrhaging disease to the local fish populations.

Of course, there have been tried and true spinners, spoons, dough baits and fly/nymph combinations that have proved deadly as well.

I would like to have a dollar for every trout that got itself put on a stringer after falling for a flashy spinner bait or spoon. It seems that every water way has a special lure or bait that brings in the trout. Years ago, I was fishing with Butler County fishing legend Jim “Crusher” Colosimo on a small trout stream feeding into Oil Creek in Venango County.

I used up all my arsenal of tricks and they just were not responding to my offerings. Jim noticed my plight and tossed a small jar to me, inside the jar was fluorescent green salmon eggs. I had heard fish splashing from the water to the net for the past half-hour and I wasn’t about to question his knowledge.

I slipped on an egg on a number 10 salmon egg hook with a single small split shot and cast it into the edge of a pool. The Brook trout blasted the bait and I was on to a great evening of fishing.

Now you have a week to get ready for the Trout Opener and renew your past fishing memories or you can start some new ones!

The lakes and streams are stocked and waiting for you to join your fellow anglers in the decades old tradition of fishing in Pennsylvania. The PF & BC have information pages on where to fish and what the rules are for fishing. All anglers 16 and older will need to have a 2017 fishing license and trout stamp to fish in PA.

Remember to be courteous and respect the landowners if you are on private property which does border many stocked trout streams. A good rule is to ask permission if you have any doubts and remember to leave the property cleaner than you found it.

It doesn’t hurt to bring along a trash bag and pick up a discarded can or bottle even if you didn’t do it.

Many good fishing spots were lost due to slob anglers or hunters that weren’t very good guests.

Until we meet again keep an eye on your line and remember to yell … Fish On!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.