As spring approaches the Northwest, fishermen and women across the state of Washington can once again test their luck, tackle box in one hand and a fishing pole in the other.  

Saturday marked opening day for the 2016 lowland lake fishing season in Washington, which opens annually on the fourth Saturday of April.

Many community members and students alike participate in the local past-time.

“You feel a part of nature by spending time out there,” said Binh Vo, graduate student at Central.

Local fishing spots provide more than just opportunities to catch fish, some are located outside of town and are filled with surrounding wildlife habitats.

“Fish are not the only animals you are going to see,” Vo said.

North Fiorito Pond, located minutes from downtown Ellensburg, for example, was “stocked” or “planted” with 3,000 rainbow trout on April 8, according to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) catchable trout plant report.

Although lakes within the area are open for fishing all year, spring brings a large influx of traffic to local bodies of water.

“If we stock fish, more people will come out,” said Larry Phillips, WDFW Inland Fish Program Manager.

With the number of people participating in the activity, very large numbers of fish are required to keep up with the pace the fish are being caught at.

To ensure population sizes stay plentiful, massive amounts of fish are transported from hatcheries where they are raised and then dumped into lakes for the public to catch.

“For the 2016 trout fishing season, 2.2 million catchables will be stocked throughout the state,” said WDFW’s statewide trout stocking plan.

In past years, the term “catchables” referred to fish 8 inches or longer.

However, the size standard for catchables has recently increased to near 11 inches according to WDFW.

The increased standard means fishers are likely to find larger trout swimming in their favorite Washington lakes.  

This year, lakes in Kittitas County began stocking in March for the 2016 season, in 2015 most lakes recieved their last fish in June, according to WDFW’s report.

“There are a lot of folks that plan on this [opening day] as an annual event,” Phillips said.

Mark Strand, store manager of The Evening Hatch, a fly-fishing guide service in Ellensburg, said that business picks up in April. The Evening Hatch offers guided fishing trips year-round across Washington State, including trout fishing.

Those interested in fishing for trout in Washington should know that anyone over the age of 14 is required to have a license.

Washington state residents can purchase an annual freshwater licence, required to trout fish, for $27.50 online through WDFW’s website.