WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP -- Anglers will be out in Schuylkill County Saturday morning for the first day of trout season. The southeast part of the state gets a jump start on the rest of the Commonwealth. Trout season begins for the rest of the state on April 12.
Newswatch 16 was there as last minute trout stocking was underway at Whippoorwill Dam near Frackville.
Hundreds of anglers are expected for the opening round of trout fishing.
About a third of the pond is frozen. The ice here is not thick but it could prevent you from getting a line into the water.
Joe Conapinski of the South End Field and Stream Club, which runs Whippoorwill Dam, predicts the ice effects will be minimal.
"They're definitely going to be limited to where they can fish. That could create a problem. I was looking out at the breast of the dam. People had buckets out for tomorrow morning for their spot."
Conapinski believes the rain will help melt most of the ice.
At the nearby Tackle Box store, business was booming as anglers stocked up.
Ann Marie Wycheck co-owns the business.
"It's nice to see them after a long hard winter. Financially this is the time you have to make it because it's a seasonal business," Wycheck said.
But ice is on the minds of some people, including Frank Blozusky. He belongs to a sporting club in Delano.
"Our club is open. We have a lot of running water there. I know some people will have a tough time getting on the water, especially with boats if there is still ice," Blozusky explained.
Ice or no ice, William Goodrich said he has a special recipe to lure trout to his hook.
"The pellets that you feed the fish with and you dissolve it in hot water or cold water and dissolve it and make a paste out of it."
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been busy stocking lakes, ponds, and streams. Officials there predict a promising season despite some isolated ice problems.