Saturday marks the opening day of trout fishing season in eighteen counties in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania, including Schuylkill County, but it's impacting people all across our area.
Joseph Belletiere of Hazleton has been fishing since he was 16 years old and he says he still gets excited when trout season starts.
"Now there's two opening days, versus one opening day, so you start down there and we'll fish up here," said Belletiere.
Trout season starts Saturday in Schuylkill County and in parts of Carbon, Northumberland, and Snyder Counties. Opening day for the rest of the state is April 18.
The early start for trout season means places like Bob's Sporting Goods in Hazleton have to start setting up early as well.
"This week we had to get a lot of bait earlier in the season," said Thomas Wagner, owner of Bob's Sporting Goods. "It's not the mad rush that we get for our opening day, but we do get a lot of overflow from that."
The "soft launch" at this Luzerne County sporting goods shop brought in people like Derrick Wolfe of Hazleton.
"Leaving at like three o'clock in the morning. Can't wait," Wolfe said.
He says more than the trout he'll catch, it's an opportunity to pass down lessons to his teenage son.
"It means everything to me. I did with my dad, so it’s my turn now to pass it onto my kid."
In addition to a fishing license, anglers 16 and older still need a trout/salmon permit to fish this weekend and when the season starts for the rest of the state.
For more information visit Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
