Of trout and lakes

“It’s our biggest fishing season opener because it traditionally draws more than 300,000 anglers of all ages,” said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. “With the annual freshwater fishing license still under $22 for adults and free for kids 14 and under, it’s a great bargain in outdoor recreation.”

With waters in every county of the state well stocked before the big opening day, Anderson noted that families can also keep travel costs down with good fishing close to home.

“This may be the best time ever for those who used to fish to get back into it with family and friends,” Ander-son said. “Costs remain low and our hatchery stocking is at a peak.”

WDFW Inland Fish Pro-gram Manager Jim Uehara reports more than 19.8 million trout are stocked in lakes, ponds and streams throughout the state for this year’s fishery, including those planted in waters that opened earlier this spring or are open year-round.

Most trout will be stocked before the lakes season gets under way this weekend. The lake stocking includes:

n41,429 triploid (sterile) trout—each averaging 1.5 pounds—being stocked this spring in 94 lakes;

n69,450 two-year-old “jumbo” and surplus hatchery broodstock trout being stocked this spring in 149 lakes;

nMore than 7 million trout that were planted last year as 2- to 3-inch fry into 530 lakes, including most lakes opening April 25;

nMore than 8.5 million kokanee fry, expected to show in this year's catch, stocked in 28 lakes;

nMore than 4.1 million “catchable-size” (8- to 12-inch) trout stocked this spring in 370 lowland lakes, including lakes opening April 25;

Fish stocking details, by county and lake, are available in the 2009 Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan on WDFW's website, wdfw.wa.gov.

A Washington freshwater fishing license, valid April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010, costs $21.90 for resident adults (16-69 years old) and includes a vehicle use permit for parking at WDFW access sites. Fifteen-year-olds and persons with disabilities can buy a license for $8.21, and seniors (70 and older) can buy one for $5.48. Children 14 years and younger do not need a license.