It's time for anglers to dust off their waders and ready their spinners because trout season is officially here.
For Maryland Department of Natural Resources employees, this has taken months of preparation, early mornings, and thousands of gallons of water—all so they can stock Maryland's waterways with rainbow, golden-rainbow, and brown trout for you to enjoy.
"This program will stock over a hundred bodies of water this spring, and it gives anglers an opportunity to catch trout where a lot of times they wouldn't have that opportunity," says John Mullican, the Director of Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).
And the MDNR is stocking bodies of water all across the state.
"Different bodies of water, in most of the counties in Maryland from far Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore," Mullican said. "In state parks, community ponds, as well as lakes, streams, rivers all across the state."
With nets, wrangling, and teamwork, these MDNR employees plan to move approximately 240,000 trout this spring
"This is a very popular programthat people look forward to," says Greg Anderson the Coldwater Fish Program Manager with the MDNR.
Hatcheries like this one are funded by, and benefit, anglers.
"We put a lot of time and investment to this program, to produce these fish," Anderson said.
They also have programs for children and families to get out and fish.
"We do have a Youth Angler Fishing Day that will be on March 22nd on select waters," Mullican said. "And it gives families and children a great time to get out and participate and get involved in the sport of fishing."
To find out when and where streams are being stocked, and available youth programs, follow the links.
