Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Washington: Lowland Trout Season Opens April 27

Start of lowland lakes trout season one of many 'opening days' in April

For many anglers, opening day is synonymous with the start of the lowland lakes trout-fishing season, which gets underway April 27 this year. Hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians typically descend on trout-stocked lakes to kick off the state's biggest outdoor event.

To prepare for the upcoming season, hatchery crews from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have been working since last year to stock millions of fish in lakes throughout the state. Anglers can find how many went where athttps://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking.

At the same time, anglers and hunters are also looking forward to a variety of other “opening days” for outdoor adventures this month, including:

For most people, a valid 2019-20 fishing or hunting license will be required to participate in those activities after March 31, when all 2018-19 licenses expire. The exception is young people under age 15, who can fish for free. Licenses and permits are available online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by phone (866-246-9453) and from sporting goods stores and other retail license dealers around the state.

More information about outdoor activities coming up this month is available in the Weekender Regional Reports athttps://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/weekender. These reports are updated throughout the month to provide current information about recreational opportunities around the state.