The First Day of Spring

TV weather forecasters have been telling us for more than a month that meteorological spring began on March 1. As if that weren't enough, the official first day of spring was listed as March 20 on most calendars. True, we have enjoyed some lovely spring-like days after both of these dates, but sportsmen know that the real first day of spring occurs this Saturday, April 3. It is the first day of the traditional trout season.

The first day of trout season is magical. It probably draws more people to the outdoors than any other day of the year. Folks who have "hibernated" all winter and even into nicer weather leave their homes to go fishing for trout. This includes many families.

The excitement for the first official day of trout fishing builds gradually and bursts like a flower at 8 a.m. on the trout opener. Hundreds of thousands of trout fishermen and –women will toss their favorite baits, lures, and even flies into all of the approved trout waters of the Commonwealth, hoping to latch onto some of the millions of trout that have been stocked there. In addition, a number of secretive, solitary trout fishermen will sneak off to isolated, unstocked trout streams, hoping to catch and probably release the lovely wild brown trout and native brook trout that live in these waters.

This is certainly true locally. The upper Frankstown Branch near Claysburg, upper Clover Creek north of Martinsburg, and Bedford County's lovely Yellow Creek are among the most popular approved trout waters in and near the Cove. For anglers who favor still waters, Canoe Creek is a popular location to wet a line on the opening day. Its parking lots are often filled to capacity. Its feeder stream, Canoe Creek, may be the most popular opening day fishing destination in Blair County.

On the opening morning, I particularly enjoy visiting a sportsmen's club pond not far from where I taught school in Bellwood. This pond is surrounded by families who hope their children tangle with the many trout in the pond, some of which are much larger than average trout. Though I have not seen it happen yet, I expect to see a big trout pull one of the smaller children into the pond sometime. At 8 a.m. at the pond, a horn sounds off, and hundreds of hopeful fishermen, mostly children, cast baited lines into the pond. Kids holler with delight when they hook onto trout.

Saturday is indeed the first day of spring for many sportsmen.