Come Saturday, April 4, local streams and a few lakes will be teaming with anglers attempting to catch a few trout that were stocked for the early trout opener in 18 southeastern counties. The statewide season opens two weeks later (April 18) when a total of 700 streams and 120 lakes will have been stocked with trout. Of the 3.2 million trout to be planted, 2.01 million were rainbow trout, 641,000 were brown trout and 535,000 were brookies. And the Pennsylvania Fish And Boat Commission says they included about 8,500 trophy golden trout (aka palomino trout) that weigh an average of 1.5 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long. Added to this, PFBC cooperative nurseries, like our own Lil Lehigh Trout Nursery, will stock another one million to waters close to them.

Of the total trout set to be stocked, 43 percent are stocked between opening day and the end of May, while the remaining four percent are stocked from October through February.

As for the Lehigh River, Willie from Willie's Bait And Tackle in Cementon says that the Lehigh River Stocking Association won't be stocking the Lehigh until the week after the April 4 regional opener. The association normally stocks from the Northampton sector along Canal Street, and then to the Laury's Station bridge area and parts upriver to Walnutport.

If you fish the upper Jordan Creek and are looking for a convenient bait and tackle shop, Bob's Taxidermy on Kernsville Road has opened his shop for the fishing season. He offers red worms, night crawlers, baby night crawlers, fathead minnows, shiners, butterworms, mealworms, waxworms, PowerBait and basic tackle. Shop hours are Monday-Wednesday 9-7; Thursday-Friday 9-5; and for weekends call the shop at 610-398-7609.

Handicapped anglers are reminded that there is a Level 3 handicap dock on Coplay Creek at the Whitehall Parkway section and by the maintenance barn off Chestnut Street, a short distance off MacArthur Road and near the Sheetz service station. Unfortunately, Whitehall Township took that area out of the handicapped area, and the trail leading to the stream is not in good shape.

There is also a kids/handicap area on the upper Jordan Creek in the Trexler Zoo (formerly Trexler Game Preserve) that is about 300 yards up from the ford (stream crossing) at the zoo.

Another kids/handicap area is at Union Terrace pond off Union Street in Allentown by the elementary school that is fed by Cedar Creek. The pond is stocked by the Queen City Trout Nursery co-op.

Seniors who purchased a senior lifetime license after Jan. 1, 2015, be advised a trout/salmon stamp is required to trout fish. It wasn't needed for those who bought theirs prior to that date.

For anglers who don't have access to a computer for the stocking schedule, here are the in-season stocking dates for Lehigh and Northampton counties.

LEHIGH COUNTY

Cedar Creek: 4-29, 5-11; Coplay Creek: 4-14, 5-13; Jordan Creek: 4-7, 4-9, 4-13, 4-14, 4-20, 4-28; Leaser Lake: 3-31, 4-9; Little Lehigh: 4-22, 4-29, 5-11, 10-14; Ontelaunee Creek: 4-8; Switzer Creek: 4-20; Trout Creek: 4-29; Lehigh Canal (runs in Lehigh & Northampton counties): week of 4-6, 4-30; Monocacy Creek (in Lehigh & Northampton counties): 4-16, 5-12.

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Bushkill Creek: 4-23, 4-29, 5-13; Hokendauqua Creek: 4-15, 4-27, 5-5; Indian Creek: 4-15; Jacoby Creek: 4-9; Lehigh Canal: week of 4-20; Little Bushkill Creek: 4-29, 5-13; Martins Creek: week of 4-6, 4-9; Minsi Lake: week of 5-4, 10-8; Monocacy Creek: 4-16, 5-12; Saucon Creek: 4-16, 5-12.

Anglers should note that not all sections of streams are stocked during a particular date. For example, the upper Jordan Creek may get a stocking on one date but not the lower section.