Get your fishing poles ready because trout season is less than a week away.

Starting April 1st, anglers can begin fishing on one of the state's 320 lakes and ponds, or in one of its 110 rivers. Although the conditions may not be perfect for trout fishing, they soon will be. The DEC says immediately following ice out, when the ice finally disappears from the surface of the water, fish are easiest to catch.

Officials with the Department of Environmental Conservation say more than 2.1 million fish will be stocked this year, including brown, rainbow and brook trout. More than two million other fish, like landlocked and coho salmon, steelhead and splake will also be stocked into waters statewide. The agency notes that the additional fish should keep lakes and ponds well stocked for the next several years.

All anglers 16 years and older are also reminded that they must have a New York State fishing license, which can be purchased from sporting stores or from town and county clerks.

According to the DEC, anglers spend more than 6 million days fishing in New York State waters, with an estimated 1.88 million anglers buying licences. The high number of anglers helped the state rank number two in the nation for total fishing item sales and number six in non-resident spending, generating more than $108 million dollars in state and local taxes.

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