March the first is traditionally the opening of trout season in Missouri. If you go to one of the trout parks, it is common for people to get down to the stream early to pick their spot along the bank and wait for the 7am whistle to blow. However, if you choose to go before it’s daylight you won’t be alone as you and your fellow fisherman will be standing shoulder to shoulder nervously waiting to see who gets their bait in the water first at the sound of the whistle.

Your fishing space for you to cast and retrieve will be approximately shoulder width, and may the Good Lord be with you if you deviate one degree to the left or right for that means you may become entangled with your next-door neighbor or any number of people fishing, and you will receive unwanted looks as a result.

There will be one or two who won’t obey the unwritten rule of casting straight ahead as the whistle announces the start of the fishing day, but they cast either upstream or downstream and thereby crossing over many others’ lines. Hostility towards the offender becomes readily apparent. Especially if he or she does it again. If your line is crossed and becomes part of a hopeless mass of lines, it’s probably best to reel in, if possible, withdraw from the stream and go sit in a warm spot, if you can find one, until the crowd becomes less hostile and thins out. But if you do catch a few, it will be a great day to walk around with some nice trout on your stringer. Do this in a nonchalant manner as though you do this all the time.

I don’t get out to the trout parks anymore, and I avoided opening day when I did, but other days can be just as hectic. I also found that I didn’t have to be standing next to the stream before the sun came up to catch fish. Later in the day worked just as well and I usually caught as many without freezing my rear end off. But in any case, have fun and know that spring is just a few weeks away.