A brook trout (Provided photo — state Department of Environmental Conservation)

ALBANY — New York’s trout and salmon fishing season opens on April Fools’ Day, Wednesday, April 1, and the state Department of Environment Conservation encourages anglers to practice social distancing while on the water.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said the state has stocked over 2.2 million catchable-size trout in cold-water lakes and streams.

“Fishing is good for the mind and body,” Seggos said. “Water temperatures are rising, causing trout to feed more aggressively, and present a perfect opportunity for anglers. I encourage all anglers, novice and expert, to get outside and fish, but act responsibly by practicing social distancing and staying safe.”

Anglers looking forward to pursuing stocked trout can visit the DEC website to find a complete list of this spring’s planned trout stocking for 2.27 million catchable-size brook, brown and rainbow trout in 307 lakes and ponds and roughly 2,845 miles of streams across the state.

Spring stockings will include 1.68 million brown trout, 424,860 rainbow trout and 156,970 brook trout. Approximately 98,000 two-year-old brown trout 13 to 14 inches in length are included in the brown trout total. Nearly 1.6 million yearling lake trout, steelhead, landlocked salmon, splake and coho salmon will be also be stocked by DEC this spring. Almost 307,000 brook trout fingerlings will be stocked in over 300 Adirondack lakes and ponds this spring and fall.

On many waters, due to the constraints imposed by the recent discovery of zebra mussels at Rome Fish Hatchery, anglers can expect to find some species substitutions and changes in trout numbers compared to what was stocked in 2019.

The state is asking anglers to further limit the community spread of COVID-19.

When fishing, DEC recommends avoiding busy waters. If an angler arrives at a parking lot and there are several cars, the angler should consider going to another parking lot. If an angler is fishing upstream, fish downstream of that person or consider fishing another day. Anglers fishing from boats should be able to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between one another.

The DEC is encouraging hunters, trappers and anglers to purchase sporting licenses online. Sporting licenses may be purchased online at any time, and anglers may use their privileges immediately by carrying their transaction number (DEC-LS#) with them while afield.

Anglers, hunters, and trappers may also use the HuntFishNY mobile app to display an electronic copy of their license. Back tags and carcass tags must still be mailed, and customers should allow 10 to 14 days for receipt of their tags.