Today is the big day. It's the April Fools Opener in the Columbia Basin and there are over 30 lakes opening to fishing for the first time this season.

Not only are there some great trout fishing opportunities, there are some dandy warm water lakes opening, too. Two of the better ones will be Hutchinson and Shiner. These have had a great reputation for producing good catches that include largemouth bass and bluegill, and I know I've seen photos of some nice perch from Hutchinson, too.

I have also heard through the grapevine that there are crappie in Shiner Lake. I also wanted to tell folks that have an interest in learning to fly fish that there is an excellent course being offered again this year through the Wenatchee Valley College.

It is taught by Gary Anderson and Tom Whiteside, and covers all aspects of fly fishing. I would go on-line to the Wenatchee Valley College web site and check it out. Do it soon though, because the course starts on April 5th, and runs through May 15th. This class has been taught for years and is the perfect way to get introduced to the sport of fly fishing.