The third Saturday in April has been a date that marks the spring opening for trout season for decades. But with more privately owned lakes, there is less water regulated by the state and more areas that do not rely on the traditional opening day. The communities that do rely on opening day have been anticipating the opener and have increased stocking programs and set up derbies to bring more visitors.

Swine influenza (aka swine flu) is most commonly a respiratory infection caused by a virus that up to now has been confined to pigs. There have previously been few reported cases of transmission of this disease to human beings.