(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota’s popular stream trout season opens Saturday, with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources identified quality fishing opportunities in every region of the state.

The trout fishing season runs from April 13 and lasts until September, with specific regulations being available on the DNR website.

Craig Soupir is the water and fishery supervisor for the DNR. Soupir oversees a fish hatchery which incubates fish eggs. The DNR later tosses grown trout and other fish in Minnesota waters, a process called stocking.

Minnesota has roughly 3,800 miles of designated trout streams and the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Division is stocking Minnesota rivers to kick off what could be a great season.

The division congregated at Todd Park in Austin on April 11 to stock about 300 rainbow trout in Wolf Creek.

“I’ve got two volunteers that rode with me today for four hours in the truck to stock these fish; they’re getting the unique opportunity to see kind of the other side of [the process], the DNR side of it,” said Soupir.

A majority of Minnesota fish require warm or cool water, like walleye and northern pike.

Trout, on the other hand, thrive in that cold groundwater southern Minnesota is known for.

“My favourite part about fishing?” wondered Soupir. “Connecting with the outdoors; there’s so many health benefits with connecting with the outdoors, I just did a presentation on this yesterday. It’s almost as important as math, science and reading. It just brings so much health benefits to people.”

Officials say, even if fishing isn’t your thing, what matters most is getting out of the house and enjoying the Minnesota wilderness.

“Because of people like you, that come out here and fish, I mean that’s the best part is seeing people enjoy this,” said Soupir.