A spring tradition began Saturday across the Garden State -- the opening day of trout season.

Over 180,000 freshly stocked rainbow trout now fill New Jersey's top fishing spots and there will be more to come.

Over 500,000 fish will eventually be stocked by the end of spring.

Fishing began around 8 a.m. and fishermen say they are happy to be getting outside.

"First day is exciting," says Lawrence Valentino. "It's the beginning of spring time. It's a right-of-passage here in New Jersey. I've been fishing for years, my dad started bringing me, now I take my boys. And all the fisherman get out of the house after a long winter."

The trout are also Jersey-made. These fish were raised at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Warren County.