The hours at Tom’s Auto & Marine are extended this week, giving folks extra opportunities to get their fishing licenses and supplies.

“We’ve been busy,” said Tara Titus, who can be seen behind the register at the 250 S. Greenwood St. shop, printing out licenses or scanning customers’ purchases.

The rush is typical for this time of year, since trout fishing season in Pennsylvania begins at 8 a.m. Saturday.

And when they head out, anglers will have a good chance of hooking a lunker.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 697 streams and 129 lakes across the commonwealth this year. The numbers include approximately 2.4 million rainbow trout; 702,000 brown trout and 132,000 brook trout.

But how to catch them?

The commission recommends using minnows, worms, salmon eggs, corn, cheese or prepared baits. As for lures, it suggests spinners and small crankbaits.

A variety of baits and lures are available at Tom’s Auto & Marine, which is open until 7 p.m. today, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.

“Right now we have fathead minnows, rosy reds, which is an albino fathead, and medium and large shiners,” Titus said.

Wax worms, meal worms and night crawlers are also available.

“We have lots of PowerBait,” shop owner Tom Banditelli added. “The yellow was always a popular color but now they have crazy colors with sparkles in them.”

Brown-colored Power Bait seems to be trending this year, Titus added.

The shop has fishing rods, line, nets - and even boating and recreational vehicle supplies.

In most cases, those who visit the store know just what they need.

“Most people who come in here are veteran fisherman, or young kids fishing with veteran fisherman,” Banditelli said. “Everybody has their ways.”

Brandon Hinkle learned his “ways” from his father and grandfather, who taught him how to fly fish - and tie flies.

Hinkle, a Weatherly native, has been making the feather-light flies for years and started his own small hobby business Worm Farm Flies in 2020.

“I take a lot of pride in the flies that I tie. I don’t want to sell any that I don’t think are going to hold up after catching a huge fish,” he said. “It definitely takes some time.”

Hinkle uses feathers, fur and thread to create custom flies for the species an angler is looking to land.

He ties nymphs, dry flies and streamers - all of which imitate the insects or aquatic life that fish like to feast on. The flies can be ordered on wormfarmflies.etsy.com.

“I have my arsenal of things that I really like making but I really like taking custom orders,” Hinkle, of White Haven, said. “There are so many patterns out there. There are so many different styles to tie so it kind of pushes me to branch out and get more under my belt.”

In his full-time teaching job at the Hazleton Area School District, Hinkle said he often sees students who aren’t connected to the outside world.

“I think more so for the younger generation it’s good to have those experiences for stocked trout on Opening Day. I think that’s what I like about it - the community of it,” he said.

At Dunkelberger’s Sports Outfitter in Brodheadsville, people were braving Wednesday’s heavy rains to get their licenses.

“Right now, we are doing a lot of license sales,” said store manager Terry Hill. “The bait is selling good and the fishing poles are rolling out.”

After crunching some numbers, Hill found that sales have been on the rise over the last few years. He believes that many took up the sport during COVID - and stuck with it.

“People needed something to do,” he explained.

Hill said the store also distributed quite a few tags for the March 30 Youth Mentor Fishing Day.

“It was amazing,” Hill said of the amount that came in for the children’s fishing permits.

The National Weather Service is predicting Saturday will be mostly cloudy and breezy with a high near 49 degrees.