Nothing signals spring to an angler like that first outing to a favorite trout stream. While Massachusetts hasn’t had an official “opening day” for years, most anglers make their first trip in April when water levels stabilize from the annual spring run-off and stream stocking is in full swing.

Massachusetts provides a wide variety of trout waters to pick from, ranging from tiny trickles that harbor native brook trout to large rivers with good populations of trophy-sized browns and rainbows. There are even streams in the eastern part of the state that host runs of sea-run brookies and browns. Whether your preference is small streams or large rivers — fly, spin or bait — brookies, browns or rainbows — Massachusetts has something for everyone’s taste.

EASTERN REGION

One of the reasons the Merrimack holds such a good trout population lies in the fact that there are nearly two dozen other streams emptying into it that receive stockings of trout that eventually end up in the Merrimack. From Bridge Meadow Brook in Tyngsborough to the Powow River in Amesbury, the Merrimack benefits from these unscheduled infusions of fresh fish throughout the season.

This trickle-down effect gives anglers a clue as to where to begin the search for quality trout fishing. Fish the mouths of feeders, especially during or just after the spring run-off period, or later in the year when the water in the main river can become low and uninvitingly warm for trout.

Try the tributaries at Stony Brook and Deep Brook in Chelmsford, the Little River and East Meadow River in Haverhill, or the Shawsheen River in Andover and Tewksbury.

An added bonus to the Merrimack is the opportunity to catch an Atlantic salmon. Upstream of the Essex Dam in Lawrence, anglers will find salmon that are returning to the river from the sea as well as broodstock fish that migrate downstream from New Hampshire waters where they were stocked.

These broodstock fish can reach 20 pounds and are terrific fighters. A favorite spot to target these fish is the pool below the Pawtucket Dam in the town of Lowell.

The Parker River is one of the state’s best-kept secrets when it comes to trout angling. Frequently overlooked by fishermen heading for the Merrimack and other better-known streams, the Parker has a very good trout population, a wide variety of insect life, and easy access via state-owned land. Its deep, leisurely currents travel for over 20 miles to its terminus at Plum Island. The headwaters at Sperry’s Pond in Boxford are wadeable, although the lower stretches are best fished in a small boat or canoe because of the depth and treacherous wading due to uncertain bottom structure.

The Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area encompasses most of the upper section and is accessible from North Street in Georgetown. Its deep pools and runs hold good numbers of fish, including holdover browns and rainbows running up to 5 pounds.

The Ipswich River in Wilmington is not an easy river to fish in places, and there are long stretches that require a canoe to reach. This makes it possible for the river to support a large number of both wild and holdover trout. Good fishing begins at the bridge on Woburn Street in Wilmington and runs all the way to the Ipswich River Park in North Reading. A lot of the lower stretch is strictly canoe water, but it does have wadeable stretches here and there. The upper section is heavily stocked, and therefore heavily fished, but a bit of looking and walking can reveal seldom-fished pools.

Maybe the best fishing is found below the Peabody Dam. It’s a hard piece of water to get to, but can provide big rewards to anglers who put forth the effort. The four-mile stretch to the Howe Station in Middleton is rarely fished, yet it is heavily populated with trout. Access to this stretch is off Route 62 onto Boston Road just east of Middleton. There’s a dirt road at the bridge that goes upstream, leading to some wadeable portions of the river.