Jewel Farwell, wife of former Roaring River Hatchery employee Marvin Farwell and mother to current assistant manager at the Hatchery, fired the Opening Day gun at Roaring River State Park, kicking off the 2021 trout season. 

As of 7 a.m. on Opening Day, Roaring River State Park had sold 1,275 adult tags and 294 children’s tags.

Kilea Taylor, 18, of Stella, got a reaction from her fishing neighbor as she reeled in an 18-inch trout minutes after the Opening Day gun. Taylor let the big one go, saying she wanted the lunker release badge, as she had caught and kept a 19-inch lunker in the past.

The falls are always a popular location for anglers on Opening Day, as the moving water typically stores hungry fish.

Brice Stehlik, of Cassville, attaches his fourth catch of the day to his stringer, pulled in by 6:50 a.m. 

Dale Jasumback, of Wentworth, releases a trout he caught on Opening Day in the second hole from the Hatchery.Dale Jasumback, of Wentworth, releases a trout he caught on Opening Day in the second hole from the Hatchery.

Robert Land, of Miami, Okla., takes a second to warm his hands after catching his limit on Opening Day.

Yellow trout brought in from Crystal Lake have added some color to the lunker pond at Roaring River, and some of the new fish have made their way past the falls and into catching territory.

Phillip Patton, of Carl Junction, releases a yellow trout he caught near the falls. Patton had to release the fish, as he got a foul hook on the trout’s fin. 

Chris Adamson, of Verona, pulls in a trout near the falls on Opening Day. Adamson tries to fish near the same spot each March 1, and many of the people near him tend to do the same, creating an annual reunion of sorts. 

First-time angler Adrian Salas, 18, of Cassville, said he didn’t really know how to fish, but that didn’t stop him from reeling in a 2.37-pounder from the next hole past the falls on Opening Day.

Joey Martinez, right, and his son, Chase Martinez, 8, both of Anderson, fished together on Opening Day. 

Hudson Jack, 9, nets an Opening Day catch made by his father, Jared Jack, of Cassville.

AJ Schroeder, of Monett, pulls in a fish from the hole in front of the CCC Lodge, one of his many Opening Day catches . 

Mila Jensen, 4, of Bentonville, Ark., works on her casting skills on Opening Day.

Mila Jensen, 4, center, looks up as her mother, Amber Jensen, left, of Bentonville, Ark., sends her bait out into the river on Opening Day. Also fishing with the family was Tegan Jensen, 6.

Bill Logan, of Monett, pulls in one of his many Opening Day catches.

Jason Brown, of Aurora, ties on a hook as he prepares to catch another trout on Opening Day at Roaring River State Park.

Josh Willis, left, of Webb City, hands a pole to his son, Blaine Willis, 6, as the pair fished together on Opening Day.