The winter Trails to Trout day returns Jan. 6 at The Nature Center in Tyler. Along with a chance to fish for rainbow trout, fly-fishing classes will be offered during the event.

Sometimes getting started in the outdoors can be a hard thing to do because of a lack of background or connections. Sometimes it can be because of a lack of accessibility.

Those barriers disappear during the holidays as things get a little fishy when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department rings in the New Year with the Trails to Trout fishing day Jan. 6 at Tyler’s The Nature Center.

In conjunction, members of the Lone Star Fly Fishers will also be on hand to offer lessons to youth or adults wanting to learn the basics of fly fishing or maybe clear up casting problems for those with experience.

The day’s free events will take place at the pond at The Nature Center which will be stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout for youth and adults fishing from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults are not required to bring a youth to fish, but are encouraged to do so.

Flyfishing classes will last 25 minutes and will be held every half hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“There is no registration required and no need to purchase a fishing license. All anglers need to bring is their fishing equipment and bait. TPWD will provide the rest, including staff on-hand to assist beginner fishing duos and limited fishing equipment for those who need it on a first-come, first-served basis,” explained Jake Norman, TPWD Fisheries district biologist.

Recommended fishing gear for youth includes a light-action rod and reel combination with small fishing hooks, 8-pound or lighter line, small bobbers, and small split shot. For bait, recommendations include salmon eggs, whole kernel corn, marshmallows, small worms, or prepared trout bait such as Berkley PowerBait Hatchery Formula Chews or something similar. Small rooster-tail spinners also work.

Anglers will have the choice of releasing their catch or keeping up to five rainbow trout per person. Those intending to keep fish should bring a stringer or cooler for the fish. Ice will be available for those needing it for fish.

In addition to the daily bag limit, anglers can also keep up to one channel catfish.

The fly-fishing classes will be primarily for beginners, but more experienced casters are encouraged to attend as two Fly Fishers International certified casting instructors will be leading the classes. Equipment will be provided or fishermen can bring their own fly rod. A hat and glasses are encouraged for safety. Children must be at least 10 years old and able to handle the long fly rods. Parents must accompany their children while in class. Yarn will be used for flies and there will not be any hooks allowed.

The courses will be offered adjacent to the pond. Look for the Lone Star Fly Fishers sign and white tent.

After fishing visitors are invited to visit The Nature Center to enjoy a series of hiking trails.

The Nature Center is located on F.M. 848, two-tenths of a mile south of Spur 248 (University Boulevard). Visitors are asked to park in designated areas in the marked parking lot and to walk to the pond using the concrete trails.

For more information contact Norman at (903) 566-1615.

For those unable to attend the Trails to Trout events there will be other chances to fish for rainbow trout at put-and-take fisheries in East Texas throughout the winter. TPWD is stocking more than 330,000 rainbow trout in state park and urban lakes around the state.

While some lakes have already received a stocking, others will be stocked in the next two months. The following is a list of stocking sites and dates in Northeast Texas: Arena Park Pond, Marshall, Feb. 5; Blue Pond, Palestine, Jan. 14; Bob Sandlin State Park, Feb. 28; Bridge Bob’s Pond, Wood County, Feb. 10; Faulkner Park Lake, Tyler, Jan. 3; Heritage Park Lake, Mount Pleasant, Jan. 31; Lake Melton, Sulphur Springs, Jan. 22; Lakeside Park Pond, Nacogdoches, Jan. 21; Pear Tree Pond, Lake Tawakoni State Park, Feb. 17; Pittsburg City Lake, Pittsburg, Jan. 30, Feb. 26; Spring Lake Park, Texarkana, Jan. 30; Teague Park, Longview, Feb. 26; Tyler State Park, Jan. 16; Waskom City Pond, Feb. 20; Winchester Park Lake, Chandler, Jan. 17; and Woldert Park Pond, Tyler, Jan. 3.

For a complete listing of stocking locations, dates and rules, go online tohttps://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/trout_stocking.phtml.