This month Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish hatchery crews will finish stocking more than 20 million fish in Washington waterways before the state’s single biggest fishing season opener on April 30.

At least 300,000 anglers are expected to turn out for the big day. Although many waterways are open year-round, the last Saturday in April marks the traditional start of the four- to five-month lowland lake fishing season.

To participate, anglers will need a current Washington freshwater fishing license, valid April 1, 2011, through March 31, 2012.

Licenses can be purchased on the Internet at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov; by telephone at 1-866-246-9453; or at hundreds of license dealers across the state. For details on License Vendor locations, visit the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/.

Fish stocking details, by county and lake, are available in the Annual Statewide Hatchery Trout Stocking Plan on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/statewide/.

Tips on fishing areas, listed by county and water, can be found in “Washington 2011 Fishing Prospects: Where To Catch Fish In the Evergreen State,” available on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/prospects/.