Fish & Game Eastern Region officer Mark Sherburn is challenging people to go and catch a trout and then de-bone and cook it this trout season.

The challenge comes on the eve of the new season and ahead of the Eastern Region hatchery's open day on Friday, September 30.

Rainbow trout.

Mark says the open day aims to educate with lots of fun thrown in.

'There will be boat fishing tuition and fly casting instruction, and visitors will be shown how to de-bone, fillet and cook trout,” says Mark.

This is a great day for children to learn some fishing basics, Mark says, with a ‘kids fish out' at one of the hatchery's pools, under some expert guidance.

'We'd love to think that one or two school classes might see it as an educational outing.”

Fish & Game staff will run guided tours of the hatchery on the day, to provide people with an insight into Fish & Game's work managing the fishery, and raising more than 80,000 fish a year to keep the lakes stocked with big fish through a selective breeding programme.

'This is a day to celebrate a new season kicking off and provide plenty of tips because as part of managing the sports fish, we want anglers to be successful and catch plenty of fish.”

Fish and Game manager Rob Pitkethley hopes anglers turn out along with interested members of the general public.

'Fish & Game is funded from fishing licence revenue and its great licence holders to see how this money is spent,” says Rob.

He hopes good numbers of people take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn more about catching trout, preparing the fish for the table, and seeing how the hatchery operates.

'It's a day which provides just the right sort of build-up and excitement to the new fishing season starting the following day.”