The old park store at Roaring River is quiet now, but will get busy in the next hour as anglers pay a visit to the weigh-in station in hopes of a lunker. Countdown: 5 minutes.

Leo Steinbrecher, 92, was chosen this year for the honor of firing the starter pistol. A long-time fisherman and volunteer at the park, Leo was given trout tag No. 1. He'll turn 93 on March 5. He and his son, Mike, came prepared to fish today, a sport Leo's wife Marilyn taught him. "I hadn't ever done it before," Leo says of that day long ago. "I was a golfer."

Fishing is good this morning, say friends Chance Moomaw and Jade Bloss, both 18 of Sarcoxie, who are enjoying their first opening day. They're using rooster tails, a popular lure at Roaring River this morning.

Jameson Brown, 6, of Oak Grove, Mo., celebrates topping out his stringer on the first opening day he's reeled in trout on his own rod. His dad, Jacob, his grandpa, Larry, and his late great-grandpa, Jack, grew up fishing these waters, too.

Emily Seib and Tom Sims, photography students at Pittsburg State University, are among a group of six that instructor Mike Gullet brought to Roaring River this morning to capture images of opening day. Gullet, himself a professional photographer, has been bringing a group for 13 years and says he finds the event a wonderful way for his students to apply what they've learned in the classroom.

Come to Mama.