If you want to be king stringer in the parking lot on the first day of trout season, you’re going to need a vest full of good bait. Here are five must haves for the first day of the season.

M&M – Not the candy-coated chocolate, but the trout-killing combo of a mealworm and a tiny marshmallow. Use it in the stream or in the pond. The mallow floats the bait off the bottom into the trout’s line of sight, and the mealie seals the deal.

Waxworm – This soft, juicy larvae of the wax moth is a trout-stream staple. The key with the waxworm is to fish it with just enough weight to sink it to the bottom, but not enough to anchor it to the stream bottom. The waxworm works best when it tumbles downstream at the same speed as the current.

Berkley PowerBait – You’ve heard the adage, “match the hatch,” and for freshly stocked trout that grew up on a diet of pellets, Berkley PowerBait does just that. So in this case, you’re matching the hatchery. As for colors, look no further than yellow or brown.

Grass Shrimp – A true “secret weapon” on Opening Day, especially late in the day after the trout have seen in all. Hook a fresh grass shrimp or two on a size 10 baitholder hook, and keep catching when other anglers are coming up empty.