The rain clouds that blew across parts of southwestern Pennsylvania Friday night contributed to nearly optimal conditions for yesterday's opening of trout season.

Just enough rain fell to swell and slightly stain many creeks throughout the region. Even Friday's weather report helped -- threats of downpours that never occurred convinced many anglers to head for the lakes, leaving lots of elbow room on moving water.

Westmoreland County: Jacobs Run and Linn Run, mountain streams that were stocked Friday, were slightly high and stained and many anglers limited out early. Loyalhanna Creek was nearly perfect: 50 degrees, a little bit of color, and lower-than-average angling pressure in most places. Some 70 boats were reported on Donegal Lake; 65-70 at Keystone Lake.

Washington County: Many limits were taken at Canonsburg Lake.

Armstrong County: Buffalo Creek was better than in recent years, but Cowanshannock Creek ran muddy.

Beaver County: Not much rain, leaving creeks clear and low. A few limits were taken from the county's lakes, and catches were spotty in streams.

Greene, southern Washington counties: Little rain fell and angling pressure was off. Stream action was good until about 10 a.m.

Indiana, eastern Armstrong counties: Plum Creek anglers found a lot of big fish. Two Lick fished sluggishly early but picked up later in the day, and a lot of limits were taken at Yellow and Little Yellow creeks.

Fayette County: Virgin Run was slammed early with some 700 anglers and at least 64 boats. At the kids' area below the dam, Star Junction Fish and Game Club handed out prizes and members helped young anglers bait their hooks. But few kids showed up at a new children-only stretch of Dunbar Creek behind Dunbar Fire Hall.

"We put 400 fish in there last night, and there can't have been more than 10 kids in there," said the Fish and Boat Commission's Scott Opfer. "There are still a ton of fish in there for kids."

Somerset County: About 575 vehicles were counted at Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset County.

Allegheny County: Turtle Creek fished better than most streams, and angling pressure was moderate on Deer Lakes. But the best action was on Montour Run were 3,000 trout were stocked Wednesday, plus another 200 fish more than 18 inches stocked by a local club. A lot of limits were taken.

Central Pennsylvania: More anglers than expected showed at Bald Eagle and Spring creeks, but fewer fish were caught. Slightly high, clear water yielded a stonefly hatch in sizes 14-16.