With the first day of spring about two months away, and the start of the regular trout season about two weeks after that, the doldrums of winter is a perfect time for fishermen and other outdoorsmen to gear up for warmer days.

Mark Hanna of Murrysville said he came to the Tri-County Trout Club’s annual show and market in Harrison on Saturday for the first time after a friend made him aware of it.

“I didn’t have any good reason to not come,” he said. “This is kind of a cabin fever thing.”

As he perused the vendor tables at Guardian Angel Parish’s Patterson Hall, Hanna said he had found a fly fishing reel and some materials to make flies he’ll use in the spring for catch-and-release fishing for native brook trout in the mountains.

“This is a slice of Americana here,” he said.

This year’s show featured about 40 vendors with more than 80 tables of fishing, hunting and camping gear, club President Steve Hegedus said. There were good deals to be had, he said, for fishing tackle to be used along with the rare, old and collectible.

The event has always been held once a year in January, when it won’t have to compete with getting out and fishing, he said.

After starting with just the club’s members, it took off after they began inviting outside vendors.

“It seemed like the time to do an indoor flea market was January,” he said.

Among the vendors was first-timer Tim Desmond of Kilbuck. He said he brought 94 spinning reels to sell from a collection of 150 to 175 he built over 50 years, beginning when he was 20.

“My wife wants me to get rid of all this stuff,” he said. “She doesn’t want to get stuck with them.”

While the reels Desmond brought to sell came from all over the world — France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Japan — he said he was getting more compliments on the velvet Crown Royal bags each reel sold came with.

“Everyone thinks I drink like crazy. I don’t drink at all,” he said. “They’re excellent bags to put reels in.”

Steve Ritenour of Dunbar was seen carefully selecting tiny fishing flies that were priced at a dozen for $10.

He’s looking forward to the weather breaking and the start of trout season.

“Once we get rid of the ice, we’ll be OK,” he said.

Ritenour’s girlfriend, Sarah Guynn, also of Dunbar, tagged along.

“She’s here to make sure I don’t spend too much money,” Ritenour said.

How was that working out?

“So far, so good,” Guynn said.