Shoppers began feasting on deals on Thanksgiving, but just how hungry they'll remain is yet to be seen.

Analysts have questioned whether Black Friday is losing its cachet as retailers have pushed opening times into Thanksgiving. On Friday, the turnout was tame at some stores around the country.

Here's how the day is playing out around the country. All times are EST, unless otherwise specified.

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Friday, 11 a.m.: Gone fishing

The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife has stocked 16 lakes with trout to give people something else to do on Black Friday.

Fishing licenses are required to take advantage of this holiday activity.

In previous years, six southwest Washington lakes were stocked for fishing the day after Thanksgiving. This year, the program has been expanded to include lakes in the Puget Sound region and eastern Washington.

Friday, 10:50 a.m.: Shopping amid protests in Chicago

An association representing high-end retailers, hotels and restaurants in Chicago's Magnificent Mile district says it is confident authorities will maintain order for Black Friday shoppers as groups protest a 2014 police shooting.

The release of a video showing the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald has set off days of largely peaceful protests. On Friday, demonstrators took to the city's main shopping area to ensure high visibility.

The Magnificent Mile Association says its members have public safety plans in place because of the area's high profile, its huge crowds and the urban setting. And it says protests are nothing new.

Friday, 10:30 a.m.: Teens feast on badly needed deals

Teenagers dominated the Black Friday crowd at the mall in Pleasanton, California.

Sarah Fehrnstrom, 13, said she spent $130 on sweat shirts, pants, makeup and perfume in a couple hours. And she wasn't done. Her budget was $300 for the day of marathon shopping.

"It's hard to get money as a teenager," Fehrnstrom said. "When there's sales, we come out."

Fehrnstrom and three of her best friends arrived at 5 a.m., wearing sweats and flip-flops for comfort and speed.

— Scott Smith, Associated Press, Pleasanton, California.

Friday, 10 a.m.:

Colorado is trying to encourage a new tradition by offering free admission to state parks on Black Friday.

The offer is good at all 42 state parks on what backers are calling Fresh Air Friday.

The director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office says people have the choice between running around indoors or enjoying the great outdoors for free, and burning off calories from their turkey dinners.

Other states are also offering free or reduced fees to encourage people to get outside.

Friday, 8 a.m.: Too late already?

Ashley Walton says her $200 budget on Black Friday was the same as last year, but it didn't buy as much this year because the best sales were the night before.

"It's Black Thursday now," Walton said, leaving the Capitol City Mall in suburban Harrisburg with her hands full of shopping bags.

The 27-year-old didn't go shopping on Thanksgiving because she was in a "turkey coma," and is a devoted Black Friday shopper.

But she was disappointed this year. She said Wal-Mart didn't have all the items she wanted, such as a tablet for her 4-year-old son.

So she went on Amazon and ordered it on her smartphone.

—Marc Levy, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Friday, 9 a.m.: Casual Friday at the mall

In Kennesaw, Georgia, one of metro Atlanta's largest malls took on the feel of a slumber party early Friday morning. Many shoppers at Town Center at Cobb wore sweat pants and sweat shirts. A few even wore their pajamas.

Scott and Meredith Oakley brought their teenage girls, partly for the experience of getting up early and joining the crowds.

"It's just fun — something different," said Scott Oakley.

Nearby, Robert Renshaw of Rockmart, Georgia, picked up items from the Disney Store at Town Center, which were marked 20 percent off. He also used some Bed Bath and Beyond coupons. Renshaw was out at the mall early Friday morning after shopping at a Target in Hiram, Georgia, on Thanksgiving night.

—Jeff Martin, Kennesaw, Georgia

Friday, 8 a.m.: Not what it used to be

Seasoned shopper Lynette Norcup is nostalgic for Black Fridays of the past.

Sitting in the warmth of her daughter's SUV waiting for Walmart to open, the 58-year-old resident of Pleasanton, California said she thinks the excitement has fizzled with stores opening on Thanksgiving.

Norcup misses the challenge of strategizing to score deals. Her daughters used to hold a place at the checkout line with an empty shopping cart as she hand-delivered her finds.

"That was the good old days," said Norcup.

This year, the pre-dawn rush on Black Friday was made up of about two dozen shoppers.

— Scott Smith, Pleasanton, California.

Friday, 8 a.m.: May the force be with you

Among the hot sellers so far since Toys R Us stores opened on Thanksgiving night, according to CEO Dave Brandon: "Star Wars" merchandise and Hasbro's Pie Face game, as well as toys related to the animated TV series "Paw Patrol."

— Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Friday, 6 a.m.: Bad weather? Let's shop.

Sisters Eileen Kroll and Maureen Ackles sat bleary-eyed on a bench outside a Bath & Body Works shop in the South County Center mall near St. Louis. Both women, having been up for the past 24 hours, are Black Friday regulars and showed no signs of fatigue, having already between to three Wal-Marts, two Targets and a Kohl's department store since midnight.

"It's rainy and yucky. What are we going to do? Sleep? What the heck," said Kroll, a 52-year-old tax accountant with four children.

—Jim Suhr, St. Louis

Friday, 5 a.m.: Pulling an all-nighter

Crystal Gomez from Queens, N.Y., started shopping at 11 p.m. Thursday and was loaded with bags from Toys R Us where she picked up Barbies and other gifts by 5 a.m. She also had shopped at Macy's, Gap, Old Navy and Victoria's Secret. She shops Black Friday every year and started early to avoid the crowds.

"It's not really crowded now, but it will be later," she said.

—Mae Anderson, New York

Friday, 5 a.m.: Fun with make-up

Gloria Romero, 23, from the Bronx and her friend, Ashley Quesoo, 19, woke up at 2 a.m. to go to Sephora. They picked up one item, a Dita Von Teese contour palette makeup set.

"It was sold out online," Romero said.

They said waking up that early was worth it. "We had quite a bit of fun, we got to experiment with makeup and it wasn't crowded," Romero said.

—Mae Anderson, New York

Thursday, 9 p.m.: Sneaky shopper

Julie Desireau snagged a $10 crock pot and the last $10 deep fryer at the Naperville, Illinois Wal-Mart and promptly hid them under a rack of women's flannel pajamas. Then the 29-year-old from Chicago called her husband, who was in the toy department with their cart, and told him to come pick her up.

"There's no way I'm going back there," she said.

—Sara Burnett, Naperville, Illinois

Thursday, 9 p.m.: Deals in the city that never sleeps

Bintou Cham, a 31-year-old New York City home health aid worker, was holding her four-month daughter while pushing a cart of baby clothes from J.C. Penney, perfume from Macy's and underwear from Victoria's Secret. She started shopping at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and spent about $200. She said on average she got about 40 percent to 50 percent off but she was looking for more.

"I was looking for 70 percent off," she said. "I have a baby and it is expensive."

—Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Thursday, 8 p.m.: Things are looking up for Target

Target CEO Brian Cornell told reporters on a conference call that early results show the discount chain is seeing higher traffic at its stores than last year. And he said shoppers are buying items across the store, from clothing to electronics to toys.

Cornell also said he has been pleased with strong results in online sales. Among some of the most popular door buster deals is a Westinghouse TV, marked down to $249.99, a savings of $350, he said.

Target also offered 40 percent off of all fashion and accessories.

—Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Thursday, 8 p.m.: A family of planners

With one of his sons in tow and two more waiting at home, Jeff McGehee's Thanksgiving night shopping strategy was to divide and conquer.

The physical education teacher from suburban St. Louis and his wife mapped out their route in advance: she would brave the crowds at Target for a $299 Xbox One coveted by their 19-year-old, while he, his 20-year-old son Josh and McGehee's older brother took a more leisurely stroll through a Sports Authority in Brentwood, Mo., eyeing deals with the $15 gift cards they earned by being among the first 80 customers in line.

The routine was due to continue before dawn Friday, he said, with a planned 6 a.m. visit to Home Depot for a Christmas tree followed by an Office Depot stop to buy a Google Chrome notebook computer for their youngest son.

—Alan Zagier, Brentwood, Missouri

Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: When I shop, I might not buy anything

At the crowded Macy's shoe department in New York City's Herald Square, Karina Maxim, an artist and tarot card reader, was taking a break from shopping. She had just come from Aeropostale where she spent $60 on T-shirts for her two children.

This was her first time shopping on Thanksgiving.

She plans to go to Best Buy Friday. But she said she doesn't have a plan. "I'm not going to promise I will buy anything," she said.

—Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Thursday, 5:55 p.m.: Lamenting the good ole days

More than 100 people waited outside the Toys R Us in Times Square before its opening at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

"Black Friday isn't what it used to be," said Keith Nelson, 54, who works in security in the Brooklyn and was third in line after arriving about 2:15. "Lines used to be longer, people would be sleeping and bringing lounge chairs out here."

— Mae Anderson, New York

Thursday, 6:45 p.m.: Me time in the mall

Rosy Urrutia, 25, shopped on Thanksgiving night as an appetizer before her meal. The Commerce City, Colorado stay-at-home mom had an armful of shoe boxes — two for herself and three for her children — and an electric griddle.

"I have one hour to shop and then I have to get home and cook Thanksgiving dinner," she said. "I just wanted to come shop for some me time, I guess. I love it. But I like cooking for everyone, too."

—Kristen Wyatt, Denver, Colorado