Last week Mrs. Wendy Schwalb’s 4th graders at Roscoe School enjoyed a special day they had anticipated since the beginning of the school year: “Release Day” for the trout in their classroom. 

Trout in the Classroom is a creative environmental education program sponsored by Trout Unlimited. It provides a unique “hands-on” experience for young students involving the stewardship of raising trout from the egg stage in their own classroom, and creates an awareness and appreciation for their watersheds and the environment in which they live. The program has been ongoing for more than three decades, and has educated hundreds of thousands of students. 

TU was responsible for supplying the initial fish tanks and setup, water filter and chiller (to maintain water temperature at about 52 degrees.) At the beginning of October, trout eggs were brought in by the Catskill Trout Hatchery in DeBruce and the students were able to care for and monitor them during the exciting process of hatching: from eggs to alevin, fry and eventually fingerlings. Each day Mrs. Schwalb and her children tested the water for ammonia and nitrates to be sure the trout’s environment was conducive to raising the fry, and took turns feeding the fish. And on Release Day, a ceremony was held to feed the fish one last time before being released into the Willowemoc Creek. 

Katie and Logan, from the Catskill Trout Hatchery, traveled over with equipment to siphon off buckets of water and gather up the trout fry for their journey to the river. Along with about 8 volunteers from the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild, the 4th graders were joined by the 5th grade class and processed down the hill and across the soccer field to the shores of the Willowemoc Creek, where the 101 fingerling trout were released into the swirling waters.

Members of the CFTGuild and CFFC entered the stream with screens and buckets to gather nymphs and other creatures living under rocks and along the stream bottom for the children to study.

The students and adults returned to the school and reconvened in the auditorium, where stations were set up to teach the youngsters all about trout. Logan and Katie, of the DEC’s Catskill Trout Hatchery, provided lessons in biology and the trout’s stages of growth, with instructional charts and specimens of preserved eggs, alevin, fry and fingerlings, give-away bobbers, towels and coloring books.   

The Catskill FlyTyers Guild’s table offered free stickers and an in-depth study by Chuck Coronato of the natural food and ‘bottom bugs’ that the trout will be eating in the wild, as well as demonstrations on fly-tying by Tom Mason and Gary Moleon, who offered their trout flies to interested students.

 A table across the gym was supplied with tracing paper, art sheets and water color paints for the students to learn how to draw trout and paint their creations. Perhaps the most excitement of the day was generated by the “Fly-O” practicasters - short rods that use yarn for instructing fly-casting, brought by Laura Colangelo and Brian Picorale of the CFFC, and stuffed trout to cast to; as well as the “real” fly rods from by Joe Rist, of Trout Town Flies, who taught the students how to cast a fly rod. Martha Mason, Judy Van Put and Joe Fusco assisted in helping the students cast the rods. Excitement was high, and all had a great time.

Although our rivers and streams are beginning to recede back to a fishable level, the trout have not been easy to catch. It’s time for March Browns and Grey Foxes, along with some Sulphurs; fishing below the surface with streamers and large nymphs should still be productive. 

Success with the dry fly has been later in the day, toward evening. The forecast calls for more rain toward the end of the week, which should bode well for trout growth as we progress into May and June.

Judy Van Put is a long-time member of the NYS Outdoor Writers Association, and is the recipient of the New York State Council of Trout Unlimited’s Professional Communications Award.