TIC on Ice
Winter brings a flurry of action on the Trout in the Classroom front. Students across the state now have baby trout, called fry, swimming around in their tanks. Our education staff and volunteers have been busy traveling to all four corners of the state programming with our schools. Thanks to their efforts, many hundreds of san juan worms, caddis larva nymphs, and marabou buggers have been tied by students after learning the art of fly tying. Along with fly tying we view examples of how biomimicry is used in fly fishing, and reiterate the importance of clean water and strong watersheds are important for the survival of trout and macroinvertebrates- ie: their food.
A few schools have also been able to trek on frozen across the state with our team to go ice fishing. For many students, this is their first time ice fishing, and for some, it’s even their first time being on a frozen lake. Students come away with new skills and knowledge about ice safety, lake water quality and ecology, and fish behavior in the winter.
We are also lucky to borrow beautiful fish taxidermy mounts from the MN DNR to bring to schools to teach fish id using dichotomous keys. We also have a lesson called Design A Habitat that goes into detail on why and how MNTU restores trout streams, and the students get to draw their own stream improvement project designs.
These hands-on activities are fun for all involved. They are also a great way to expose students to new activities that will foster their connection with trout and their habitats across Minnesota. Our winter programming will go through March, then we’ll get ready for spring releases!