Bringing aquatic biology into the classroom allows students to develop a personal bond with nature and High Country Fly Fishers has participated in Trout Unlimited’s “Trout in the Classroom” program since its inception. Other participants include teachers, schools, and the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), and currently there are forty-nine teachers and classrooms in six Utah counties participating in the program. It has received high praise from teachers and students alike.
The project requires specialized 55-gallon cold water aquariums, chillers, filters and supplies. Each aquarium setup costs approximately $1,500 and HCFF pays for the equipment with funds generated by its members.
Each year in November, an HCFF volunteer works with the teacher to set up and test the equipment in the classroom. In early January, fertilized trout eggs and fish food are provided by DWR and delivered to the classrooms by a Trout Unlimited volunteer. From January through May, students raise the trout and learn about aquatic biology. In May, the fingerling-size trout, approximately three inches long, are released by the students into DWR-approved ponds and lakes, typically the Deer Valley Ponds and Wasatch State Park pond.
