Northwoods Experience: Bemidji Area 5th Graders Release Trout into the Wild

Fifth graders from Cass Lake, Bemidji’s Gene Dillon Elementary, and Schoolcraft Learning Community have been raising trout since December, and just last week they released the fish into the wild.

The release took place along the Clearwater River in Pinewood, located northwest of Bemidji. The learning experience was held in collaboration with Trout in the Classroom, the Minnesota DNR, and the local Trout Unlimited chapter.

“It’s just a good, hands-on project, teaching kids how fun it is to get outdoors, just the activities that they can do with the fish,” explained Gene Dillon Elementary fifth grade teacher Alison Tisdell. “They watch the life cycle of the fish, and they learn the responsibility of keeping that that fish safe.”

“They have a great deal of pride in the fact that they’ve raised these fish,” said Jim McCracken, Bemidji’s Trout in the Classroom coordinator. “To let them go, it’s just a remarkable experience to see the smiles and the joy on their faces.”

On top of releasing the trout into the water and just enjoying a beautiful day outside, the students spent the day learning about the environment and the importance of protecting nature as well.

“If we don’t teach ’em young, that’s how we run into issues as we get older, I feel,” said Tisdell. “Just teaching them to take care of the Mother Earth that we have is, it’s a huge thing to survive forever.”

“Yeah, I really like nature and I love being outside,” said Gene Dillon fifth grader Aubrey. “I think it’s important to learn how to protect the waters and keep the fish safe.”

Students learned about different insects that can show how polluted waters are, identified different wildlife species and plants, and even found out how to see where the river currents are going.

“The edge of the river, it’s not as fast as the middle and it goes the other way,” explained Gene Dillon 5th grader Beau. “So when you’re fishing or something or, you can know where the trout like to hang out.”

The goal of the Trout in the Classroom initiative is for the experience to be so much more than just a one-time field trip.

“It’s good life skills,” Tisdell emphasized. “It’s teaching them how to take care of nature, how to treat our our animals respectfully, and to care for the different pieces of nature that we have.”

“As a young student, we have a chance to get them early, so that can have an impact on them,” added McCracken. “That means that they can carry these things through through their entire life.”

The local Trout in the Classroom chapter has been in the Bemidji area since 2008 and has grown from one to eight current locations, each of which now releases trout every year.