Parr Marks & Pre-Ks

Miss Becca and her Rainbow Trout class studying the inhabitants of Dry Run Creek

 

The red slash of a rainbow trout, and the spotted yellow of a brown trout was pretty run of the mill to this crew. But spotting the orange fins of a big cutthroat trout holding in the current was something new and special.

Equally impressive to my audience was the size of the hog fish of Dry Run Creek. A lot of the world is big when you are four years old, but these were big fish.

I’ve guided CEOs and CFOs, pastors and priests, couples of long standing and even a first date, but not much was as intimidating as my wife’s class of four-year-olds from Smallworld Pre-School in Mountain Home.

My wife thankfully took to the trouty lifestyle that came with our marriage. Each year her class picks their class name, this year it’s the Rainbow Trout class and they have been looking at colors and habits.

Fascination with the hatchery fish

Last week 11 members of the class headed to Dry Run and I was seconded as technical adviser. Thankfully there were professionals on hand, my wife Miss Becca, another teacher Miss Abby and Jessica, whose child Billie was in the class, for crowd control. Truly it reinforced again what a marvellous resource, for the local community, and even further afield Dry Run is, and not just for those that fish.

First off a hatchery tour, with the class impressed by the fish big and little. Feeding the trout with carefully rationed cups of food was a highlight. Then it was off to the access ramps on the Creek proper to look at trout in their natural habitat.

For my own part I think the most fun was turning over stones and handing around sowbugs and scuds and pointing out the leech-like planarium worms anchored to the rocks’ undersides. This class was into the bugs bigtime.

Then it was lunch in the campground and a spin on the playground, then back to class and a chance for the pupils to share their remembrances.

A heck of a morning and something we can all learn from. Take a friend to Dry Run sometime, even if they don’t fish, it’s a special place.

feeding hatchery fish

Miss Becca giving the safety lecture

Walking Out