Hatchery Manager Gene Arsenault made himself comfortable on an overturned 5 gallon bucket as children gathered around him to learn more about Maine’s hatchery program. He asked the children where fish come from and received the obvious answer…from the water! After a few more guesses the children settled on the answer that fish start out as eggs. Gene showed the children several tubes filled with fish eggs at various stages. The children watched and listened intently. One suggested the eggs with sacs look like his Grampy!
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife partnered with Kennebec Valley Community Action Program to provide an opportunity for children and families from the area to take part in a fish stocking demonstration and learn to fish event on Friday, May 13 at Hight Pond in Skowhegan. The event was attended by over 35 children who each received a free fishing pole from the Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs program.
Once it was established where fish come from, the group moved on to help Gene and Kevin Sousa, also from the Embden State Fish Hatchery, stock brook trout into the pond. Hight Pond is one of the newest youth only fishing ponds in Maine. The pond was stocked two weeks ago with brook trout so the fish the children added to the water were a bonus.
One by one each child carried a bucket of water with 8-10″ brook trout to the water’s edge where Gene stood by to help them release
the fish into the water. Each child couldn’t resist a squeal of excitement as the brook trout raced away into the pond.
Once the fish were stocked and business was taken care of it was time to hand out the free fishing poles, rig them up with hooks, sinkers and bobbers and head back to the pond for some fishing.
I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a beautiful spring day then sharing the opportunity with families to learn more about Maine’s fisheries program and the importance of spending quality time together in our beautiful outdoors.
