Trout in the Classroom 2024
Trout in the Classroom Overview:
“Trout in the Classroom” is coming to Asbury Woods! Eggs will be received from a local hatchery then raised to the fingerling stage and released. Throughout this process, the public will be able to observe trout development and learn all about the trout life cycle and freshwater ecosystems. Be sure to check our program schedule to see how you can get involved.
Trout in the Classroom has been providing classrooms with the unique experience of raising their own trout from egg to fingerling for over 30 years. This program, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, typically reaches over 100,000 students annually across the country. This program has been in Pennsylvania since 2006, resulting in classrooms raising and releasing brown, rainbow, and brook trout.
Having Trout in the Classroom at Asbury Woods will allow us to help maintain an essential fish species and also provide the opportunity to enhance our aquatic environmental education programs and launch new aquatic-themed programs. With this project, students and other visitors can take a deeper look into freshwater ecosystems, the importance of our watersheds, the need for maintaining natural resources, and the demand for water conservation.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of our Trout in the Classroom program, contact our Director of Development and Marketing Stephen J. Engro at sengro@asburywoods.org
Timeline
Visit the exhibit hall often to watch the trout develop.
- Trout eggs hatch becoming “sac-fry" and enter the alevin stage in the trout life cycle.
- Trout will be in the alevin stage for 1-3 weeks and then they become fry.
- Trout will be in the fry stage for 6-8 weeks.
- Once trout reach the fingerling stage, they will be released into a local waterway.
- The tank will be prepped for the next round of trout eggs!
Trout Release
Date: December 14, 2024
Timed registrations:
10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Age: Families
Location: Lake Pleasant Conservation Area
FREE
Asbury Woods has been raising rainbow trout from hatchlings to fingerlings through the Trout in the Classroom program. Sign up to help release the trout into Lake Pleasant. Registration is required. Participants will receive 1-2 trout to release per registration.
Registration opening soon!
Trout Eggs Arrive: January 10, 2024
Today, we received 211 trout eggs to raise, thanks to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Trout Unlimited. The tank is currently covered because the eggs need complete darkness at this stage in development. Despite being only eggs, these fish know that hatching in darkness means they are less visible to predators. To mimic a safe hatching environment, the tank has been completely covered. As cold-water fish, trout need low temperatures to hatch. Keeping the tank dark allows the tank's temperature to remain at 52°F.
Commonly Asked Questions
Additional Resources
https://www.troutintheclassroom.org/
https://www.patroutintheclassroom.org/
Pennsylvania Trout in the Classroom is made possible by a unique partnership between the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC).
Sponsored by Angelo's Salon Development Group and Pennsylvania Steelhead Association.
Special thanks to the Northwest PA Chapter of Trout Unlimited for making this project possible.
