Collins’ Zoology releases trout!

By Olivia Voth

Photo of Tenkiller Lake by Supreme Ruler Olivia Voth

On Monday, April 3, Ms. Collins took her Zoology classes to release a cooler full of juvenile trout that her students had helped raise into the lower Illinois River flowing from Tenkiller Lake. The group rode an hour and a half to Gore, Oklahoma, which happens to be the state’s trout capital. 

The classes had been able to miraculously raise a total of 215 trout specimens for the release, while most groups typically are only able to release about eighteen, according to the Wildlife Department staff.

The students individually scooped each little fish into a plastic cup, transferring water from the heavy cooler with it, as they dumped the young trout into a shallow basin upstream, where the babies could be slightly safer from predators. The fish exhibited the strange behavior of trying to swim further up into the cup. However, there is a scientific explanation for this. 

“The trout biologically want to move to the cold water upstream,” Collins chimed, “so they want to swim further up into the cup.”

Once all the trout were released, the groups were transported to the bank of Tenkiller Lake, where prehistoric rock forms could be seen far up on the leftmost peaks. 

The rest of the day was spent with introductory lessons in fly-fishing, as well as instructional talks from local geology experts and nature walks to the natural stone ravines. Students were allowed to skip stones as well. The breezy yet sunny weather allowed for the tranquil sound of the water to give the day a lovely, calming lake day vibe.

The students returned with their empty cooler, wondering what animal-related activity Ms. Collins was brewing up next. Her next endeavor prospects to be baby chicks hatched from an incubator within her classroom. Overall, the field trip turned out to be educational and fun thanks to the students and staff who contributed to the conservationist efforts for local trout both in the classroom and in the field.