In 2006 the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began a program to teach students in grades 3 through 12 about aquatic ecology, water chemistry and quality and conservation.

Designed for schools, the Fish Commission requires the schools to purchase the needed equipment.

They also conduct a one-day mandatory training on raising trout and maintaining the water quality in the aquarium.

The Fish Commission sends between 100 and 200 rainbow trout eggs in chilled and insulated packaging and in about a day they arrive. The eggs are placed in the aquarium and in a few days, sac fry hatch. The eggs arrived in January.

Sac fry are about a hal-inch long and the yolk of the egg is still attached to the fry. This is slowly absorbed to feed the growing fry. (About its first 10 days.)

At this stage the fry begin looking for food. Special ground food is sprinkled into the tank daily and the fry grow rapidly.

About 7 years ago, the Pohopoco Rod and Gun Club and President James Deebel purchased all the needed equipment and partnered with the Lehighton Area Middle School where the science staff, with assistance from students, raised trout. However, city water is difficult to regulate the proper water chemistry and lessened the trout’s survival.

Pohopoco Rod and Gun Club contacted Brian Stemple, maintenance supervisor at Beltzville State Park. He was trained, and the sportsmen’s club moved the equipment to the park’s environmental Education Center.

The most expensive and crucial piece of equipment is the cooler. Working much like a refrigerator, it constantly cools the water that runs through two different filters in the tank.

Since trout normally feed in flowing waters, one filter directs cascading water into the tank and the other circulates a current of water along the gravel bottom. If you are familiar with the difference between cold water and warm water fish, you know that trout require higher amounts of oxygen and that requires cold water.

Various components help to filter out unwanted chemicals and of course the uneaten food and “fish poop.”

Stemple regularly refreshes the tank with cold water from Pohopoco Creek.

The club communicated with local scout groups, and Cub Pack 145 from Lehighton was interested in learning more about this program.

Robert Breiner is the Cubmaster and he brought along with him a group of 12 Cubs and their parents.

The Friends of Beltzville State Park were in attendance also. Fran Gough, a retired science teacher at Crestwood School District, is a Pohopoco club member. He also was one of the first teachers in the state to be trained and run the TIC in his district.

Gough, on the evening of April 3, offered a great deal of information and background regarding the TIC program. At the end of the talk, the Cubs asked a number of questions.

About the first week of June, these rainbow trout will be over 3 inches long and will be ready to be released into the waters of the Pohopoco.

If a class or group would wish to see the fish and tank operation, summer naturalist Rob Berstresser can be reached at the Environmental Education Center at Beltzville State Park to schedule a time.