Ron Mc
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
We had a celebration today.
Only four of 29 teachers in the TIC program had access to their classrooms to “run the course” and today, trout fry from our last two aquariums this year were released in the Guadalupe.
Fourth grade students, teachers and parents from New Braunfels Christian Academy made their annual pilgrimage this morning.
The school is open this week, but I understand only for year-end celebration activities, and this definitely counts.
They brought 87 rainbow fry
Though they prayed over the fish for them to find their place in this coldwater ecosystem
we looked more like a convention of Future Bandits of America
We weren’t alone at the river – he’s on a good run
The students lined up to take their turn releasing their 4 trout each into the river
Who says you can’t see big grins through face masks
On the right is Ms. McCarthy – her father Hylmar Karbach was a GRTU founder.
Our neighbor, a good GRTU steward, caught a fish and brought it over for the kids to see
While the fourth graders straggled a bit, Ms. Meyer from Center Point HS Ag Sciences brought all her babies, including her older daughter.
She didn’t have a count, guessed 60 fish, so we had to count them on the fly to report to TPWD, in accordance with our Permit.
She under-guessed, we counted 111 trout
Pouring the last six rainbows for the year into the river.
…forgot to mention, while the fish were acclimating in their cooler with fresh river water, gave my obligatory speech to the kids about why releasing aquarium fish into native water is never a good idea.
I explained why our contained cold water ecosystem is special, how it already changes the native fish population, and why we’re able to obtain a TWPD Permit for this activity.
Our last Houston school made it over yesterday with 121 more trout fry
And the Governor let everyone out this weekend
Still have two more schools to go, Center Point and New Braunfels
couldn’t pick a better time to be rained in
the thread above is updated with a few more photos, and a video from a teacher that includes kicking alevin trying to swim in his TIC tank
only Jimbo calls a week of widespread flash flooding “good rain”
Jason put together a fun video
Back to the river today. A teacher from Houston could only get in his school today.
Had his tanks on an auto feeder over spring break, and delivered 180 fat 3″ rainbows.
I figured if he could drive 3 hours one way, I could drive a half-hour to meet him.
Adding river water and 20 minutes to kill
Chris is a zoologist, former zookeeper before HS aquatic science teacher.
He raised brine shrimp in his class to help stoke those trout – amazing his students
He’s a fly fisherman, fly tier, and about to move to VA and take up glass fly rods…Pouring them in
A beautiful day, and more success in all this.
you know times are strange when scoring eggs is more important than fishing
Thanks !
Still have at least two schools who will be able to run the course, possibly with classroom outings in May to release their trout.
there was a story a few years ago of a landowner who changed his tune after he and his grown son were (heavily) fined by wardens for poaching.
Always keep in mind, our job is never to be river police, but to report to Operation Game Thief.
Thanks to all for looking at this and considering whether you could step up.
Have the spot filled today by Karen and Harris who recently moved here from Virginia where they were active in TIC for their local TU chapter there.
If anyone has any questions about the program, feel free to PM.
Thanks again.
Jimbo, you’re not off the hook – Karen wants you to take her fishing Thursday morning.
I’ve caught fish off the sidewalk at Lower Rio, and always thought that sidewalk would be a great place to take someone in a wheelchair.
we’re looking at a cool front and rain
and one more school to go
Finally made it through 700Mb of sequential frames shot yesterday, and wish I could show you all, but even a limited sampling is a lot…
Jimbo and I didn’t have to wait long – as in past years, Laurel Mountain Elementary brought the whole campus right after lunch and their morning tour of AE Wood hatchery – 3 buses worth – and 75 or so more brown trout.
They brought their cooler
and also Ms. Teague’s McNeil HS AS class
Can’t show all the kids, teachers and parents, but you’ll get the idea
With all the kids still, I explained our TPWD permit, the constrained coldwater ecosystem, and why it’s never a good idea to release aquarium fish, snails or plants into ponds, lakes and rivers.
More kids than brown trout, so teams of 3 each took a trout to the river
They did a great job, and the whole process ran very smoothly – glad I didn’t have to herd it – after they released their trout, the kids walked up the bank where Jimbo pointed out the adult trout in our current seam
a few kayakers were taking advantage of the big flows for a thrill ride
It went really well, it was safe, fun, and everyone had a great time. Afterwards, Jimbo treated me to Horseshoe Grill – best burger and tater tots on the river. One last classroom field trip is coming up on Monday – the elementary school located on the horseshoe bend.
