On Tuesday, December 2, MMBTU’s Dick Soucy and Lois Cunningham spoke
about Brook Trout, TU and the state of Maine’s conservation efforts,
and the Trout in the Classroom program at two schools in the midcoast Maine
area. About 36 fourth graders gathered at the Bowdoinham Community School
for the hour long talk. There was about the same number of student’s
at the afternoon session, held at Bowdoin Central School.
The students were very attentive, in fact, enthusiastic about sharing
fishing stories with Mr. Soucy. They asked questions, including “How
do we prevent pollution from getting into trout streams,” and “How
is the chemistry, temperature and oxygen supply managed in the wild.” Later,
Mr. Patrie's fourth grade class from Bowdoinham Coummunity School wrote
and delivered thank you letters to Dick and Lois. Read
letters below:.
The students will go to the Governor Hill Hatchery in Augusta in the coming
weeks to see the eyed-eggs that they will be raising. A fisheries biologist
will be on hand to give them a tour of the hatchery and explain the trout’s
lifecycle.
The eyed-eggs will be introduced to the student’s tanks in mid-December.
They should develop into alevin sometime in mid-January, and be ready to
release into a local stream, under the supervision of a fisheries biologist,
in May.
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Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I enjoyed when you talked about Brook Trout. It reminded me about
the time I went to Jackman with Lois to go fly fishing! You can only
keep them if they are larger than a dollar.
I’ll see you next week. Sincerely, Rory
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for such a great presentation. I learned lots of things
but this paper can’t hold all of them so I’ll just write three.
The first one is that there are many different kinds of trout. The
second one is that the world’s largest trout is 29 inches long. The third and
last one is that trout will die if the water is either to cold or to
hot.
Thanks once again for teaching us so much knowledge.
Respectfully, Elyah
P.S. Trout did not evolve from salmon
December 2nd, 2008
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for coming to school for your presentation. I learned about
when fish breathe for air in their gills. Also, I learned that fish
lay eggs like hens do. Finally, I learned that fish need cold water
to survive.
Respectfully,
Dakota
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for coming to Bowdoinham today. One thing I learned was that
the biggest trout is 29 inches long and between 15 pounds and 17 pounds.
The second thing I learned was that char means Blood red. The last
thing I learned was that when trout are in eggs they have two eyes.
I hope you come again next year.
Respectfully
Austin
12/2/08
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I learned that most fish evolved from salmon. I also learned that
the largest brook trout is about 29 in. and it weighs 17 pounds. We
are looking forward to raising trout in our school.
Sincerely,
Aaron
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for coming to our school. I didn’t know the names of a lot of trout. I learned how to tell different trout from one another. I also learned that trout can’t
live in warm water.
Respectfully,
Spenser
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I hope we can confine the pollution. I never new arctic trout lived
so far up north. Did you know that many bass and trout are getting
a disease where they get a small pack of pink dots – and in a week because
of pollution?
Tyler
I will see you next Tuesday
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I enjoyed your speech about fish. I didn’t know trout can lay about 1,0000 eggs! I can’t believe that the rivers were so dirty in the 1930’s. I can tell you really like fish. I can’t
believe you go fishing in Canada! Please write back,
Ajah
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us.
I look forward to visiting you next Tuesday on our field trip!
I never knew that the longest trout was 28” and 14 pounds. I really enjoyed when you talked about how red under a trout’s
belly, and the golden spots. It reminded me of when I was down in New
York and caught lots and lots of bass.
Hope to see you both fish scientict soon!!
Sincerely,
Katie
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I am so ecstatic that I was able to attend this wonderful fest
of knowledge.
It was absolutely astounding how you revealed your real feelings about
fish and water! I think everyone had a hint of dismay in their face
when you talked about how people pollute water, and how they mix different
breeds of fish which causes one of the breeds to die out!
I never had a thought about how destructive algae could be when on
the surface of the water. It almost entirely brings the plant life
to cease.
I’m sure we’ve all mastered at least a little bit of information you bestowed upon us! I can’t
resist being uneager for your next visit. Your visit was one of the most
opportune pasts of my day.
Warm regards,
Thate
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for teaching us so much about different species. One thing
I learned is that trout can grow more than 20 in. Another thing I learned
is that trout have to live in cold water. I didn’t know that if the power
goes out for more than a couple of hours you can put ice in the tank
and it keeps the water in the tank cool and gives off oxygen. Thank you
so much for coming in.
Respectfully,
Samantha
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you so much for coming to our grade and presentating about trout.
I learned that trout can live up to be 3 years old. I also learned
that the world record for trout is up to 15 to 17 years old and 29
inches long! The third thing that I learned was that trout can’t live in water
up to 80 degrese or else they will not be able to survive. Thanks again!
Respectfully,
Lily
Dear Dick and Lois,
I thought it was really cool that the world record trout was 28” and 15 to 17 pounds. I think the way to tell the difference of a rainbow trout and brook trout is cool. It’s
a very smart idea to give us 1,000 eggs because most of them will die.
Thank you for teaching us all about brook trout if was fun.
Respectfully,
Kathleen
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for the presentation!
I love learning about fish, their lifestyles, and their species! I
am also a world record lover, so I enjoyed listening to the lengths,
weights and ages. I never knew trout went back as far as the ice age!
I hope I catch one in the summer.
They sound exciting!
I look forward to raising them!
Sincerely,
Matthew
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways. I
learned that most fish evolved from salmon. I also learned that the
largest brook trout is about 29 in. and it weights 17 lbs. We are looking
forward to raising trout in our school!
Sincerely,
Andrew
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for coming into our class and talking about trout and char.
I had no idea that one kind of trout was called trout and one kind
was called Char. I thought that it was really cool that a trout could
grow up to 28 inches and weight up to 19 pounds. I learned that a large
trout could produce 1,000 eggs and I thought that was amazing! I hope
the trout come soon.
Sincerely,
Anita
Dear Dick and Lois,
I learned a lot about trout with you. I learned that a trout world
record lasted for 94 years. I also learned that the new world record
is 29 inches long and 15 to 17 pounds. I didn’t know that there was such a thing as
an Atlantic Char and you two helped me learn that.
Thank you for a fantastic day.
Respectfully,
Cole
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you so much for coming and doing the trout presentation. I learned
that trout can’t live with different species. It is amazing that the world record of the largest trout was 29” and weighted 14 pounds! I didn’t know that trout only lived in coldwater. I also didn’t
know that Brown Trout came from Germany!
Respectfully,
Katelyn
Dear Dick & Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. How many different types of trout do you know? I never knew that
the rivers were so dirty back in the 70s. I hope to see you on the
9th.
From Elizabeth
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I think its superlative what your job is! You really like fish,
don’t
you? Or maybe fishing.
It’s such a pity that some people litter in the water! I’m looking forward
to raising eggs!
You have a big big heart!
From Alana
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I was so intrigued to learn about trout.
I never knew that a species of trout is cutthroat. It sounds like
a cool fish. When I went ice fishing I caught lake trout we set it
on the ice and went inside to have lunch when I looked out I saw a
eagle he took it! I never knew that a fish could grow up to 29” and 20 pounds!
I look forward to see the trout.
Bowdoinham Community Student,
Cameron
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us.
I never knew that a rainbow trout came from the west.
I also didn’t know how revolting the rivers used to be because of pollution.
I can’t wait to get the eggs.
See you soon,
Spencer
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. You really opened my eyes to fish and pollution. Who knew the way
to tell an extraordinary Brook Trout from a specktaculer rainbow Trout?
Whoa! I was so fascinated by the fact that the river of Kennebec was
so contaminated. I anticipate that is does not happen again.
I look forward to seeing you soon,
Alison
Dear Dick and Lois
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I didn’t know this, but you taught me that trout sometimes live in
the arctic. I liked when you showed me the pictures of trout. Thank you
for coming. See you on next Tuesday on our next field trip.
Jordan
Dear Dick and Lois,
Thank you for sharing your gift of protecting fish and waterways with
us. I learned that most fish evolved from salmon. I also learned that
the largest brook trout is about 29 in. and 17 lbs. We are looking
forward to raising trout in our school.
From
Ian
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