Governor’s Fishing Opener Providing Learning Workshop to Area 4th Graders

ST. CLOUD -- A group of 4th graders in the St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Sartell school districts are getting a special opportunity to be part of the Governor's Fishing Opener.

Members of the Minnesota Department of natural Resources and other conservationists have been working with the students over the last several months in their classrooms on fish biology, aquatic ecology and water quality.

DNR Education Specialist Deb Groebner says they want to teach kids about conservation and are using the governor's "Year of Water Action" as a guide. She says the curriculum was based on May's theme of "Keeping Our Waters Swimmable and Fishable." They also want to get more kids interested in fishing who may otherwise not have an opportunity to learn the sport.

The program will culminate with the Youth Fishing and Aquatic Education Day at Lake George Friday, May 11th.  The students will each get their own rod and reel and a life jacket to take home.

Groebner says on the day of the event, the kids will go through a series of educational stations before learning how to rig their rods and wet a line in Lake George.