Getting Ready for the Stream with the NFSP

The warming temperatures at the end of February got us fly fishers ready to hit the streams. As part of our enriching programs in Grayson County Public Schools, BRDC provided a week of fly fishing lessons to the ninth grade girls and boys PE classes.

Using the National Fishing in Schools Program (NFSP), we brought a potential lifelong hobby to these students. Each day the program educates the students on various aspects of the sport, not the least of which is proper casting. But that is not all there is to fly fishing. There is the close study of the aquatic insects that are imitated by the fly fisher, the reading of the water, and understanding the habitat of the target species. Through various exercises and games, these students participated in activities that enhanced their learning of that aquatic environment. 

Each day the students handled a fly rod as well as learned the principles and foundations of fly fishing, the equipment used in the sport, aquatic insect life cycles and identification, and essential knots. They began with the most basic cast and through repetition and muscle memory, honed in their casting skills ending with the ability to shoot line and perfect a roll cast.

On Friday, they each sat at the vise and created their own imitation of a streamer...the quintessential "woolly bugger". All were proud of their accomplishments and creativity. Some very impressive flies left the building that day. It is our hope that they will end up in the mouth of a fish caught on a fly rod! As a bonus, the students were given the opportunity to write an essay about a "Fish Tale". The best essay will win a full fly rod setup (rod, reel, fly line, and case) and a beginners fly tying kit!

This is all made possible by the generous support of NFSP, VDGIF grants, Echo fly rods and Wapsi. Many thanks for your continued support for this wonderful, enriching program!

Learning about Amphibians & Aquatic Insects

BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.

Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.  Using field guides, they researched different species of salamander and presented their discoveries to the class.  The Eastern hellbender was a favorite among the students, as they were shocked by its prehistoric features. Students enjoyed watching a video about the life history of hellbenders provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Fifth grade students in Grayson County schools learned about frogs and toads. Students illustrated the life cycle of amphibians, learned the difference between frogs and toads, and listened to the calls of some of Virginia's common species. Many students had heard the calls before, but often didn't know what animal made the calls. The Virginia Herpetological Society's website is a great resource for determining different frog and toad calls: https://goo.gl/v84gqS.

After learning the calls of the American bullfrog, spring peeper, and American toad, students played a Frog and Toad matching game. Using a Peterson Guidebook to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, students matched the species name, picture, and description together. 

Galax Middle School After School program has been learning all about aquatic species. BRDC brought aquatic insects from a local stream to the classroom where students got a first-hand look at the life found in our creeks. Students learned about the life cycle of the insects, and enjoyed fly tying with Executive Director Aaron Floyd. 

In-school programming keeps BRDC's staff busy, but it is great to work with such a variety grade levels and see the enjoyment and wonder on the children's faces. To stay connected with BRDC follow us on Instagram @blueridgediscoverycenter.

BRDC receives VDGIF eStore Grant!

Thanks to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia for supporting the Blue Ridge Discovery Center's efforts to connect our youth to the outdoors! This grant will provide a cache of fly tying materials and tools for our fly fishing programs. Fly fishing is a potential life long hobby that connects people directly to their surroundings. Learning to tie flies is a hands-on interest-driven activity that studies food chains, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and grand outdoor traditions. 

Virginia Wildlife eStore Grant Program is a partnership between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia. Support of the Grant Program is generated through the sale of gear and other merchandise from www.shopdgif.com.

Impromtu Fly Fishing Camp!

At the request of a couple of campers from a previous camp we put together another Fly Fishing Camp to end the summer. Shortened by a day, it became an action packed three day initiation by fire. On the ride to camp we all agreed to treat this as an intensive course rather than the typical shenanigans of a summer camp. The result was one seriously focused group of kids.

We began the camp by squirming into wetsuits to snorkel the cold waters of Fox Creek. Learning to fish from the perspective of a fish can really change the way one approaches the hobby. We all lined up in our super hero outfits and crawled up the creek, imagination immersed in the underwater world. Along the way we observed the reds of big mouth chubs, hog suckers nestled in the substrate, darters in the riffles, and sculpin peaking their heads out between rocks. We saw white suckers, red-eyes, rainbow trout, brown trout and shiners.  The most exciting part was a small shady run below a set of rapids where a variety of species darted about the water currents. Swimming across a deep pool we spooked up two 18" rainbow trout to the excitement of the inner fisherman in us all.  

After some field casting lessons and sustenance we headed to the farm ponds for experience on how to set the hook, land and release the fish. As we got on the water heavy bands of rain crossed over us. Although the kids didn't mind one iota, the fish shut down. Once the rain passed the bluegill and largemouth bass returned as hungry as ever. One massive bass in particular was relentless with bluegill that we retrieved. With the fishing biting, we stayed until the light faded away. Only the promise of s'mores took them off the water. After a brief journaling session the camp went silent for the night. 

The kids awoke at 6:30am and immediately went to the fly tying desk while breakfast sizzled on the grill. With a long day ahead on the river, we needed some fresh ammo for the trip. Everyone tied their best version of a leggy popper designed to be a cross between a dragonfly, frog and a minnow. This big buggy creature is a classic "terrestrial" used for smallmouth on the New River during the heat of summer.

While we ferried the raft trailers downriver the kids got a lesson in casting in moving water. Jane's first cast produced a smallmouth! The pride that she had in catching a fish with a fly she had tied was priceless. Down the river we headed, with the kids learning the ins and outs of casting from a raft, including not casting over the boat, not casting simultaneously and not trying to be Brad Pitt with twenty false casts! The day was hot and the fishing was slow but the fishermen were determined! Ultimately they brought four fish to the boat but missed a dozen more. 

To cool off from the hot day we leaped into the swimming hole, again and again and again until our stomachs growled for dinner. Upon returning to camp out came the headlamps and bobbins to tie flies for the next day's adventure. They learned a streamer pattern, a never sink dry fly and a giant stonefly. 

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The next morning the kids were up knocking on the door of the counselors tent ready to keep tying! After breakfast we had a relay contest to learn the life cycles of three major families of aquatic insects that trout eat: mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. 

With a bit of rain from the previous night Fox Creek was primed for chucking streamers so we headed to the house pool to try our hand at those 18" rainbows. After each kid took a shot, the counselors each tried their hand but all struck out so we moped back to camp and packed away the western style gear. 

After a quick lesson on Tenkara Fly Fishing we packed the cruiser and headed up the mountain to the high elevation plunge pools of Wilson Creek. The kids tied on their never-sink caddis flies and practiced the art of stealth fly fishing. A series of missed strikes, tree snags and tangles ensued before they landed a native southern Appalachian brook trout and a wild rainbow trout! The brookie in its spawning colors was identified as "the most beautiful fish in the world". Their pride soared in the success of their tiny creations as fish after fish mistook it for the real mccoy. Navigating the boulder filled creek proved to be as entertaining as fly casting and the kids took some time to marvel in the unique landscape and continuous white noise of the plunge pools. 

The camp finished with an ice cream sundae bar provided by Charlotte Hanes at the day camp site. After gorging our taste buds we had a little time to spare so we got out the seine and surveyed Saddle Creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates. In the net we saw a fish version of a sundae bar - stoneflies, hellgrammites, caddisflies, mayflies, midges, crayfish and minnows... 

Upon graduation of the beginners course these kids were ready for the intermediate level but they will have to wait till summer to enroll! 

Galax Enrichment Week - Aquatic Adventures

Despite the LOW pressure system hanging over the area bringing inches of rain, the middle school student's enthusiasm remained HIGH. They spent the week away from campus at Dannelly Park enjoying Aquatic Adventures.

Once given an introduction to water quality and testing procedures, we began the week by collecting data such as temperature, weather and water conditions, pH, dissolved oxygen, and bacteria from Chestnut Creek. This information was then recorded on data sheets. Students used pipettes, titration tubes, syringes and droppers to accurately measure water and chemicals. It was a great hands-on experience in chemistry as they became familiar with sterile technique, meniscus measurement and scientific method.  

Tuesday the weather sent us indoors. Matthew State Forest was generous enough to allow us to use their cabin, so we utilized this space to learn about the various flies used in fly fishing. Using vices, chenille, hackle feathers, hooks and thread, the students made woolly buggers, a fly that imitates many things and can be used in multiple scenarios. Everyone seemed to enjoy this great rainy day activity.

Wednesday brought no rain, so we separated into three groups and rotated between three activities at Dannelley Park. Scott Jackson-Ricketts led the fish bugs activity.  Waders were put on and the students clambered into the creek to see what they could dredge up.  A seine net is placed downstream across the creek and hand rakes, as well as hands, were used to stir the bottom to uncover the macro-invertebrates living below the surface. We removed the net and carried it to a table collecting the aquatic insects in ice trays filled with water. They identified the aquatic insects using a dichotomous key field guide. As with the water quality testing done on Monday, this is an exercise in determining stream health. Brenda Bonk lead the second activity in which the students learned the life cycles of the macro-invertebrates most commonly found; mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. They had relay races requiring them to match all three aquatic insects' life cycles and the flies that imitate them. And finally, Lisa Benish had the third group learning the parts of the fly rod, fly reel and fly line. The rod and reels were put together and basic casting technique was taught in preparation for fishing days. 

The rain held off for us once again on Thursday so we commenced to setting up our fly rods and reels.  We did a quick tutorial on how to cast fly line and off to the creek we went with our handmade flies to catch some fish! Lack of trout sent us to a fish pond where we changed our flies from woolly buggers to poppers. Several students caught bluegill and were very pleased with their catch!

We started Friday afternoon finishing up our water quality testing.  Students examined the petri dishes that contained the bacterial growth from the water collected on Monday. We counted the number of E. coli colonies that grew on that petri dish and recorded that information on the data collection sheets. They were surprised to see the number of bacterial colonies that grew from our water.  Hopefully this will emphasize the need to keep our streams healthy and clean. Once again we put our rods together, attached our flies and headed off to a local pond to catch some bass and bluegill. Just about everyone caught a fish! 

So even though the weather was damp and dreary, spirits were not!  The students loved getting out of the classroom and out of doors exploring, discovering and sharing their aquatic habitat.