Tri State Steelheaders

EDUCATION:SALMON IN SCHOOL The Salmon in School program allows students a hands-on STEM learning experience through raising and releasing salmon. For the 2023-2024 school year, the program provided 29 aquariums in area schools and afterschool programs in Walla Walla, Columbia, and Garfield counties, serving 1,700 students. Chinook salmon eggs were delivered to the classroom tanks in October. Students watched them hatch into the alevin stage and then absorb their yolk sacs to become fry. During the months that the fish were growing, our staff provided in-class lessons on fish anatomy, salmon life cycle, watershed health, and fish art. In the spring, students released their fry into Mill Creek, the Touchet River, and the Tucannon River. For the 2024-2025 school year, the program continued at 28 sites serving 1,500 students.

RECREATION:SUPPORT OF JUMBO TROUT PROGRAMTri-State Steelheaders continued to partner with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to provide the Jumbo Trout Program. Tri-State Steelheaders purchased food used to raise about 4,000 rainbow trout. Jumbos are about 1.5 2 pounds, and are released into approximately 20 southeastern Washington lakes, including Bennington Lake in Walla Walla. This program is popular with anglers, and would be discontinued by WDFW without the financial support of the Steelheaders. KIDS FISHING DAYSTri-State Steelheaders and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers co-sponsor the annual Kids Fishing Day at Bennington Lake on the Free Fishing Weekend in June. In 2024, 92 kids registered for the event. Rods and reels were available to loan to kids who did not have gear of their own. New fishing poles and other prizes were given out in a raffle and to winners of the Casting Contest and Biggest Fish Contest. Participants also enjoyed free hot dogs and soda. The events were made possible by our partnering agencies and by many local volunteers and businesses.