We had a fantastic turnout at our Kids Fishing Day on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery! With over 400 attendees, this event was a memorable experience for many, especially for the kids who caught their first fish!
This year, we introduced exciting new learning stations around the hatchery grounds, where children collected stamps for their passports as they explored. The stations included: Great River Road Interpretive Center, Furs and Skulls, Knot Tying, Nature Hike, State and Federal Wardens, Fish Painting, Water Safety and Touch Tank: Interact with a live Lake Sturgeon.
After completing the stations, the kids had the chance to fish in a hatchery pond stocked with Rainbow Trout. Their smiles truly captured the joy of the day!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this event possible: the dedicated staff at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, Friends of the Upper Mississippi, Roch Kendrick Foundation, Friends of Pool 9, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Offices, our incredible volunteers, and the supportive community. This event wouldn’t have been a success without your help! We look forward to seeing everyone again next year for more fun and learning! Thank you!

By: Erica Rasmussen Photos:

A mussel biologist showing mussels to families