Hundreds of visitors from around the area visited Genoa National Fish Hatchery on Saturday, May 16th for Genoa’s Annual Kids Fishing Day Event. The beautiful weather brought good vibes and sunshine and great fishing for all who attended.
During the event, participants and their families traveled around different stations at the hatchery, filling their fishing passport booklet. Stations included Bird Bingo, Fish Painting, Lake Sturgeon Touch Tank, and more! Kids had to visit 4 stations before being given a pole and bait to try their hand at fishing in our Rainbow Trout pond. Each child could take home up to 3 cleaned Rainbow Trout.
This event wouldn’t be possible without our wonderful staff, lovely volunteers from Friends of the Upper Mississippi, Friends of Pool 9, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Fisheries office, the Roch Kendrick Foundations, and of course, our fantastic community, all of which come together to make this event a success. It’s always great getting to see the joy on the kids’ faces as they partake in a day of hands on learning in the outdoors! By: Eliza Swartwood
Photo: Participants and staff at stations and volunteers helping handout bait. Photo credit: USFWS
Genoa National Fish Hatchery’s mission is to recover, restore, maintain and enhance fish and aquatic resources on a basin-wide and national level by producing over 35 aquatic species of varying life stages, participating in active conservation efforts with our partners, and becoming a positive force in the community by educating future generations on the benefits of conservation stewardship.
Great getting to see the joy on the kids’ faces as they partake in a day of hands on learning in the outdoors! By: Eliza Swartwood

Photo: Participants and staff at stations and volunteers helping handout bait. Photo credit: USFWS