RITE OF SPRING

Kids help with annual fish stocking effort

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » A small army of little kids turned out Wednesday for an annual rite of spring at Saratoga Spa State Park.

Children with pails in hand lined up to help stock Kayaderosseras Creek with brown trout from the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s fish hatchery in Van Hornesville.

Crowds weren’t quite as big as previous years because the event, normally held during the April school vacation, was postponed because of snow and ice that created dangerous conditions along the creek bank. With such threats past, pre-school children had the activity all to themselves.

“I’m happy this many people chose to participate and turn out,” said Alli Schweizer, park environmental educator. “It’s been a long winter. It’s

nice to see people smiling and enjoying the outdoors again.”

She said brown trout are better suited to the creek’s slightly warmer temperatures than rainbow and brook trout.

Volunteers from several groups helped out — Friends of Saratoga Spa State Park, Friends of the Kayaderosseras, Trout Unlimited and Kayaderosseras Fish & Game Club.

The Fish & Game Club helped with another recent stocking effort, which saw 4,200 trout placed in the Kayaderosseras at eight locations from Porter Corners to Kelley Park in Ballston Spa.

Andrea Stork came all the way from Cohoes for Wednesday’s event, with her young children Jackson and Matthew.

“They’re having a great time,” she said. “It just popped up on Facebook. That’s how I heard about it.

Heather Stewart, a leader with the Saratoga Springsbased Pre-K in the Park program, brought a group of young children.

“We come every year,” she said. “The kids are psyched. It’s so exciting for them.”

Three generations of Walker family members took part in the event — Christine Walker; her daughter, Brittany; and 3-year-old granddaughter, AnnieRose — all of Greenfield Center.

Cool temperatures in the 40s didn’t seem to faze AnnieRose at all, as she wore a big smile while helping carry trout to the creek.

“She was out snowshoeing last week,” Christine Walker said. “We’ve still got snow on the fields at home.”

PAUL POST — PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM Young children empty pails of water with brown trout into Kayaderosseras Creek on Wednesday.

PAUL POST — PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM Craig Dubois, of the state fish hatchery in Van Hornesville, scoops brown trout out of a carrying tank, so children can put them into the Kayaderosseras Creek at Saratoga Spa State Park on Wednesday. Behind him, John Jones, a volunteer with...

PHOTOS BY PAUL POST — PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA. COM Jackson and Matthew Stork, left to right, of Cohoes, were among the many young children who helped stock brown trout in Kayaderosseras Creek on Wednesday.

Kayaderosseras Fish & Game Club volunteers Tom Szemela of Saratoga Springs and Rodney Beagle of Greenfield Center, left to right, helped kids stock brown trout at Saratoga Spa State Park on Wednesday.

Three generations of Walker family members helped with a fish stocking effort at Saratoga Spa State Park on Wednesday. From left to right are Christine, Brittany and 3-year-old AnnieRose Walker of Greenfield Center.