When you have a lake large enough to host a commercial fishery in your back yard, then take advantage of all the learning that comes with it. That’s the spirit of a joint venture between Humboldt’s Conservation Officers and the Lake Lenore School. 

On January 15, Humboldt Conservation Office Brendan Smith stopped by with a load of fish, a filleting knife, and a career’s worth of knowledge for the Grades 9 and 10 classes. The arrangement is an annual event with Lake Lenore School and other area schools. It’s not only about having a fish fry, but it’s also about learning the importance of the Lenore Lake ecosystem, learning about marine biology, and learning the skills to prepare delicious prairie fish.

Principal Ralph Viczko says that the annual tradition started with the support of then Principal Dave Marshak and one-time home economics teacher Susan Creurer. Conservation officers would stop by armed with fish from the Lenore Lake commercial fish pull. Those fish are courtesy of the Lake Lenore Net Fishing Cooperative that has existed in the area for over forty years. The commercial venture allows for limited numbers of pulls of whitefish from the lake for sale. 

Viczko explains, “When the guys are catching whitefish, if there are game fish in the nets, they have to turn them into the conservation officers (COs). So they turn in all the jacks, pickerel, or perch that they happen to catch. When the COs collect those fish, they go around to a few different schools.”

Viczko says the drop-in lessons and fish meals have been happening for around 20 years. Those lessons include the biology of the fish and the ecosystem in which they live. Students learn about the importance of maintaining lake stocks through responsible harvesting of the fish. They also have a chance to learn about the importance of the watershed and maintaining the balance of the lake when it comes to saline water, pollutants, and other potential impacts on the lake. 

The current home economics teacher, Tiana Hauser, invites the officers to do a cleaning and filleting demonstration for the students. The eager sous-chefs have a chance to try their hands at the process. 

It’s a unique opportunity for a group of students given that the lake is part of their local sphere. Viczko values that opportunity.

“It’s very rare to have this opportunity in Western Canada, especially this far south. It’s a good promotion for sport fishing, and it teaches the student some practical skills. Everybody benefits from it.” 

Communities benefit from the lake, through the generosity of the local wildlife federation with the annual January fish smoker. Some of the game fish netted finds its way to the Humboldt and District Food Bank thanks to the conservation officers. 

There’s more opportunity for fresh fish with the Lenore Lake Fish Derby on January 18.