I LOVE this place!

The Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery is located on Vye Road in Abbotsford. It is part of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., a not for profit organization that gets it’s funding from 54% of fishing license fees. They stock lakes all over B.C. 10 million fish in almost 1,000 lakes to be exact! The hatchery in Abbotsford raises Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout and Steelhead Trout!

I had the amazing opportunity to work there for 2 years, and I LOVED every minute of it! It was the 2nd best job I have ever had ;) I was a coordinator in the first year of the Learn to Fish Program. My co-coordinator Mike, and I got to learn the 4 hour program and teach it to kids and families throughout the year. I had fished since I was little with my Dad at Lighting Lake in Manning Park where we go camping every year, so I was so looking forward to passing on the sport of fishing to other kids.

From there I was kept on through the Fall where I learnt their 4 other programs: “It’s a Trouts Life”, “What’s that Habitat”, “Scientifish” and “Trout Fast Food” and delivered the programs to elementary school field trips! The following summer I planned, organized and ran the Extreme Outdoor Daycamps! I made some amazing, amazing friends, and gained so much experience. I have so many amazing memories there! I go and visit every chance I get! In fact we even held Luca’s first birthday party there!

When Jessica phoned me asking if I could be interested in doing some photos for them I was so excited!! It would combine my two favourite jobs! We got some local models who also loved to fish and we were ready to go!!

They welcomed me on the chalkboard :)

Part of the “It’s a Trouts Life” program (ages 3-5) is to colour what you learnt!

When you push the bottoms, the fishes insides light up!

The felt storyboard that begins “It’s a Trouts Life” I LOVED telling the story!

“What’s that Habitat” has a fun “Pollution Soup” demonstration and “Trout Fast Food” and “Scientifish” look at insects under the microscopes to test water quality.

Learn to Fish started in 2006 (my first year working at the hatchery!)….I was so bummed I wasn’t in any of the pictures though…probably because I was taking all of them!

The “Learn to Fish” (L2F) program ended with an hour of fishing at the hatcheries well stocked ponds.

Austin working so hard to reel in his fish!

Austin kisses every fish he catches for good luck :)

Jessica and Austin with his Rainbow Trout (If you are wondering why Jessica looks familiar, I took her families photos here)

Austin caught another one!!! I love how hard he is working!

Elijah is so focused on fishing he doesn’t even have time to look and smile!

Jessica teaching Elijah how to cast.

Jessica took a group over to the stream to search for aquatic insects!

Releasing the trout back into the ponds.

These two were hilarious! They kept comparing with their hands who had caught the bigger fish…by the end of the hour their fish were over 2 feet long!

The Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery is open for drop in fishing. You need to call in advance to schedule a time, and it’s $10 per person for 2 hours of fishing! The hatchery supplies the rods and all the equipment!  You can also book a spot in any of their programs! Summer camp bookings have already started!

They can be contacted at visit.fraservalley@gofishbc.com or 604-504-4716.

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