River East outdoor ed kids hit the Red

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This article was published 13/01/2015 (4235 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cold weather, bitter wind and blowing snow couldn’t deter a couple classes of River East Collegiate students from hitting the hard water last week in search of sauger. 

Armed with rods, reels, augers, two pop-up shelters, heaters, and layers of warm clothing, Martin Grubert’s Grade 9 outdoor education classes headed out on to the Red River at Lockport Thursday and Friday for their annual outdoor ice fishing trip.

“It was good, a lot of fun,” said Martin Grubert, a phys-ed and outdoor education teacher at River East Collegiate. “The kids really liked it.”

Despite cold temperatures and strong winds — with temperature down to -20C, with windchills of -32C on Friday — the bite was on.

“It was really awesome,” Colin Aguiar, 14, said. “That was my first time ice fishing. I caught 16 fish!”

Matthew Boivin, 14, was another first —time ice fisher in the class who managed to pull 16 sauger from the icy Red.

“I really liked it,” Boivin said. “Even though it was really cold out, it was warm in the tents.”
Thursday’s class caught 127 fish—all sauger, with the exception of one sucker—releasing them back below the ice after posing for photos. On Friday, the crew of 17 students caught 155 fish, including some goldeye, northern pike, and walleye among the sauger.

“Everyone had at least one fish,” Grubert said. Grubert, an avid outdoorsman and ice fisher himself, said he really enjoys sharing the experience with his students.

“We have three classes this year,” Grubert said. “Each class averages 18 to 20 kids.”
The Grade 9 outdoor education program, which has been running now for five years, began as a school-initiated course at Chief Peguis Junior High School. When Chief Peguis’ Grade 9s moved to River East this year, Grubert and the popular course moved with them.

Students of the outdoor education program learn a variety of outdoor survival skills throughout the semester, such as navigation, trip planning, canoeing, and camping.

And the students enjoy it as well.

“I love it. It’s my favourite class,” Aguiar told the Herald. “There’s lots activities, and we get to go outdoors. In our other classes, we’re always inside.”

“It’s one of the best courses I’ve taken,” agreed Boivin. “I learned a lot.”

And would the students brave the cold and go ice fishing again?

“Oh yeah!” Boivin said.

Aguiar said he certainly would encourage friends to try it.

“I’d say go for it,” he said. “But I’d tell them to dress warm, and get a shack and a heater.”

sheldon.birnie@canstarnews.com

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