Meah Ann Wischer cast her fishing line into the Redwood River on Monday morning, during Lynd Public School’s third annual environmental fair. Trout fishing was one of the activities Lynd students in grades 5-8 took part in, along with learning about wetland ecology, and getting to tour the Lyon County landfill.

CAMDEN PARK — There were a few fish biting at Camden State Park’s trout stream, Lynd Public School students said. But only one student had managed to land one.

“I felt really proud of myself, because I was the only one who caught a fish,” said Aubrey Watts, a sixth-grade student at Lynd. It took a while before Watts got a bite on her line. “It felt like a very long time, I don’t know how long,” she said. But in the end, her patience paid off.

Fishing on the Redwood River was just one of the activities Lynd students in grades 5-8 got to try during the schools’ third annual environmental fair.

Lynd science teacher Martin Boucek said the event is one that students have been looking forward to. Younger students who were getting their first chance to attend were really enthusiastic, he said.

“The fifth grade have been talking to me all year about it,” Boucek said. “They get really excited to be part of it.”

The environmental day is made possible with the help of community partners, Boucek said. “We partner with Lyon County, and we try to get another speaker,” he said.

Community volunteers helped teach students the basics of trout fishing, while others like Jim Muchlinski taught about ecology.

Students learned about southwest Minnesota wetlands, and how they change through the seasons. Kids volunteered to match water and wildlife conditions to the different seasons of the year.

“What do you think happens to the frogs in the spring?” Muchlinski asked a group of fifth-grade students.

It took a couple of tries and people switching around, but students found the right answer: in spring, frogs lay eggs in ponds and wetlands.

Students also took bus tours of the Lyon County landfill. The amount of garbage that gets brought to the landfill is something that surprises students, Boucek said.

Back at Camden Park, things were relatively quiet along the riverbank as students tried to cast their lines into spots where trout might be hiding. Mostly, they were catching “just sticks and leaves,” said Jazmine Daniels.

But the experience was still a good one, students said. Student Bennett Buehler said he liked getting to learn more about the outdoors.

“It’s good to see how everything works, and learn more about the river,” Buehler said.