“This is the good spot!” one student called up to classmates.

As Windom Area Fisheries technician Luke Rossow scooped up nets full of trout, he handed them off to students. They passed the nets along in a chain until they reached the river, where the fish could be released.

On Thursday, groups of students from both Lynd School and Southwest Minnesota Christian School helped with the annual stocking of brown trout in the Redwood River. The stocking is part of the prep work for Minnesota’s stream trout fishing opener on Saturday.

It was good to see area youth come out to volunteer with the fish stocking at Camden, Rossow said. It also made the work easier. “We never used to have this back in the day. It helps,” he said.

Photo by Deb Gau Lynd students Juan Ulloa, Jax Rathman, Axel Evans and Kash Novelli were part of the chain of people passing nets full of brown trout down to the Redwood River to be released.

About 2,500 fish were placed in the river at Camden State Park, Rossow. Earlier in the day, Windom Area Fisheries staff stocked about 450 trout at Scheldorf Creek in Cottonwood County. Rossow told students the fish being released Thursday were about two years old.

Camden State Park ranger Adam Kurtz said park staff were anticipating a good turnout for the trout opener. A flier at the park office said members of the Friends of Camden community organization would also be providing coffee and rolls at the park’s south picnic area, at 7 a.m. Saturday morning. A free will donation would be accepted.