Community Partners

Trout Unlimited (TU) has a long-standing relationship with Jeffco Public Schools and the Outdoor Lab program dating back over 20 years.

TU helped construct the ponds and docks on the Outdoor Lab sites and provides a special experience for students during their visit to Mt. Blue Sky and Windy Peak: an optional free fly-tying class at both sites.

The class is broken up into three segments: an interactive discussion of stream ecology and conservation, aquatic entomology and identifying Colorado trout species; an introduction to fly tying during which the students will learn about the tools and materials used in fly tying and tie two flies of their own; and, weather-permitting, an opportunity to fish the pond, which is stocked yearly.

If the weather is not good, TU offers other activities including additional fly tying, water-quality studies, fly casting and games. Overall, the class is designed to complement the sixth-grade “Water and the Living Environment” and the “Hydrosphere” curricula. All tools and materials for fly tying and the rods for fishing are provided by TU.

The class is 2 1/2 hours and is taught during both the morning and afternoon core class periods. The class is limited to 10 students per class. These students can either be from one core group or can be pulled from several core groups.

TU requires that a teacher accompany each class and can usually accommodate a high-school leader to participate as well. The classes are either Wednesday or Thursday. Contact one of the TU coordinators with questions or to schedule a fly-tying class.