A wall of children huddling at Lake Hennessey’s edge experienced a bittersweet moment Tuesday morning.

Weeks after watching eggs hatch into fish, Pueblo Vista Elementary School students took turns releasing tiny rainbow trout into the lake’s still, reflective waters. The event marked the final phase of a class project called “Trout in the Classroom,” designed to teach the value of wildlife conservation and the basics about life cycles.

With the emerald hills around Lake Hennessey as a backdrop, the students transferred their charges from hefty blue buckets into clear, water-filled plastic cups before releasing them into the drink.

“I hope that they survive and stay away from predators,” mused Gerardo Segura, 10, who released his fish as he stood alongside classmates Javier Soriano, Jissell Rodriguez and Rhiannon Phillips. All are members of Marian Wilcox’s fourth-grade class at Pueblo Vista.

Michael McKeown, president of the Napa Valley Fly Fishers Club, said a grant from the Federation of Fly Fishers paid for the equipment needed to raise the creatures — including a 10-gallon aquarium, a chiller, pumps and filters. The California Department of Fish and Game donated the eggs, which came from the organization’s Yountville facility.

Thanks to Wilcox’ students, who fed and cared for the trout in their classroom for six weeks, the creatures are now navigating Lake Hennessey, where they’re likely feeding on one-celled plant organisms.

Carl Wilcox, chief of the water branch at Fish and Game, said the Pueblo Vista class represents one of about 3,000 statewide participating in the program.

In spite of these concerted efforts, not all of Tuesday morning’s releases went off without a hitch. There was a close call when Lizebeth Amezcula rescued her minuscule trout after it flopped from its intended destination — a cup full of water — onto the ground. Hastily scooping up the creature, Lizebeth helped it avoid disaster. But saying good-bye still wasn’t easy.

“It has been exciting but it’s also sad to let them go,” Lizebeth said.

For her part, Marian Wilcox hopes that her students will take several lessons from their time with the trout.

“I hope that they’ll learn how important it is to preserve habitats for wild animals. … It’s always important to respect wildlife and to get outdoors as much as possible,” she said. 

Anthony Varga, 9, named his fish Anthony Jr., after himself.

“I hope that he gets to live for a long time and have children,” he said after releasing his namesake into the lake.

In Lake Hennessey, however, the young fish will share their home with predators ranging from large beetles and bass to water birds and damselfly larvae, Wilcox said. 

McKeown said that Napa Valley Fly Fishers Club members participate in youth and community wildlife projects in addition to advocating for wildlife preservation. In a recent petition to Fish and Game, members of the group are pushing to allow only catch-and-release fishing tactics at Putah Creak year-round, he said.

Angler’s banquet

The Napa Valley Fly Fishers Club’s banquet is Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St. Tickets $50 at the door. For details, visit www.napavalleyflyfishers.org or call 337-9410.