Coleraine Trout

The **Coleraine Trout** are a team of the Iron Range Hockey League, where they have played since joining the league as an expansion team for the 1972-73 season. Based in Coleraine, Minnesota, the Trout play their home games at the 2,200-seat Hodgins-Berardo Arena.

## History

The Trout are named after the Brook Trout, a species of fish which is plentiful in the area, and Trout Lake, the largest lake in the city.

The Trout have won 2 Iron Range League Titles (1977 & 1981) and appeared in 1 Super Series (1978).

### Culture

#### Traditions

Coleraine is best known for their fans throwing Trout on the ice after the Brookies score their first goal of the game. This means that if the Trout can't get on the scoreboard then there are some fans left with a smelly fish.

#### Fishin' in the Dark

The Trout faithful break into a rendition of the Nitty Gritty Dirtband's "Fishin' in the Dark" during the second intermission of all Coleraine home games.

Lyrics:

> *"Lazy yellow moon comin' up tonight, Shinin' through the trees, Crickets are singin' and lightning bugs, Are floatin' on the breeze, baby get ready*
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>
> *Across the field where the creek turns back, By the old stump row, I'm gonna take you to a special place, That nobody knows baby get ready*
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>
> *You and me go fishin' in the dark, Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars, Where the cool grass grows, Down by the river in the full moonlight, We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night, Just movin' slow, Stayin' the whole night through, It feels so good to be with you*
>
>
> *Spring is almost over and the summer's come, And the days are gettin' long, Waited all winter for the time to be right, Just to take you along, baby get ready*
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> *And it don't matter if we sit forever, And the fish don't bite, Jump in the river and cool ourselves, From the heat of the night, baby get ready*
>
>
> *You and me go fishin' in the dark, Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars, Where the cool grass grows, Down by the river in the full moonlight, We'll be fallin in love in the middle of the night, Just movin' slow, Stayin' the whole night through, It feels so good to be with you*
>
>
> *You and me go fishin', (You and me go fishin in the dark), In the dark lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars, Where the cool grass grows, down by the river, (Down by the light), In the full moonlight we'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night, (We'll be fallin in love), Just movin' slow*
>
>
>
> *You and me go fishin', (You and me go fishin in the dark), In the dark lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars, Where the cool grass grows, Down by the river in the full moonlight, (Down by the light), We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night..."*
>
>

### Rivalry Trophies

#### The Axe

The Trout compete with their archrivals the Grand Rapids Moose for The Axe, awarded to the team which wins their head-to-head series each year (or, if the teams are tied, the one with the higher goal differential).

The Axe's head is painted in the Brookies' Itasca Blue on one side and Rapids' orange on the other, with the trophy's holder displaying their side of the Axe for as long as it is in their possession.

Currently, the Moose hold the Axe, having won it back in 1987 and successfully defending it the following two years to take the 7-6 lead in the trophy series.

The battle for the Axe has proved intense from the beginning, as Moose captain and two-time Tschida Trophy winner Didi Miller suffered a career-ending knee injury during a Trout-Moose game in Grand Rapids, when a race for the puck turned into a multi-player pile-up, with a Brookie landing on Miller's knee.