CHEYENNE— With the warmer weather of June, fishing activity is on the rise, and with that increased activity there will be numerous anglers that will be catching large fish – some that may qualify for a new state record.
If previous years are any indication, 2008 will see a number of fish submitted for state record listing. While some records are probably untouchable, a handful will likely be broken, some possibly several times. At the top of the list is the tiger trout record. Wyoming has a single fishery, High Savery Reservoir, located south of Rawlins, with tiger trout and they were only introduced a few years ago. As the fish attain size that comes with age, the records will fall accordingly. A glance at other records shows more than half of Wyoming’s entries have been caught in the last ten years.
Over the years, there have been numerous reports of anglers catching large fish that for one reason or another were never entered into the state record book. To enter a fish for record consideration is quite easy, but there are a few rules that must be followed. First, the fish must be weighed on a scale certified for legal trade. Scales in post offices or places of commerce are usually all certified. The scale in your tackle box is not. Second, the species must be verified by the Game and Fish Department. The identity of most fish is usually obvious, but there are certain species such as lake trout, splake, brook trout, walleye, sauger and some of the sunfish species that could easily be mistaken.
Other advice is to get the fish officially weighed as quickly as possible. A year ago an angler submitted a brown trout that had been kept in the freezer for a week. The fish missed the state record by several ounces and the moisture lost by a 25-pound plus fish during that time would have undoubtedly put it into the state record book, had the weighing taken place in a more timely fashion.
Fish record entry forms are found on the Game and Fish Web site http://gf.state.wy.us, or persons can contact Game and Fish regional offices or Game and Fish headquarters (307) 777-4600 for more information.
The following is a listing of Wyoming’s fish records. Wyoming does not keep separate record categories for line class, fly fishing or catch and release.
Wyoming Fish Records
CHEYENNE— Additional fishing access is available to Wyoming anglers thanks to the walk-in fishing areas established by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Walk-in fishing areas are part of the same public access program that provides private land access through walk-in hunting areas.
Game and Fish statewide access coordinator Matt Buhler said fishing areas now available include 276 acres of lake access and 96 miles of stream access on private lands. “ But, those figures don’t tell the whole story,” Buhler said. “Many of these areas allow hunters to get through private lands to get to public lands where much more access is available.”
As with any participation in outdoor activities, the Game and Fish stresses the importance of outdoor ethics and common courtesy when using these lands. “Walk in areas are private lands,” Buhler said. “It is of utmost importance that anglers pack out their trash, and obey the rules in order that these areas remain enrolled in the program for future years.”
Walk-in area rules are found on page 2 of the Walk-in Fishing Atlas. The atlases not only list walk-in areas, but also maps showing public and private lands around each area and the species of game fish in each water. They can be obtained at Game and Fish regional offices and license agents and are also available online at http://gf.state.wy.us . Fishing atlases are valid for the calendar year.
Walk-in hunting and fishing areas are funded to a large extent through voluntary contributions to the AccessYes program. Most donations are made at the time of license purchase. To participate, anglers and hunters can indicate to the license agent their wish to contribute when licenses are purchased.
CHEYENNE— Anglers can now view and download the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s annual regional angler newsletters from the Game and Fish Web site and learn more about their favorite fishery and what to expect when on the water this summer.
“The newsletters have something for everyone,” says Dirk Miller, fisheries management coordinator for the department. “The regional newsletters have a lot of information about fishing, new fishing regulations, angler etiquette, fishing outlooks and current fisheries research.”
The newsletters also highlight some of the challenges fisheries managers are facing in the region, including illegal fish introductions and aquatic nuisance species.
Fisheries personnel from each regional office produce a newsletter each spring. This way, anglers who travel around the state can be kept up to date on fishing information statewide.
The regional angler newsletters can be viewed at http://gf.state.wy.us by selecting Fish & Fishing, then Regional Angler Newsletters and Updates.
PLAN NOW TO COMPLETE THE CUTT-SLAM
CHEYENNE—Sometime this year the number of anglers who have completed Wyoming’s
Cutt-Slam program will reach the 500 milestone. To date, 479 anglers in 39
states and two foreign countries have completed requirements and have been
awarded Cutt-Slam certificates.
“That number is significant not only because of the effort fisheries personnel
have put into improving cutthroat populations, but also significant for
generating angler interest in Wyoming’s only native trout and the habitats they
haunt,” said assistant fisheries chief Mark Fowden.
The Cutt-Slam was the brainchild of late Pinedale area fisheries supervisor Ron Remmick who wanted to draw attention to Wyoming’s cutthroat management program and the special needs and efforts being put in on behalf of Wyoming’s cutthroat trout.
Anglers are recognized for catching Wyoming’s four subspecies of cutthroat trout in their native waters in Wyoming. The four subspecies are the Yellowstone, Snake River, Bonneville and Colorado River cutthroat trout. Successful anglers receive a certificate listing the name of the angler, color artwork of the four species and notation on the date and location of each catch.
Started in
1996, the program continues to grow in popularity each year. In its first year,
five anglers completed requirements followed by six more certificates issued in
1997. To say it has caught on is an understatement, as is evidenced with 100
certificates issued to cuttslammers in 2007. To date, the Cutt-Slam program has
been featured in national fly fishing magazines and several outdoor television
programs.
In
recognition of the milestone, the 500th angler to complete the
program will receive Cutt-Slam apparel, patches and fisheries related items from
the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Alternative Enterprises program.
To participate in the Cutt-Slam, anglers simply need to catch each fish in its
native range in Wyoming and provide a photograph of the fish along with the date
of catch and water where it was caught. There is no time limit for completing
the requirements. Some anglers have spread out their catches over five years
while others have completed their “slam” in a few days. There is also no
minimum size requirement. Over the years, qualifying photos featuring fish from
six to 20 plus inches have been submitted. Releasing fish after photographing
is encouraged and may be required depending on the regulation that is in effect
on various cutthroat waters. Anglers are encouraged to check the fishing
regulations booklet for limitations on the various waters.
Persons interested in planning their Cutt-Slam trip can contact Game and Fish
regional offices and Game and Fish headquarters in Cheyenne for information on
drainages and different waters in the state where these fish are available.
Cutt-Slam applications and listings of different cutthroat waters are also
available on the Game and Fish Web site
http://gf.state.wy.us .
BOATERS REMINDED OF REGULATIONS
JACKSON—As
warmer weather approaches, many boaters are heading to area waters in force.
With that increasing interest, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department urges
boaters to become familiar with the new regulations before heading out on the
water.
Game and Fish officials often note many boaters in violation for not having a
Personal Flotation Device (PFD) readily available in their watercraft this time
of year. Boaters are required by law to have a “life jacket”, or PFD, for
everyone on board when they take to the water in Wyoming. A new regulation also
requires all children twelve years old and under to wear a PFD at all times.
The commission regulation reads "All watercraft shall carry a U.S. Coast Guard
approved wearable personal flotation device of suitable size for each person on
board. All U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices shall be
readily accessible, in good condition and shall not be waterlogged, torn, or
have straps broken or missing."
“We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be able to access PFDs for all
of the passengers in your boat,” says Tim Fuchs, regional wildlife supervisor
for the Jackson area. “Ironically, in most boating‑related drownings, PFDs are
actually present, but not accessible.”
Fuchs reminds floaters that rafts and drift boats are watercraft and also
require wearable PFDs for each person on board. In addition, if the boat is 16
feet or longer, a Type IV throwable flotation device is required and a rope
throw-bag doesn’t meet the requirements by law.
Boaters are also reminded they need to register their motorized watercraft to be
legal when recreating on Wyoming waters. Every watercraft powered by any type
of propulsion other than human is required to have a registration number.
Drift boats and canoes do not require state registration, but “when a motor of any kind is used, it does require state registration,” said Fuchs. “It used to be any motor five horsepower or greater had to be registered, but now all boats with any kind of motor, including electric, need to be registered.”
Watercraft
registrations for renewals only may be completed at any Game and Fish office.
New watercraft registrations must be done with an application to the watercraft
section at the Game and Fish Cheyenne Headquarters. Application forms may be
picked up at any Game and Fish regional office, some license vendors or online
at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website:
http://gf.state.wy.us.
Applicants are required to provide information with the application, including
proof of ownership (notarized), proof of Wyoming sales tax and the license fee.
Watercraft may be registered for a one-year period for $15 or $40 for three
years. All watercraft registrations expire December 31 for the period
registered. Fees are not transferable or refundable if the watercraft is sold.
Watercraft owners may pick up a copy of the Wyoming Watercraft Regulations at any Game and Fish office or license vendor. Additional information can be found at the Game and Fish Web site: http://gf.state.wy.us or by calling the Cheyenne Game and Fish office at (800) 842-1934.
CHEYENNE— Springtime often brings some of the best fishing of the year, and accompanying that good fishing comes a dramatic increase of the number of anglers and boaters on Wyoming waters.
With that influx of activity, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department urges anglers to check out the new regulations to make sure that when they do venture out they are familiar with any of the regulation changes that are now in effect.
“There have been a number of significant changes in the regulations for 2008 and 2009,” said Dirk Miller, fisheries management coordinator with the Game and Fish Department. “The biggest changes are in creel limits and species restrictions on certain waters.”
For trout, the general creel limit has stayed the same as previous years, allowing anglers six fish of which no more than one can exceed 20 inches. The general statewide trout regulation now separates brook trout, allowing a limit of 16, but no more than six brook trout can exceed eight inches. In addition to creel limit changes for brook trout, there are a number of waters where creel limits have been changed from previous years. These changes often involve length of fish that can be kept and creel limits regarding different trout species.
The first section of the regulations booklet contains general information on creel limits, license requirements and Wyoming laws and regulations. The booklet also has five separate sections for each of the state’s major drainages. Each section contains a map of that drainage along with regulations and seasons that differ from the general statewide regulations.
To determine which regulations are new or have been revised, anglers can look for the blue and yellow highlighted information throughout the booklet. Of particular note are the drainage-wide regulations that are highlighted in yellow. Anglers should note that not all waters are listed in the booklet. Only waters with exceptions to the general fishing and boating regulations are listed. If a specific water is not listed, it simply means that the general seasons and creel limits apply.
Fisheries regulations are available at all Game and Fish license agencies, on the Game and Fish Web site http://gf.state.wy.us or by calling (307) 777-4600.
CHEYENNE – A recent survey by the American Sportfishing Association ranks Wyoming as the top state in the lower 48 for having the highest number of residents who fish based on the percentage of population. Only Alaska ranked higher. The survey included residents 16 and older.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department fisheries chief Mike Stone is pleased with the long standing tradition Wyoming’s residents have in fishing opportunities in the Cowboy state. “Our ranking is undoubtedly due to the interests of Wyoming people,” Stone said. “Residents have a high interest in outdoor activities in Wyoming and streams and lakes play a big role in those activities. At the Game and Fish we strive to maintain a variety of fishing opportunities through our fisheries habitat improvements, hatcheries and regulations.”
Wyoming is also a fishing destination state for residents and nonresidents. Participation is captured in Wyoming’s economy. The 2006 survey revealed that Wyoming anglers spent more than $528 million pursuing their sport during the year, providing an estimated 7,398 jobs. In addition, anglers pumped more than $64 million into state and local tax coffers.
On a national scale, the survey confirmed that recreational fishing is more than just an outing for millions of Americans. Nationwide, America’s nearly 40 million anglers spend more than $45 billion per year on fishing equipment, transportation, lodging, equipment, licenses and more.
Through their purchases, anglers more than any other group, play a major role in fisheries conservation efforts through special taxes on fishing and boating equipment and motorboat fuel. In fiscal year 2007, these taxes provided by Dingell-Johnson and Wallop-Breaux legislation returned nearly $5.5 million to Wyoming to be used for various fisheries programs.
WYOMING RESIDENTS ADVISED TO AVOID
EATING FISH HIGH IN MERCURY
Cheyenne--The Wyoming Department of Health and the Wyoming Game and Fish
Department are advising state residents to be mindful about mercury levels in
fish they eat. In addition to some saltwater fish, the agencies are advising
caution when consuming certain fish from Big Horn, Seminoe, and Pathfinder
reservoirs.
“Eating fish with high amounts of mercury can cause health problems,
especially in children,” said Timothy Ryan, environmental public health section
chief with Wyoming Department of Health.
“In general, Wyoming fish are low in mercury,” Ryan said. “But we are
recommending that women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers and
children under the age of 15 should eat more small Wyoming-caught fish and fewer
large fish, and should avoid eating channel catfish, bass, sauger and walleye
from certain waters.
Specifically, the agencies are recommending the following guidelines
relevant to fish consumption:
· Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under
15 are advised to consume no more than two meals per week of fish that are low
in mercury. People in that group should not eat fish that are considered high in
mercury.
· For people not in the above category, the agencies are advising prudent
consumption of fish that are low in mercury and no more than one to two meals
per month of fish that are high in mercury.
· Freshwater fish that are low in mercury include: Wyoming-caught trout and
farm-raised tilapia and farm-raised catfish.
· Freshwater fish that are high in mercury include: channel catfish, sauger, and
walleye from Big Horn, Seminoe, and Pathfinder reservoirs.
Mike Stone, Fisheries Chief with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, explained
that fish size is a factor affecting mercury levels. “The longer a fish lives
the greater its chances of accumulating mercury in its tissues,” Stone said. “In
general, fish that feed on other fish or bottom-feeders are also more likely to
accumulate mercury.”
Game and Fish has conducted baseline surveys on major reservoirs around the
state for several years. Fish from the majority of waters exhibited low levels
of mercury. A few waters warranted additional testing that led to the fish
consumption advisory. Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is
distributed throughout the environment by both natural processes and human
activities.
The specific recommendations are available on the Department of Health’s website
and will be included in the 2008-09 Wyoming Fishing Regulations, which will be
available at Game and Fish offices and license selling agents on January 1,
2008. The recommendations include information about various fish types and
bodies of water in the state, and are based on current information from the
Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Future guidelines may change as further
testing results become available.
Ryan emphasized that finding mercury in fish is not unique to Wyoming. “In fact,
all other states except Alaska have previously issued similar fish consumption
advisories for their citizens.”
For more information about mercury levels in saltwater species, and for more
information about the guidelines, go to
www.health.wyo.gov.
It is nothing new for most anglers to hear that sauger
populations are not what they used to be. Throughout Wyoming, sauger
populations have declined, but the populations in the Bighorn-Wind River remain
valuable sport fisheries. In an effort to continue to protect the Wind River
population, Game and Fish biologists have been working with the University of
Wyoming to enhance understanding of this important sportfish.
Saugers are adapted to large, un-dammed, slow-moving rivers with warm, muddy
water. Populations were once widely distributed throughout North America, but
populations have been reduced due to damming of rivers that block migration
routes and result in a loss of river habitat, competition with introduced
species, over harvest, and hybridization with walleye. In Wyoming, saugers are
native to the North Platte, Bighorn-Wind, Tongue, and Powder River drainages.
They are considered a State Species of Special Concern, no longer occurring in
the North Platte drainage and rare in the Tongue and Powder drainages.
Genetically pure populations still occur in the Bighorn-Wind rivers.
The Wind River sauger population is one of the few pure wild populations left,”
said Game and Fish Fisheries Biologist Kevin Johnson. “Most populations of
sauger have been contaminated with saugeye, a sauger-walleye hybrid. The
overall population in the Wind River is relatively small and could be impacted
easily. The study we are conducting will give us a better understanding of this
population and hopefully help us protect it from such impacts.”
Sauger research in the Wind River began in 2002 with three University of Wyoming
graduate students. These students researched occurrence, habitat use, and
movement of adult and juvenile saugers and laid the groundwork for Game and Fish
biologists to manage the species.
“As part of a long-term management plan, we have begun returning to some of the
sites established by the graduate students to monitor the population,” said
Johnson. “These data should allow us to monitor the trends in sauger numbers.”
Game and Fish biologists sample these sites by electrofishing, or running an
electric current into the water to stun fish. This is a practice afforded only
to trained, certified biologists and far from legal as a means for anglers to
catch fish according to Game and Fish regulations.
“Electrofishing is a practice that allows us to quickly collect fish from a
stretch of river, giving us an good look at sauger numbers,” said Johnson. “It
is a method we prefer because it is not harmful to fish and we can release them
with little to no mortality.”
Biologists monitor the entire Wind River drainage but focus much of their time
on the Little Wind and the Popo Agie as these provide important spawning areas
for sauger. The study is a cooperative effort among Game and Fish, Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the Wind River Reservation.
“Much of the sauger habitat monitored is located on the Reservation, and this
study would not be possible without the great cooperation we get from the tribes
and the Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Johnson. “It is great to be able to
work together to preserve this valuable resource for the entire public.”
For more information, contact your regional Game and Fish office at (307)
332-2688 or visit our web page at
http://gf.state.wy.us/services/news/RegionalNews/Lander/index.asp.
(Thanks to Erin Smith of the Lander Regional Office)
CASPER ANGLER REELS IN STATE RECORD SAUGER
FROM BOYSEN RESERVOIR
CASPER * A new state record was set Jan. 7 when Casper angler Tom Durst reeled
in a 7.5 pound, 26.5 inch sauger from Boysen Reservoir, breaking the old record
that has stood since 1999. The old record, a sauger weighing in at 7.4 pounds
and measuring 26.2 inches long, was also caught at Boysen by Brad Berg of
Riverton March 14, 1999.
"I wasn't expecting to catch a state record sauger," Durst said. "I always
figured if I caught a state record it would probably be a carp or sucker."
He caught the fish at a depth of about 13 feet, using a live minnow on a tip-up.
He reported cold, cloudy conditions with no wind at the time of the catch.
"It was really cold, about 8 degrees above zero," Durst said.
Not having any luck at their first location, Durst and his fishing buddy, Bruce
Parker, also of Casper, decided to move to a different spot on the lake. After
struggling with a malfunctioning auger, it was about 9:30 a.m. when they finally
got set up and began fishing. They were soon catching crappie and even a burbot.
When Durst later went to check one of his tip-ups he was surprised to feel
resistance, as the flag had not been set off. He pulled the line to check it and
was surprised when he landed the large sauger. Durst struggles with an eye
condition that makes his eyes water in cold weather, which might explain why he
first thought the fish was a walleye. Parker also thought the fish was a walleye
and pestered Durst to release it because it was too big to eat. "But I kept it
anyway, it was a nice fish," Durst said.
After another angler identified the fish as a sauger, Durst knew it could
possibly be a record. So they took the fish into Shoshone to have it weighed.
The following day he took the fish to the Casper Game and Fish office to get a
positive identification.
Durst, who recently retired from the Bureau of Land Management, is pleased that
his fish broke the old record and he plans to have it mounted. "But even if it
wasn't a state record, this fish is a trophy anyway. It's a once-in-a-lifetime
catch," he said.
Sauger are a member of the perch family and closely resemble walleye. The
species, which is native to the Missouri River drainage, is distinguished from
walleye by the absence of a white tip on the lower tail fin. In Wyoming, sauger
are found in the Bighorn-Wind, Tongue and Powder River drainages. Sauger and
walleye are both found in Boysen Reservoir, although walleye are more abundant
and grow larger.
"Sauger distribution has declined across their native range and they are no
longer found in the North Platte River drainage in Wyoming," said Joe Deromedi,
fisheries biologist for Boysen Reservoir. Concerns over declining sauger numbers
and distribution prompted the Game and Fish and the University of Wyoming to
conduct several studies over the past several years.
"Though much has been learned from this research, the Game and Fish is still
very concerned about the long-term future for this species in Wyoming," Deromedi
said.
The North American record is shared by two 8-pound, 12-ounce fish. The first one
caught in Oct. 6, 1971 at Lake Sakakawea, N.D. and the other Dec. 12, 1994 at
Fort Peck Lake, Mont.rbot caught west of the Continental Divide to the Game and Fish. In addition, any illegal transportation or introduction of live fish should be reported to the Stop Poaching Hotline (800) 442-4331.
TIGER TROUT HITS WYOMING RECORD BOOKS
GREEN RIVER- When Encampment resident Greg Salisbury caught a large tiger trout in the new High Savery Reservoir July 3 he knew he had some sort of state fish record. He just wasn't sure which one.
The fish hit a gold spinner and weighed 1 pound 10.4 ounces and measured 16.5 inches long with a 9-inch girth. The "tiger" is a cross between a brook and brown trout. It has white-edged fins on its underside like a brook trout, but its body features irregular dark green lines or vermiculations on a lighter green background with infrequent spots. Salisbury has the honor of holding the first Wyoming record for the species.
"I caught tiger trout in High Savery last year and they were around 7 to 9 inches long," Salisbury said. "I usually catch and release my fish, but when I caught this trout I knew I had some sort of a record."
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department stocked the reservoir with Colorado River cutthroat, kokanee salmon and tiger trout, which were obtained from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in June 2005. High Savery Reservoir is the only Wyoming water hosting the species.
Game and Fish chose to stock tiger trout because the hybrid is sterile, so stocking can strictly control their numbers. Tiger trout have been used in Utah in association with their Colorado cutthroat recovery plan with good success. The "tigers" should stay along the shorelines and prey more specifically on white suckers and creek chubs than cutthroats or kokanee. Tiger trout are also very aggressive and readily take flies and lures.
Salisbury, a taxidermist, has plans for his record. "I know this record will be broken soon, but in the meantime I am going to mount this fish," he said.
To get to High Savery Reservoir from Rawlins, take Wyoming Highway 71 approximately 35 miles south and turn west into the lake. Or from Wyoming Highway 70 in the Medicine Bow National Forest, take Forest Service Road 801 approximately 8 miles north of the forest boundary and turn west. There is no sign marking the turnoff.
The North American tiger trout record weighed 20 pounds 13 ounces and was caught on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan in August 1978.
RECORD GREEN SUNFISH HITS BOOKS IN UNIQUE FASHION
LOVELL - The bobber signaled a good bite, but the tangle in his reel signaled trouble. Doug Nixon of Lovell overcame the monofilament mess, set the hook and landed more memories than just fishing with his grandkids - a new state record green sunfish.
Reflective of Wyoming's last record that was broken, when a trout angler caught the state's biggest carp to date, Nixon was actually fishing for carp at the Lovell Lakes when he caught the .82-pound nearly 10-inch panfish May 30.
"It fought hard enough that I thought it was a carp," he said of the fish that uncharacteristically bit on a dough ball fashioned for carp. "The lake is full of green sunfish and I know there's bigger ones out there."
The 57-year-old avid angler loves to fish the lakes with his grandkids since the lakes are so close "I can throw a rock into the lakes from where I live."
Since setting the record, Nixon caught another green sunfish at the lakes on a beetle spin he said would have also beaten the previous .67-pound record caught Aug. 9, 2001 in a pond near Kaycee.
The excellent-eating green sunfish was introduced to Wyoming. It is common in ponds and small lakes of eastern Wyoming and the Big Horn Basin.
Two anglers share the North American record with 2 pound, 2 ounce green sunfish. One was caught at Stockton Lake, Mo. in 1971 and the other in a Cherokee County, Kansas sandpit in 1961.
