Tag Archives: Rainbow trout

New Wyoming fishing regulations in effect

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Green River Star > Sports > New Wyoming fishing regulations in effect.

Several significant improvements to statewide fishing limits greet anglers for 2012-2013, including separate trout limits for reservoirs or lakes and streams, no brook trout length restrictions, and reducing the whitefish limit.

“These were changes we think benefit Wyoming anglers,” according to Dirk Miller, fisheries management coordinator. “When we proposed these changes last spring at public meetings, they were well received.”

Starting Jan. 1, the long-time Wyoming restriction of only keeping one trout over 20 inches will be history on Wyoming lakes and reservoirs. Now, if anglers are really getting into a lot of fish 20-inches or bigger, all six of the fish kept can be more than 20 inches.

“Most reservoirs host stocked trout, which are put in for anglers to catch, so it made sense to let anglers decide what size they want to keep,” Miller said. “With the higher water levels the last couple years, growth rates have increased significantly and there are just more 20-inch-plus trout out there.”

Anglers looking to keep fish on streams and rivers now have the limit of three fish per day and only one can exceed 16 inches. In drainages 1 (Snake River), 2 (Wind/Big Horn) and 4 (Green and Bear) in western Wyoming, there is also the stipulation that no more than one of those fish can be a cutthroat more than 12 inches long.

“Streams and rivers are a significantly different trout habitat than lakes and we manage them differently,” Miller said. “Trout don’t grow as fast and most stream populations are wild fish that rely on natural reproduction, so it makes sense to have more conservative limits.”

Anglers are alerted that, as in past regulations, there are several exceptions to the statewide limits on specific waters. Those exceptions are listed under the specific drainage areas on pages 23-33 in the new regulations.

Brook trout, the prolific import from the Upper Midwest and New England, now have a simple 16 fish daily limit, with no size restrictions whatsoever.

“Brookies reproduce so well and generally grow so fast, we just didn’t think size restrictions were needed on most waters,” Miller said. “And in most cases the populations would benefit from the additional harvest.”

Some brook trout exceptions exist, however, such as the heavily fished Pole Mountain area between Cheyenne and Laramie.

In addition to brook trout being separate from the general statewide limit, starting in 2012 lake trout or mackinaw, also have a separate limit of six with only one exceeding 24 inches.

“We had made specific water exceptions for most lake trout waters over the years, so establishing this statewide limit will actually help clean up the regulations a little,” he added.

Whitefish seem to be on the decline all across the West, including in Wyoming. So the Game and Fish is reducing the limit on that native species to six per day.

There are also changes and clarification for live baitfish or minnows. As of Jan. 1, only fathead minnows can be commercially raised for baitfish in the Cowboy State. Commercially produced live batfish may be used in all waters east of the Continental Divide where minnows are allowed.

The areas in which wild-caught live baitfish can be possessed are also clarified. These wild-caught live baitfish possession areas explain where baitfish captured by seines or traps can be transported, stored and used and are specific to the particular area where the they are collected.

Wild-caught live baitfish may not be taken out of the possession area where they were collected.

Fishing regulations are reviewed every two years with changes occurring at the start of even number years. It is always a good idea to check the regulations prior to fishing, but it is particularly important to check for any changes at the beginning of an even numbered year.

Any changes in the regulations are in blue type in the new regulations. Regulations can be picked up at the nearest Game and Fish office, license agent or online at http://gf.state.wy.us.

Anglers are also reminded to purchase a 2012 fishing license before heading out on the first fishing trip of the new year.

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Fish and Wildlife hatcheries boost Wyoming economy

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Fish and Wildlife hatcheries boost Wyoming economy.

CASPER, Wyo. — Fish stocked in Wyoming from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries contributed to $24 million worth of economic activity in 2010, according to an agency report.

More than 2 million agency fish were stocked in Wyoming waters, resulting in an estimated 361,738 angling days and over $15 million in retail sales.

The report takes into account economic activity related to Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries only.

Jim Caudill, economics chief for the agency, noted that an earlier study pegged 2006 total retail expenditures associated with freshwater fishing in Wyoming at $500 million.

Fish and Wildlife Service stocking and related fishing in Wyoming resulted in 227 jobs and job income of more than $7 million, he said.

“It’s not the economic driver obviously, but it’s not insignificant,” Caudill said.

Caudill said the $24 million industrial output figure takes into account the multiplier impacts of initial expenditures that arise from angling for fish stocked by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Larry Gamble, geographic supervisor for the fisheries program, said fish from Fish and Wildlife Service facilities in Wyoming are not stocked exclusively in local waters.

A Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery in one state often benefits many states, Gamble said. For example, rainbow trout eggs produced at a facility in Ennis, Mont., are shipped to three dozen states.

He said stocking decisions are made in close cooperation with state game and fish officials.

Two Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries are located in Wyoming. The Saratoga National Fish Hatchery produces trout and trout eggs to fill needs across the U.S. Its broodstock trout species are lake, brown and rainbow trout.

The Saratoga hatchery includes 37 raceways and 16 tanks fed by springs and wells, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service website.

The Jackson National Fish Hatchery produces Snake River cutthroat trout for federal, state and tribal waters in Wyoming and Idaho. It produces more than 1 million eggs and 400,000 trout annually.

The Fish and Wildlife Service fisheries program, in association with state agencies and other conservation groups, contributes $3.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 68,000 jobs, according to the agency.

The National Fish Hatchery System generates $900 million in industrial output annually and $550 million in retail sales.

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