CHEYENNE – Ice fishing is becoming increasingly popular in Wyoming, and while most waters in the state are open under general regulations to ice anglers, there are 23 waters that have liberalized regulations covered under the Special Winter Ice Fishing Provision.
On waters covered under the special provision, anglers can use up to six lines when fishing through the ice. The regulation requires that when anglers use more than two lines on these waters, the angler’s name shall be attached to each pole, line, or tip-up. In addition, the angler must be no more than 300 yards from all lines.
On waters
not covered under the provision, anglers can use up to two lines.
Waters
covered under the Special Winter Ice Fishing Provision are as follows:
· Alcova Reservoir in Natrona County
· Big Horn Lake in Bighorn County
· Big Sandy Reservoir in Sweetwater County
· Boysen Reservoir in Fremont County
· Deaver Reservoir in Park County
· Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Sweetwater County
· Fontenelle Reservoir in Lincoln County
· Glendo Reservoir in Platte County
· Goldeneye Reservoir in Natrona County
· Gray Reef Reservoir in Natrona County
· Grayrocks Reservoir in Platte County
· Guernsey Reservoir in Platte County
· Harrington Reservoir in Bighorn County
· Keyhole Reservoir in Crook County
· Kortes Reservoir in Carbon County
· Lake DeSmet in Johnson County
· Ocean Lake in Fremont County
· Pathfinder Reservoir in Carbon and Natrona Counties
· Pilot Butte Reservoir in Fremont County
· Seminoe Reservoir in Carbon County
· Sulphur Creek Reservoir in Uinta County
· Wardell Reservoir in Bighorn County
· Woodruff Reservoir in Uinta County
Complete regulations for waters under the Special Winter Ice Fishing Provision can be found under Fishing Regulations on the Game and Fish website http://gf.state.wy.us and on page 7 of the new 2012-2013 Wyoming Fishing Regulations.
NEW FISHING REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2012
JACKSON – If you head out to go fishing remember that the new year brings changes to the fishing regulations.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, anglers can now keep six
trout of any size in lakes and reservoirs throughout Wyoming, but only 3 trout
from a river or stream, with only one of the three trout over 16 inches.
Additionally, anglers may keep only one cutthroat trout over 12 inches across
most of western Wyoming, or Areas 1, 2, and 4, which include the Snake, Green,
and Wind/Bighorn River drainages. There is also a new statewide lake trout
regulation of 6 lake trout with only 1 over 24 inches.
The creel and possession limits for brook trout and mountain
whitefish will also change. Previously, anglers could keep up to 16 brook trout,
but only six of these fish could be over eight inches. With the new regulations,
anglers will be able to keep and possess up to 16 brook trout of any size. The
mountain whitefish limit has been reduced from 25 down to six fish daily.
In the Jackson Region, a change for most Snake River tributary
streams is a move to close those waters December 1 rather than the current
November 1 closure date. There are some exceptions to this, including Flat
Creek, which will maintain a November 1 closure date.
“The Dec. 1 closure is consistent with local big game winter
range closures,” said Jackson Fish Supervisor, Rob Gipson. “Also, with a fishing
license included in the purchase of a full price elk license, we feel this would
provide elk hunters some additional opportunity with no biological impact to
fish populations.” The Snake River proper will remain open to catch & release
fishing from November 1 through March 31.
One other change will remove the age restriction for anglers
on Flat Creek through the town of Jackson, which allowed youth only. “We’re
certainly supportive of providing kids as much fishing opportunity as possible,
but we didn’t feel like this particular regulation was achieving that goal,”
said Gipson. “It actually made it illegal for adults to provide much assistance
to kids and it prohibited adults with disabilities from fishing those waters.”
In the Pinedale Region, both Rock Crib and Wagon Creek lakes
near Union Pass will now have a limit of six brook trout per day to help protect
those populations. “We also removed the age restriction on the Spring Creek
channel near Cokeville,” said Pinedale Fisheries Supervisor, Hilda Sexauer. “We
felt this would make it easier for parents to fish with their kids, creating
more opportunity for anglers of all ages.”
In the Lander Region, Shoshone Lake and Shoshone
Creek will have a slightly later opening date, being moved back from June 1 to
June 15. The main reason for this change is to prevent resource damage that was
being caused by anglers trying to access the lake in early June prior to trail
readiness. The creel limit at Shoshone will increase from 4 brook trout to 6
brook trout because of healthy fish populations and relatively light harvest. A
regulation of six fish daily was added for Upper Brooks Lake due to concerns
that excessive harvest of brook trout from this small water could significantly
reduce the average size of the catch by anglers.
Fishing regulations are reviewed every two years
with changes occurring at the start of even numbered 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 will be highlighted in the new regulation booklet. Please
pick one up at your nearest Game and Fish Department office, license selling
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.
ANGLERS ASKED TO RETURN BURBOT TAGS
LANDER – Anglers who catch burbot, or “ling”, in lakes of the
upper Wind River Basin are being asked to participate in a new study by
returning information on tagged fish they catch, and earn some money in return.
This fall, researchers tagged over 700 burbot in six different lakes. Those
lakes are: Torrey, Ring, and Trail Lakes; Upper and Lower Dinwoody Lakes; and
Bull Lake. More tagging is planned for the fall of 2012 and 2013.
Tags are blaze orange and are attached between the
first and second dorsal fin. If a tagged burbot is caught, anglers should clip
off the tag and place it in a tag return envelope. Tagged fish do not need to
be harvested in order to return the tag for a reward. Signs describing the
project are posted at each lake along with boxes containing tag return
envelopes. Anglers should place the reward tag in the envelope and fill out the
information requested on the back. The following information is requested: 1)
date fish was caught, 2) lake fish was caught in, 3) fish length, 4) whether the
fish was harvested or released, and 5) a name and mailing address in order to
receive a $10 reward.
Tags can be returned one of three ways: 1) in a completed tag return envelope and returned via mail (envelopes are pre-addressed); 2) dropped off in person at either the Wind River Reservation Fish & Game office in Ethete, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Lander, or the Wyoming Game & Fish office in Lander; or 3) the 10 digit code printed on each reward tag can be entered online at montana.edu/burbot.
The study is designed to determine the effects of exploitation and gather detailed information on population abundance, size structure, and population growth. The cooperative study is being conducted by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe Tribes, and the USGS Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit-Montana State University.
Burbot populations are receiving more attention from fisheries managers across their range. This stems from both a declining trend in burbot stocks and an increase in angler interest. Population declines have been attributed to a variety of factors, such as pollution, habitat alteration, and exploitation. Burbot are native to the Wind River drainage and these populations represent the southwestern extent of their natural range.
Also, burbot are an important sport fish in the Wind River Basin and cultural resource for the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe tribes. Monitoring data on Wind River drainage burbot indicate both a declining trend in abundance and a shift in size structure. Factors thought to be influencing local burbot populations include entrainment in irrigation canals, loss of habitat due to extreme draw downs (as in Bull Lake), and exploitation. However, burbot generally are not well represented in most monitoring programs, so there is a degree of uncertainty regarding their status and the factors influencing their populations in the Wind River drainage.
Researchers emphasize that obtaining data from angler tag returns is crucial to the success of this study. The information gained will greatly improve the understanding of burbot ecology and guide their management in the upper Wind River drainage.
