EVANSTON — Robb Keith, fisheries specialist with Wyoming Game and Fish Department, held a meeting Friday at the Bear River pavilion to discuss what is happening with the fisheries in southwest Wyoming. He talked about challenges, successes and possible upcoming changes in regulations.

Discussion about Flaming Gorge made up a large portion of the presentation, with about 30 anglers present at the meeting.

Game and Fish continues to perform a lot of population monitoring. 

Keith said the department stocked about two million fish in the Green River region and almost 1 million of those were kokanee stocked in Flaming Gorge. Officials also stocked 75,000 kokanee in Fontenelle Reservoir, along with 45,000 rainbow trout, 17,000 Snake River cutthroat and 15,000 Bonneville cutthroat.

Keith said Game and Fish might increase the number of Bonneville cutthroat stocking and reduce the stocking of Snake River cutthroats because it appears the Bonneville cutthroats are having a better survival rate and are eating other non-game fish, such as burbot. 

Rainbow and brown trout numbers have doubled in recent years, and 2018 should be a great year for kokanee in Fontenelle.

In the Green River drainage, Keith said officials estimate about 700 to 800 fish per mile.

In Viva Naughton, Game and Fish is currently stocking about 60,000 rainbow trout and 15,000 tiger trout. The tiger trout are doing well by eating chubs and it is expected that tiger trout will get up to 15 pounds and measure more than 25 inches.

Game and Fish plans not to make many changes to its program at Sulphur Creek — roundworm is limiting the lifespan of fish in the lake. The introduction of walleye and smallmouth bass have created problems with trout survival.

In the past few years, Game and Fish has been stocking larger trout in the fall to help them avoid predation from the more aggressive sport species with some success and, combined with unlimited harvest on walleye, the state has seen a reduction in the number of walleye.

The stocking of kokanee at Flaming Gorge has been crucial for many sport fish as they provide a key food source for lake trout.

What state officials have noticed in the last 20 years has been a consistent reduction in the size of the lake trout caught on the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge. To combat the size reduction, the state allows eight lake trout per day or in possession and only one can be more than 28 inches.

“We are considering either increasing the daily limit or the possession limit — or possibly both,” Keith said. “We need to reduce the number of small lake trout and allow the species to reach trophy size. We want anglers to target the small lakers.”

Keith said that in recent studies, compared to older studies, they have witnessed the growth rate for lake trout slow dramatically. A study in 1992 showed that the average 10-year-old lake trout would reach 15 pounds, but now would only reach 4.5-pounds.

“You can see it when you catch one,” Keith said, “the fish have huge heads and thin, emaciated bodies.”

The good news is that the burbot numbers have been holding steady at Flaming Gorge.

“Initially, after they were illegally introduced,” Keith said, “we watched their numbers increase dramatically. Steps we have taken combined with the various burbot derbies, have caused a reduction and now the numbers are steady and close to our goal.”

The state is looking at how to balance out the disparity of permits for Flaming Gorge between Utah and Wyoming. Currently, the stamps to fish both sides of the reservoir generate about $96,000 for Wyoming, but 70 percent of the anglers fishing on the Wyoming side are from other states. Many of them purchase a Utah license and pay only $10 to fish the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge. State officials are considering ways to balance out the disparity.

Zebra mussels have been a big concern throughout the West and there are laws in place to reduce the chance of the invasive species taking over local waterways. 

“As of Jan. 1, boat plugs must be removed while transporting a boat.” Keith said. “The best way to stop the transfer of zebra mussel is to keep the boat dry.”

The problem comes with the ability to enforce the regulation. Ideally, Game and Fish would like to have border crossings and Wyoming Highway Patrol involved in checking boats. But that can be tricky with tightening budgets, time constraints and some impatient fishermen who just want to get to the water quickly.

“It is difficult, and many think it is not their problem,” Keith said, “but when the mussels start clogging up the waterways they use to water crops and provide drinking water, then it becomes everyone’s problem. So far, we have been able to avoid any serious problems, and we would like to keep it that way. I’m sure we can all find a way.”