Anglers are often called upon to help quell the spread of invasive species. This especially true in the case of burbot in western Wyoming. Wyoming needs the agility and skill of burbot aficionados to halt the impact of these predators on the Cowboy state’s sport and native fish. If you’re up to the challenge, there’s plenty for you.

The Green River drainage is the epicenter of the burbot’s invasive impact. These fish were illegally introduced in the Green River drainage, first documented in the Big Sandy Reservoir in 2001 and then subsequently in the Big Sandy Reservoir in 2003 and Fontenelle Reservoir in 2005. They were first netted in Flaming Gorge Reservoir in 2006. Since their introduction, burbot have spread widely throughout the drainage and have recently been caught in the Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir. 

Here’s the issue. “Burbot are an aggressive predator foraging on almost everything they encounter, including fish,” said Robert Keith, Green River regional fisheries supervisor. “Their large mouth allows them to prey on fish up to half their total length. This is significant when you consider burbot over 40 inches have been caught in the Green River drainage.”

But, their aggressive feeding behavior is also their Achilles Heel. These big-mouthed monsters are extremely vulnerable to hook and line angling. Really, they swallow up anything you throw at them. 
Burbot do have a native range in Wyoming, is on the east side of the continental divide. They are so susceptible to angling that the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on the eastern side of the continental divide have set conservative creel limits (3 fish limit) to reduce burbot harvest

“Overharvest is one reason populations are declining and struggling to persist in their native range,” Keith said.  

But, the western side of the continental divide is another story. This is where the burbot are behaving like an invasive species and are managed accordingly.  

“Game and Fish efforts to manage against burbot in the Green River drainage have been and continue to be multi-faceted. Burbot management is a combination of information, education, angler recruitment, research and regulation,” said Dirk Miller, Game and Fish deputy chief of fisheries. “Yet, angler harvest is currently the most effective tool available reduce burbot numbers in the drainage.

Following their discovery, the Game and Fish worked diligently to implement a rapid series of regulation changes designed to give anglers the tools they need to catch and remove as many burbot as possible. Many regulations are different now than they were prior to burbot colonizing the drainage.

Current regulations classify burbot as a non-game species in the Green River drainage with no creel limits and a requirement that the fish be killed immediately upon capture.  Furthermore, Game and Fish changed a long-standing regulation that prohibited the use of light during angling. Anglers are now allowed to use light while angling; a distinct advantage as burbot are primarily nocturnal and especially vulnerable to lures that glow.

Game and Fish, at times, in partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, has worked to better understand burbot in the Green River drainage. Past and present research projects have focused on the ecology and life history of burbot in the waters of the drainage. The knowledge gained is readily shared with anglers so they can catch and remove more burbot. 
Burbot derbies have also been a key component of the Game and Fish efforts to shine a spotlight on the problems caused by illegally introduced species like burbot and to recruit anglers to help catch and remove burbot. 

“The burbot derbies have not only succeeded at removing large numbers of burbot through angler harvest during derby weekends, but have also been a useful tool to recruit new anglers to the fishery,” said Keith.

Derbies generate quite the buzz in the angling community. To date, derbies on Flaming Gorge Reservoir have removed over 29,000 burbot. Derby participants travel from across the western United States and even a few from the eastern part of the country. 

Anglers interested in helping to remove burbot this winter have plenty of opportunities with excellent rewards. Burbot are beginning their spawning migration, and anglers have the potential to catch fish ranging from 25-40 inches in the spawning staging areas, like the Green River arm and Blacks Fork area of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Several burbot derbies are also planned for the winter. The schedule includes:

La Barge Ding-The-Ling

• Location:  Fontenelle Reservoir
• Sponsored by the LaBarge Activities Committee
• One night derby - Jan. 7-8
• Registration and fishing starts on Jan. 7
• Fishing stops and Awards Ceremony on Jan. 8

Burbot Bash

• Location:  Flaming Gorge Reservoir
• Sponsor:  Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce
• Two night derby - Jan. 20-22
• Register online or register and fish starting on Jan. 20
• Fishing stops and Awards Ceremony on Jan. 22

Burbot Classic

• Location:  Flaming Gorge Reservoir
• Sponsor:  Buckboard Marina
• Two night derby - Feb. 3-4
• Register online or register and fish starting on Feb. 3
• Fishing stops and Awards Ceremony on Feb. 5

Each tag is imprinted with "2017 Burbot Raffle WGFD 307-875-3223". If you catch a burbot with this tag, call the number and Game and Fish office personnel provide instructions on how to mail the tag with contact information to the Game and Fish Green River Office. Successful anglers will be officially entered into the drawing when their tag and contact information is received at the Green River office.
The winning tag will be drawn on Jan. 8 at the La Barge Ding the Ling derby.  Anglers need not be part of the derby nor present during the drawing to win the 2017 Burbot Raffle.

Burbot are best caught with with luminescent lures after dark. Tip a lure that glows, be it a grub bodied jig or a jigging spoon, with a little sucker meat or other legal bait and hold on. Burbot prefer rocky habitats and start cruising slopes adjacent to and within rocky habitat as soon as the sunsets in the evening in search of food. Start fishing depths between 20 and 40 feet, but don’t hesitate to try shallower or deeper on any given evening.  Two additional pointers, recharge your lure frequently, every 10-15 minutes. Lures with a bright glow catch more fish than those with a dim glow or no glow. Burbot typically travel in packs. If you catch one, get the lure back down as soon as possible because there may be more waiting below.

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By Sara DiRienzo, Wyoming Game and Fish Public Outreach Specialist and Robert Keith, Green River Fisheries Supervior