Green River Fisheries Supervisor Robert Keith said spring netting conducted on the Gorge suggests the numbers of lake trout “pups”, those fish 25 inches and less, are up. 
            “Recent reports from anglers in the Anvil Draw area suggest high catch rates on pups averaging three pounds, with the largest fish being right at four pounds,” Keith said.
“A few burbot and rainbow trout are also being caught. Lake trout pups are being caught in ten to 30 foot of water and both boat and shore anglers should have plenty of action.
Some boat anglers are throwing white, curly-tailed grubs. Shore anglers will likely have luck with the white grubs and spoons counted down and retrieved near the bottom.
Shore anglers are also catching lake trout using gold and silver-colored lures.”
            “Fisheries managers from both Wyoming and Utah are encouraging anglers to get outside and have fun catching the small lake trout,” Keith said. “We are also encouraging folks to harvest fish they can and will use. If the lake trout numbers build too high, it will negatively impact the kokanee salmon fishery in Flaming Gorge Reservoir because the primary food source for larger lake trout is kokanee salmon.”
            The daily limit for lake trout on Flaming Gorge Reservoir is eight per day or in possession. No more than one lake trout shall exceed twenty-eight inches. All lake trout must be kept whole until the angler is off the water or ice and is done fishing for the day. Once off the water or ice and fine fishing for the day, lake trout may be filleted, but a piece of skin large enough to allow species identification (one inch square) shall remain on all fish fillets while in transit or in the field.
            The limit on lake trout less than 28 inches was first liberalized because fisheries managers were concerned with the over-abundance of small lake trout. Ten years later, fisheries managers are still concerned about the abundance of small lake trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
            “Anglers are the most important tool we have for controlling the numbers of small lake trout,” Keith said. “By thinning the abundant small lake trout from the Gorge, anglers are helping to ensure healthy populations of kokanee and trophy lake trout for the future.”        
            Anglers can pick up a free copy of the 2016 Wyoming Fishing Regulations at any regional office of the Game and Fish, most license selling vendors, or print them for the Department’s website wgfd.wyo.gov.
            For questions and or more information call the Game and Fish Green River Regional Office at 307- 875-3223.