Flaming Gorge Management
Fisheries managers from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, in partnership with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, have begun efforts to tag 1,000 lake trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The tagging will help estimate the population of lake trout under 28 inches long. Anglers can help the Game and Fish generate a better population estimate simply by fishing. If anglers catch a lake trout with a tag, they have a chance at being awarded $50. Tags are located directly beneath the dorsal fin, are a couple inches long and are orange in color. Each tag is two-sided; one side has a tag number and the other, a phone number to the Green River regional office. Participating in this population study is easy, and could mean a payout for lucky anglers who turn in tagged trout.
Questions and Answers Regarding Lake Trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a magnificent, man-made reservoir, offering many recreational opportunities, especially fishing and boating. Flaming Gorge Dam stands 502 feet tall and was completed in 1964. The surface area of the reservoir is over 65 sq miles, with varying depths, and is 430 feet deep in its deepest spot.
Many anglers have asked questions about lake trout management in Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Wyoming side. Green River fisheries managers have put together a list of these questions and their answers for anglers to review.
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ATTENTION ANGLERS:
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is known for its trophy lake trout. Currently, the population of smaller lake trout is high and fisheries managers want anglers to catch the smaller lake trout to help maintain the trophy class lake trout. Small lake trout also taste really good.
You can learn more about how to catch smaller lake trout and how to cook smaller lake trout
Photo: Lucy Wold, WGFD
This is just one of the illegally introduced burbot in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This fish was caught by the Green River fisheries crew during annual gill netting operations.The burbot has swallowed a rainbow trout whole.
Sometime in the late 1990's or early 2000, someone or some persons illegally introduced burbot, also known as ling, into the Green River Drainage. The invasive species began showing up in WGFD Green River netting surveys in 2003. Their presence as changed area fishing management and opportunities forever. The only way to have some sort of control on burbot is with angler harvest and liberal regulations.
Fishing for illegally transplanted burbot in the Green River drainage has become popular with ice anglers. Fishery managers have set liberal regulations on burbot to encourage anglers to harvest as many burbot as possible and help suppress these voracious non-native predators. There is no limit on burbot in the Area 4, which includes all of the Green River drainage including Flaming Gorge, Fontenelle Reservoir and Big Sandy Reservoir.
You can learn more about how to catch burbot and how to cook burbot by clicking on the attachments below.