Green River — Wyoming Game and Fish and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources continue management efforts to reduce numbers of small lake trout or “pups” at Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
“There is currently an abundance of small lake trout less than 24 inches in Flaming Gorge and they need to be thinned for the health of the whole fishery.” Said Robb Keith, Green River Fisheries Supervisor.
High numbers of pups in Flaming Gorge mean increased predation on small trout and salmon. While pups feed opportunistically on these smaller fish, the high numbers of lake trout are having an impact on their populations. Particularly concerning is the impact that pups can have on the kokanee salmon. To the dismay of the anglers, populations of small lake trout in other Western fisheries have devastated kokanee fisheries by consuming vast amounts of small, juvenile kokanee. This is exactly what managers are trying to avoid on Flaming Gorge.
With the impacts of small lake trout in mind, anglers have a new ice fishing derby to participate in this year. Buckboard Marina invites anglers to assist in the targeted removal of small lake trout from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, by hosting the “Pupulation Domination Contest” on Feb. 12-13. This is a total pound contest, where the top five teams with the heaviest average weight of lake trout less than 25 inches win. Lake trout 25 inches or longer will be disqualified from the contest. Teams can consist of 2-4 anglers, and the average weight will be determined by dividing the total pounds of lake trout entered by the number of team members. The top 5 teams will be paid-out, with first place taking home 40% of the entry fees. Register for the Pupulation Domination contest here, the fee is $50 per person.
Ice on the reservoir continues to build, increasing the amount of accessible habitat for lake trout anglers. Anglers who participate in the Pupulation Domination Contest on Feb 12-13 should also consider registering for the Pupulation Control Contest, which began in October 2021, and continues through Jun 12, 2022. Anglers who are registered for the Pupulation Control Contest and turn in a tagged trout will receive an instant cash payout from Buckboard Marina. Entries to the Pupulation Control Contest are $25 per adult, and $10 per youth.
So put a team together with your family and friends, register for the Pupulation Domination Contest, and test your lake trout fishing skills against other anglers. Whether your team enters a few, or many lake trout you will be helping manage the fishery in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
