Proposed regs for Flaming Gorge

[Bigfishrule]

F.Y.I.

[size 1][#999999]Posted Thursday, July 28, 2005
[/#999999][/size] Lake trout and kokanne salmon changes proposed for Flaming Gorge
The lake trout limit at Flaming Gorge Reservoir would increase to eight fish and the period of time that anglers would be required to release kokanee salmon would be lengthened under recommendations the Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing for Utah's 2006 fishing season.
The DWR will present the proposals at an upcoming series of public meetings.
All of the DWR's fishing proposals will be available for review by early August on this Web site.
Those who attend the meetings can learn more about the proposals and can provide their input and suggestions. Citizens representing Utah's five Regional Advisory Councils will take the public input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets Sept. 8 in Salt Lake City to approve Utah's 2006 Fishing Proclamation.
Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows: [ul] [li]Southern Region
Aug. 16, 7 p.m.
Beaver High School
195 E. Center St., Beaver [/li][/ul] [ul] [li]Southeastern Region
Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St., Green River [/li][/ul] [ul] [li]Northeastern Region
Aug. 18, 6:30 p.m.
Uintah Basin Applied Technology College
1100 E. Lagoon St., Roosevelt [/li][/ul] [ul] [li]Central Region
Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m.
Springville Junior High School
165 S. 700 E., Springville [/li][/ul] [ul] [li]Northern Region
Aug. 24, 6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W., Brigham City [/li][/ul]
Proposed changes at Flaming Gorge
Big lake trout and more kokanee salmon should be available in the future at Flaming Gorge under recommendations the DWR is proposing. Among the DWR's proposals at Flaming Gorge for 2006: [ul] [li]Raise the lake trout limit to eight fish. The lake trout limit at the reservoir is currently four fish. Only one of the lake trout could exceed 28 inches in length. [li]Require anglers to release all kokanee salmon caught from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30. Currently, anglers must release all kokanee salmon caught between Oct. 1 and Nov. 7. [li]Set a burbot limit of 25 fish. Anglers would be required to keep and kill any burbot they caught. [/li][/ul]
Raising the lake trout limit
Tom Pettengill, sport fisheries coordinator for the DWR, says an abundant population of small lake trout is causing problems for lake trout and kokanee salmon in Flaming Gorge.
The lake trout are competing with each other for food, which is slowing how fast the lake trout can grow. The abundant lake trout also are preying heavily on the reservoir's kokanee salmon.
"Anglers can help correct the problems, and we need to get the regulations changed to allow them to do that," Pettengill said. "We want to allow anglers to keep lots of small lake trout, but we also want to protect the larger fish in the reservoir by not allowing anglers to keep more than one lake trout over 28 inches."
If the proposal is approved, Pettengill hopes anglers will take advantage of the regulation and keep lots of smaller lake trout. "There are gobs of five-pound and smaller lake trout in Flaming Gorge," he said. "They're much easier to catch than the larger fish are, and they're great to eat. They're not as greasy as the older fish, and they have a great flavor."
Releasing kokanee salmon in the fall
In addition to allowing anglers to keep more lake trout, the DWR also is proposing increasing the period of time when anglers must release kokanee salmon in the fall.
"We've found that lengthening the time anglers must release kokanee salmon saves more fish than reducing the daily kokanee salmon limit by one fish does," Pettengill said. "If we can reduce the number of kokanees kept during the fall spawning period, more kokanees will be able to spawn and anglers should find more fish to catch during early and mid-summer, which is one of the best times of the year to catch kokanee salmon."
Burbot
An additional proposal, that would help both kokanee salmon and lake trout, is a requirement that anglers keep and kill burbot.
"Burbots are a cold water predator that were illegally introduced above Flaming Gorge and have found their way into the reservoir," Pettengill said. "They can reach 15 to 18 pounds in weight. One thing the fishery doesn't need is another large predator preying on kokanee salmon and competing with lake trout for food."
Utah's burbot regulation is the same regulation Wyoming has established for its portion of the Gorge.
"Burbot are an unattractive fish, but they're very good to eat," he said. "We hope anglers will eat the burbots they catch."
For more information about the meetings, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700
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[Theekillerbee]

Sounds pretty reasonable. The "unnatractive" burbot really got my attention. Anyone have a picture of one of these ugly fish? Have any of you ever caught one out of the gorge?
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[Coldfooter]

Take a peek.
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[Fishhound]

I don't have a photo but I do know what they are. Sometimes reffered to as "Eelpout" or "Ling" (the scientific name is "Lota Lota" (a fresh water member of the Cod family) - They look something like a catfish(to be loosely translated) and can get fairly large(10-15 pounds). They are a deep dwelling(in larger deep stillwater lakes, resevoirs, and rivers) fish species and very predacious. They are not good fighters and considered a rough(trash to some) fish - so, keep'm all(I doubt you'll limit out - in many places there are no limits on them). They do come into the shallow water occasionally at some times of the year - I think to spawn or eat the spawn of other fish or to cruise and browse under the ice.

In my experience, it's kind of like fighting an average sized walleye, but not quite as tastey - although, if cooked right, they're OK. They eat crustaceans and small fish mostly, and can be caught by a variety of methods - mostly deeper and by immitating almost any aquatic living animal(it seems like they'll hit anything that moves or is even just about stationary(very catfish-like)). They are often caught when fishing for other species like trout and while ice fishing for anything else - they are active in the winter. Jigs, spinners, spoons, crankbaits, live baits, iceflies, dead minnows, worms, leeches or just about anything a person can catch any other species of fish with, can work. Although, I have not had any success with cut baits, I have talked with people who say they have.
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[kokeking]

I was wondering when utah was going to have their meeting on this issue.Wyo held meeting's in may.i urge everyone that fishes the gorge to attend these meetings ,and make your voice heard.Personally i think the new regs will really help the gorge as a whole.

As for the ling the wyo g&f say that they are in the gorge ,but i haven't talked to any one that has caught one.I think they would show up in the fire hole area first,as they said that the ling were in the green river,and that's where the river enters the lake.

The illegal introduction of walleye into up stream tributaries that flow into the the gorge will also be a big concern ,in up coming years.
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[CROSSINEYES]

WALLEYES IN THE TRIBS? HAS THIS REALY OCCERD AT THE GORGE? NOW I LOVE THE EYES BUT ITS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE EXCESSIVE. I DONT KNOW IF EYE WOULD TARGET KOKES BUT THEY WOULD PLAY HELL WITH THE REST. SOME LAKES IN CANADA HAVE BOTH AND SEEM TO BOTH PROSPER. HEY I BET THOSE LAKERS WOULD LOVE THE TAIST OF WALLEYE. COULD BE ALTERNATIVE FORAGE. EYES LIVE DEEP AND DWELL ON THE BOTTOM TROUT WONT HAVE AS FAR TO GO FOR A MEAL. STILL HOPE NOT THOUGH.
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[kokeking]

Yes walleye in the gorge,this was confrimed at the regulation change meeting in may.As it was explanied to those that were present,was the surge pond at the jim Bridger power plant ,east of Rock Spring's had become infected with walleyes( bucket biologist's).The Wyo G&F decided to poison the pond in order to stop the walleye from making their way in to the gorge.Even with thier best intention and efforts,walleyes have shown up in the gorge.Now some people might think it would be great to have another type of fish to go after.

But this would do no good and would cause great harm to the gorge as a fishery.The lack of avaliable habatat ,competetion with other fish for food,and not to mention what the walleyes would do to all the fish that are stocked . The bass,rainbow,brown, and small mac population's would see a difinte drop in catch rates.The kokanee population is in a fragile stage as it is.I think the new changes in the regs will help the lake ,more then allowing walleye to become part of the gorge.Yes the big macks would like a new food source,but at what cost .

In my eyes both the state of Wyo and Utah lose,and so does the fisherman that fish's the gorge.Both wyo and Utah have other lakes that have walleye for the angler to catch.IMO the gorge does not need to be one one them.
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