2004Fishing

Species

	The brown trout was introduced to America from Europe. It is now widely distributed in lakes and streams throughout Wyoming. In streams, brown trout prefer dense cover, particularly overhead cover from undercut banks and vegetation. Brown trout are slightly more tolerant of high water temperatures than other trout. The brown trout is a fall spawner. Like most trout, young browns feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and plankton in lakes and reservoirs. Brown trout over twelve inches usually prefer larger food items such as small fish and crayfish. Due to their longer life span (up to ten years) and preference for large food items, brown trout often reach trophy sizes. Fish over ten pounds are not uncommon, and fish over twenty pounds have been taken from the North Platte River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The current state record from Flaming Gorge is 25.81 pounds, though fish over thirty pounds have been taken by anglers on the Utah end of the reservoir. Brown trout are more nocturnal than other trout and, therefore, early morning and late evening fishermen are usually most successful. Most conventional trout fishing techniques work for brown trout. Trolling large plugs is especially effective for trophy browns in large reservoirs. Browns are distinguished from rainbow and cutthroat by the relative lack of spots on the unformed caudal fin, by the typical presence of orange spots on the side, and by the orange border on the adipose fin. Brown have dark spots on a lighter background versus light spots on a darker background as found in brook trout. A hybrid between the brown trout and brook trout, called the tiger trout, is sometimes seen in Wyoming, characterized by a rather striking striped color pattern.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)

	Rainbow trout are native to the Pacific coast and have been introduced widely to Wyoming. Rainbow are presently the most important fish used in Wyomingís hatchery system. The rainbow, like the cutthroat, is a spring spawner. Since these two species are fairly close relatives, hybridization often occurs. Because of this, rainbow are no longer being stocked in waters containing native populations of cutthroat trout. Rainbow prefer cool, clear water, either streams or lakes, with maximum water temperatures below seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Food of the rainbow trout in lakes is mainly plankton, but they also eat aquatic insects, snails, crayfish, and fresh water shrimp. Larger rainbow prey on small fish. The primary food in streams is aquatic insects. Rainbow are readily caught with spinning, bait, and fly fishing gear. The current state record for rainbow trout is a twenty-three-pound fish taken from Burnt Lake in Sublette County. Rainbows are distinguished from cutthroat by the absence of basibranchial teeth, the absence of cutthroat markings under the jaw, a white tip on the pelvic and anal fins, and more uniform spotting pattern. They are distinguished from kokanee by eleven anal fin rays versus thirteen to fifteen for the kokanee.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

	The brook trout is native to the eastern United States and Canada from Labrador to Georgia and westward to Wisconsin. This species was widely introduced in the western United States from the late 1800s until around 1940. The brook trout prefers clean, cold streams and has become well established in the mountain regions throughout most of the state. The brook trout is a prolific fall spawner. In small streams, it often overpopulates, which may eliminate other trout species and cause the brook trout to remain ìstuntedî or unable to grow past a relatively small size. Like most stream trout, brook troutís food consists mainly of aquatic insects. Larger brook trout, particularly in lakes, often feed on smaller fish. Brook trout are easily caught using most popular fishing methods. The state record fish was taken from Green River Lake and weighed 9.69 pounds. Most brook trout in Wyoming range from six to ten inches. The brook trout is distinguished from the true trout (genus Salmo) by light spots on a dark background, and from lake trout by a relatively square caudal fin and the presence of blue or pink spots.
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

	The Cutthroat trout is the only trout native to Wyoming. Six subspecies of cutthroat originally occurred in Wyoming, through the greenback cutthroat of the South Platte Drainage is now extinct in the state. The subspecies still found in Wyoming include the Colorado River cutthroat from the Green and Little Snake River Drainage, the Yellowstone cutthroat from the Yellowstone Basin, the Bonneville cutthroat from the Bear River Drainage, the West Slope cutthroat from the Upper Missouri Drainage in Yellowstone Park, and the Snake River cutthroat from the Snake River Drainage. Cutthroat are not native in the North Platte Drainage. The Snake River cutthroat is a fine-spotted variety while the other subspecies have larger spots. Cutthroat are spring spawners. Principal food of the cutthroat is plankton and aquatic insects in lakes, and aquatic insects in streams. Cutthroat over twelve inches, especially Snake River cutthroat, often feed on small fish and crayfish. Most convention trout fishing techniques work fine for the cutthroat ? in fact, they are one of the easiest trout to catch on hook and line. the state record cutthroat weighed fifteen pounds and was taken from Native Lake, Sublette County, in 1959. Cutthroat can be distinguished from other trout by the orange or red ìcutthroatî markings under the lower jaw. They are also distinguished from rainbow trout by the presence of very small basibranchial teeth (toward the back of the tongue) and black spotting or purplish color of the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins which usually have white tips in rainbow trout.
Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarki)


Golden

Regulations

Wyoming Game and Fish Commission

How to Use These Regulations

1) Review the laws and regulations including methods of take and unlawful practices (pages 3-7).

2) Review general creel limits (page 2).

3) Consult statewide map (page 23) for drainage area of interest and regulations and seasons for that area (pages 10-21).

4) Use thumb guides for easy reference to drainage areas 1-5.

5) Look for area wide and individual water exceptions within each area (pages 10-21).

ONLY EXCEPTIONS TO GENERAL FISHING OR BOATING REGULATIONS ARE SHOWN FOR EACH AREA.

6) New or changed regulations for 2004- 2005 are highlighted in blue throughout the booklet.

7) If water of interest is not listed, general seasons and creel limits (page 2) apply.

2004 through 2005 Wyoming Fishing Regulations

This fishing regulation booklet was updated and printed in December 2003.

2 • 2004 – 2005 Wyoming Fishing Regulations

2004–2005 CREEL LIMITS

Any fish caught that is not to be counted in the creel limit shall be immediately released to the water with as little injury to the fish as possible. Any fish placed on a stringer, in a container, in a live well, or not released immediately to the water, shall be considered to be reduced to possession of the angler. No fish that has been reduced to possession of the angler shall be released alive without first obtaining written approval from the Department.

SPECIES General Daily Creel & Possession Limits

Trout, salmon and grayling in combination ....................... six (6) only one (1) fish shall exceed twenty (20) inches.

Brook trout eight (8) inches or less ........................................ ten (10) in addition to general creel limit on trout (does not

apply in the Green River Drainage in Lincoln, Sublette, and Sweetwater counties).

Whitefish ....................................................................................... fifty (50).

Largemouth / smallmouth bass in combination ............. six (6).

Walleye and sauger in combination ...................................... six (6).

Catfish and ling (burbot) in combination ........................... six (6).

Northern pike and tiger musky .......................................... three (3) all northern pike and tiger musky less than thirty (30)

(northern pike-muskellunge hybrid) in combination inches in length shall be released to the water immediately.

Sturgeon ........................................................................................two (2).

Wyoming Game & Fish Commission / Visit our web site at http://gf.state.wy.us • 3

CONSERVATION STAMP

Each person licensed to hunt or fish in Wyoming, with the exception of license holders listed below, must purchase a single Conservation Stamp, which will be valid for one calendar year. The stamp must be signed in ink and in immediate possession while engaged in the act of hunting or fishing. Conservation stamps may be purchased from Game and Fish Department offices and license-selling agencies throughout the state. The following license holders are exempt from purchasing a Conservation Stamp:

Pioneer Fishing license holders; Daily Fishing license holders; or Daily Game Bird/Small Game license holders.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

FISHING LICENSES ARE REQUIRED—for resident and nonresident anglers 14 years or older. Exceptions are waters where fishing preserve permits, landowner fishing regulations or institutional permits apply.

RESIDENT YOUTH—under 14 do not need a license and their creel limit is the same as those requiring licenses.

NONRESIDENT YOUTH—under 14 do not need a license if accompanied by an adult possessing a valid Wyoming fishing license; however, the nonresident youth’s creel limit shall be applied to and limited by the fishing license held by the adult person in his/her company.

RESIDENT—means a person who has been a resident of Wyoming and domiciled in Wyoming for not less than one year and who has not claimed residency elsewhere for any purpose during that one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for a license.

PIONEER—To be eligible for a Pioneer Bird, Fish and Small Game License you must be a resident who is sixty five (65) years of age or older and who has continuously resided in Wyoming for at least thirty (30) years IMMEDIATELY preceding application for the license. The Pioneer Bird, Fish and Small Game license is valid as long as the licensee remains a Wyoming resident.

ARCHERY–it is legal to take nongame fish by bow and arrow and by crossbow without a license or permit.

“ARTIFICIAL FLIES & LURES” means manmade flies and lures. Artificial lures include spoons, spinners and plugs made of metal, plastic, wood and other non-edible materials, or plastic products made to resemble worms, eggs, fish and other aquatic organisms. Artificial flies includes flies, streamers, jigs, and poppers tied from such materials as thread, feathers, hair and tinsel. Artificial flies and lures does not include living or dead organisms or edible parts thereof, natural or prepared organic food stuffs, or chemical attractants.

“ARTIFICIAL LIGHT” means any man-made light or lighting device. No person shall use an artificial light with a sole purpose of aiding in the attraction or taking of fish. No person shall use any device to physically extend an artificial light over the water to attract fish. It is illegal to use or attempt to use artificially lighted hooked devices. Artificial lights used for navigation, safety, preparing fishing equipment, observing fishing rods and lines and artificially lighted bobbers are legal. Artificial lights within watercraft or on the shore, which are not otherwise prohibited, are legal.

“BAIT” means living or dead organisms or edible parts thereof, natural or prepared organic food, and chemical attractants used in the taking of fish.

“BAIT FISH” means nongame fish.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS

License Fees

Resident Fishing License .............................$18

Resident Daily Fishing License* ....................$3

Resident Youth Fishing License (between 14th & 18th birthdays) ..............$3

Nonresident Fishing License .......................$75

Nonresident Daily Fishing License* ...........$10

Nonresident Youth Annual Fishing License (between 14th & 18th birthdays) ............$15

Wyoming Conservation Stamp..................$10

Lifetime Conservation Stamp ..................$150

Resident Lifetime Fishing License** ........$250

Resident Lifetime Fishing License & Conservation Stamp** .......................$400

Flaming Gorge Reservoir Reciprocal Stamp .........................................................$10

Bait Minnow Seining & Trapping License* .$15

Bait Minnow Dealer License* .....................$55

* Conservation stamp is not required for this license.

** Available only from the Cheyenne Headquarters Office.

You must have continuously resided in Wyoming for at least 10 years immediately preceding the date of application to be eligible for lifetime licenses.

Stream Access and Trespass

Wyoming’s trespass law states that a member of the public has the privilege to enter private land only with the explicit permission of the landowner. It is legal to float through private land but it is the responsibility of the floater to know if the land is public or private. If you are floating through private land you must stay in your boat at all times unless permission has been obtained from the landowner. State law only allows you to leave your craft for short portages around non-navigable obstacles. The streambed is the property of the landowner. So wading or anchoring without permission is trespassing.

Permission is always required to cross private lands. Access to state lands for public use is only permitted if these lands are accessible from an existing public road, or border other public lands where you can access the state lands without crossing private lands. If you are unsure, check with the land management agency (BLM, USFS, State of Wyoming, etc.) responsible for the land in question.

Public land maps, available from the Bureau of Land Management, are excellent guides for avoiding a $210 trespassing ticket. In all cases, respect the land, the landowner, and those who come after you by removing litter and minimizing evidence of your presence and the evidence of others that have not been so considerate. Treating your access as a privilege goes a long way in gaining more access for fishing and hunting in Wyoming – so do your part.

Drainage Area 4

351 Astle Ave.,
Green River, WY 82935
800-843-8096
307-875-3223

Box 850,
Pinedale, WY 82941
800-452-9107
307-367-4353

OTHER WILDLIFE

Wildlife - The Bridger Wilderness contains a rich diversity of wildlife species, including large mammals such as moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, bears, badgers, yellow-bellied marmots, and beaver. Black bears live in these mountains, but they rarely disturb humans and are infrequently seen. If you happen to encounter a bear that has become familiar with humans and is bothering your camp, keep a clean camp. Do not bury garbage. It is advisable to hang food, toothpaste, garbage, and other odorous products from a tree branch at least 10 feet above ground and 4 feet from the tree trunk,

A unique small mammals is the pika, which can be found in talus slopes. It resembles a rabbit with small round ears, and is distinguished by its sharp chirp with which it signals danger. The pika (also called coney or rock rabbit) remains in the mountains an winter, but unlike its relative the marmot, it doesn't hibernate. It makes "hay" of mountain grasses, which it stores to eat over the long winter.

Birds that are common in the Bridger Wilderness include the Canada ("gray" ) jay, Clark s Nutcracker, and raven. These birds generally show up around camp when there's food around. The high meadows are home to water pipits, rosy finches, and mountain bluebirds. The dipper may be seen in fast-moving mountain streams. It stands on streamside rocks, bowing and bobbing, until it decides to plunge into the icy water for insects. The bird uses its wings to propel itself underwater in search of food. It has one of the most melodious songs in the wilderness, and can be heard singing even in winter.

Historically, the Bridger Wilderness had no fish in most of its lakes. Stocking programs during the 1920's and 1930 s were successful, and today one can find six trout species, grayling, and mountain whitefish.

The most vicious and complained about species of wildlife during the summer months is the mosquito. Do bring repellent.