ASK THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH

[Fryinpan]

Thank you!! for sharing your findings on Healy.  Very interesting and appreciated.

[dfauverii]

Could we get you guys to throw some musky in Renner reservoir?  I know you've put catfish in there and some have become really big but i think a musky would be better for the purpose of eating small fish.  Plus it would be nice to have some around here.  Others in the state have opportunities like that and it sure would be cool if we did.  Also, have you ever shocked Renner and if so what's the biggest bass you've found?  I saw two in there this last summer that were truly huge bass.  My brother and i catch 3-4 pounders out of there regularly and these ones blew them away.  I have bought some much larger lures for the upcoming season in hopes of catching them.

[wyoming_man]

Game and Fish:

Recently someone mentioned on here that High Savery Reservoir is going through some kind of problems / transition?  The guy on here said a lot of fish were dying due to the decomposition of all the sage brush?  Does this have anything to do with the low water?

Are these reports true?  Could you give us an idea of what is going on?

Thanks!

I was the one who mentioned as I had heard from someone else.  I would like to know how true it is as well.
Thanks!

[rbmchief]

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Is this real? It can't be can it? Can you find out the reasoning behind this?

[eve21]

With all of the tickets at the keyhole tournament for people not having their names on their lines, a question came up.  I have a number of ice fishing rods as my wife and two boys also like to fish. You can never have too many right?  They all have my name on them so how does it work if I have them with me or take a friend that doesn't fish much nor have his own gear and he is using rods with my name on it?  Do I have to keep a label maker with me and put everyone's individual name on the line if they want to fish that day?  I understand the purpose behind the rule but on the same token, how would this work to be able to keep introducing people to the sport?

[olefish]

With all of the tickets at the keyhole tournament for people not having their names on their lines, a question came up.  I have a number of ice fishing rods as my wife and two boys also like to fish. You can never have too many right?  They all have my name on them so how does it work if I have them with me or take a friend that doesn't fish much nor have his own gear and he is using rods with my name on it?  Do I have to keep a label maker with me and put everyone's individual name on the line if they want to fish that day?  I understand the purpose behind the rule but on the same token, how would this work to be able to keep introducing people to the sport?

I do the same thing with tipups and just take a peace of white duck tape and write their name on it and put it over my label. My understanding is that if it has your name on it even though another person is using it you are the person it counts toward.

[zjlooney]

With all of the tickets at the keyhole tournament for people not having their names on their lines, a question came up.  I have a number of ice fishing rods as my wife and two boys also like to fish. You can never have too many right?  They all have my name on them so how does it work if I have them with me or take a friend that doesn't fish much nor have his own gear and he is using rods with my name on it?  Do I have to keep a label maker with me and put everyone's individual name on the line if they want to fish that day?  I understand the purpose behind the rule but on the same token, how would this work to be able to keep introducing people to the sport?

I'm the same way, I've never had an issue though.  I don't see what the problem would be if everyone in the group has a fishing license and there are x amount of lines in the water (2 people twelve lines, or two people and four lines, depending on where you're at).  I know I wouldn't stand out on the ice all day just so a buddy could fish twelve lines while I didn't fish at all.  We've been checked numerous times at De Smet and never even been asked about having names on our lines.  I've never been checked at Keyhole though so maybe I should keep that in mind.  I would think some common sense and discretion would be needed in enforcing this one, but then again rules are rules maybe.  Another question would be, what if the lines don't have a name on them at all?  I've never labeled mine.   

[WGFFishBio]

With all of the tickets at the keyhole tournament for people not having their names on their lines, a question came up.  I have a number of ice fishing rods as my wife and two boys also like to fish. You can never have too many right?  They all have my name on them so how does it work if I have them with me or take a friend that doesn't fish much nor have his own gear and he is using rods with my name on it?  Do I have to keep a label maker with me and put everyone's individual name on the line if they want to fish that day?  I understand the purpose behind the rule but on the same token, how would this work to be able to keep introducing people to the sport?

The regulation of having your fishing rods or tip-ups labeled with your name first appeared in 1978-79 for Area 4 (Boysen, Ocean). This regulation first appeared for Keyhole and DeSmet in 1982-83. I am in the same boat you are, lots of rods and tip-ups, a family, and friends. The easiest solution that I have found is to use duct tape and a sharpie. That way if someone new is fishing with me, we can scratch out my name and write his. The label does not have to be permanent, just legible, with your first and last name, so a warden can identify who's is who's, especially when large groups of people are fishing together. If you fish with two or fewer rods or tip-ups, you do not need your gear labeled. Hope this helps.   

[tmeyer]

Wyo G&F Bio,  its been said that a guy from sheridan has caught multiple 26+ inch tiger musky from Healy in the past few weeks.  Are the stocked fish growing at this rate?  Its my understanding the largest stocked was 9 in, and they grow at a rate of 12 inches max per year.  Please give a bit of insight and correct me if the info I have is wrong.   Thanks!!!

 

[WGFFishBio]

Wyo G&F Bio,  its been said that a guy from sheridan has caught multiple 26+ inch tiger musky from Healy in the past few weeks.  Are the stocked fish growing at this rate?  Its my understanding the largest stocked was 9 in, and they grow at a rate of 12 inches max per year.  Please give a bit of insight and correct me if the info I have is wrong.   Thanks!!!

 

The growth of the tiger musky in Healy has been quite phenomenal since their introduction. We stocked 1,000 6 inch musky in October 2012 and in April 2013 these fish were between 11 and 14 inches. By October 2013 I received a reliable report of musky in the 22 inch range. This winter, we have seen anglers catch musky from 22 to 25 inches, so a report of a 26 inch musky does not surprise me. With the plethora of food available to these fish (perch and suckers) we should expect some good growth.

Another example from a lake in Nebraska where tiger musky were stocked at 900 to 1,200 fish per pound or about 1" to 1.5". Thirteen months later these fish were 19 inches.

Given the good growth at Healy so far we should easily see some legal sized (30 inches or bigger) in summer/early fall 2014.

Hope this helps

[tmeyer]

Wow. Never woulda guessed they were gettin that big already!   Thanks for the info!   

[slickrockhounds]

great info, thanks WY G&F for taking time to participate I think that is great

[dfauverii]

  So how about some tiger musky in renner?  Never got a response and i'm hopeful.  Also i heard something about a change in the regulations on use of artificial light.  The person that told me said he heard something about it on K2 news but didn't have much for details. 

[SkunkedAgain]

When putting in for moose I was allowed only choice for an area to hunt. Can you tell me why this decision was made? Is it to give more leeway for the super tag or trifecta? A reply would be greatly appreciated.

[WGFFishBio]

  So how about some tiger musky in renner?  Never got a response and i'm hopeful.  Also i heard something about a change in the regulations on use of artificial light.  The person that told me said he heard something about it on K2 news but didn't have much for details.

Renner is in the Cody region and we do not have a WGFD Cody representative on here. You would have to call the Cody office and ask for a fisheries biologist (307-527-7125). As far as the artificial light, we have discussed this issue to allow the use of light when fishing. It is my guess at this point, but the soonest this would likely be allowed (assuming it would be allowed in the first place) would be during the next regulation cycle, which would be 2016-17.

[WGFFishBio]

When putting in for moose I was allowed only choice for an area to hunt. Can you tell me why this decision was made? Is it to give more leeway for the super tag or trifecta? A reply would be greatly appreciated.

Quotas for moose have decreased over time. All moose areas are over subscribed (more people putting in for the tag than tags themselves), thus nothing will be filled on a second or third choice. Several years ago, the occasional moose tag was filled on a second choice, but no longer. So we just got rid of that option on the application process because it's just not going to happen on a second or third choice. Hope this helps.

[dfauverii]

Quotas for moose have decreased over time. All moose areas are over subscribed (more people putting in for the tag than tags themselves), thus nothing will be filled on a second or third choice. Several years ago, the occasional moose tag was filled on a second choice, but no longer. So we just got rid of that option on the application process because it's just not going to happen on a second or third choice. Hope this helps.

I work with a guy that said the law passed legislature.  All i want to do is shoot carp at night using lights.  That's where my interest comes in.  Other than that it's not necessary.  I believe you can use light to watch your rod tip already.  I assume you can use a light while netting a fish on your line as well.  Maybe that's incorrect and if so please let me know.  Thanks.

[htc]

question about trapping bait fish in area 3 the regulation book says

"Area 3 Live baitfish location A
Live baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i)
provided the baitfi sh are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer
authorized to sell baitfi sh for use in these waters or the baitfi sh were
seined or trapped from the waters listed below in subsection (ii).
Live baitfish restricted to use in location A shall not be transported out
of the designated wild caught live baitfish possession area defined
in subsection (iii).
(i) Live baitfish may be used in the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir;
and, Belle Fourche River proper.
(ii) A holder of a valid seining license may seine, net or trap baitfish
from the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir; and, Belle Fourche River
drainage.
(iii) The designated wild caught live baitfish possession area for
location A is the Belle Fourche River drainage, Little Missouri drainage,
Little Powder drainage and Cheyenne River drainage. "

this is a picture of flow into keyhole from http://nationalatlas.gov/streamer/Streamer/streamer.html



does this mean minnows can be trapped in the red upflows from keyhole? that is what makes sense to me. the areas marked on the map are belle fourche river drainage.

thanks, htc

[WGFFishBio]

does this mean minnows can be trapped in the red upflows from keyhole? that is what makes sense to me. the areas marked on the map are belle fourche river drainage.


Nice map. And the answer is yes, looks like you understand the regulation (a little wordy and confusing). But technically, as long as you're in the Belle Fourche Basin, which also includes the waters below Keyhole, you can trap or seine there as well and bring those minnows to Keyhole. That opens up lots of other waters to trapping and seining.  The only thing a person really has to worry about is the "possession" part of this regulation. If you happen to live outside the Belle, Little Powder, or Cheyenne river drainages, you can not possess Belle Fourche minnows at your house.  If you live outside of these drainages, you can still trap or seine, you just have to make other arrangements for storage. Hope this helps.

 

[htc]

wow thanks for the quick and precise response. exactly what i was hoping for had no idea it would extend that far below keyhole.

and since i live in wright and hay creek flows through there i'll be able to keep minnows and home. this just keeps getting better.

thanks again, clint.

[htc]

just to make sure it also includes creeks that drain into the belle below keyhole?

thanks, clint

[WGFDFishBioLaramie]

Our Wyoming Game and Fish has offered to volunteer their valuable time to answer our questions. Please keep in mind that their time on the site is very limited, and that not all questions may be answered. Hopefully this thread can be used by both sides to gain valuable insight. Please maintain the Q&A nature of the thread by reserving discussion for separate threads.

All G&F employees are invited to use the thread as a resource to share information, news and events affecting Wyoming sportsmen.

On behalf of our members, I thank the Wyoming G&F for taking the time to contribute to the site and it's members. 

Dear Wyoming Ice Shanty Users,

I have truly enjoyed answering your questions about different waters within the Laramie Fisheries Management Region. I hope this Q/A thread has been useful to you, I know it has been a great way to exchange information between anglers and WGFD. I will also migrate over to the MyFishFinder Forum. The summer is very busy for us fish biologists, however, I will do my best to address questions in that forum. If I did not get a question answered this winter about a Laramie Region water, I apologize, but please send me an email (either on this site or at [email protected]) and I will get to it. It was great setting up a meeting in Wheatland through Ice Shanty, look forward to doing more of those types of get togethers next off season. If you see me out and about, come introduce yourself, would like to put some faces to Ice Shanty user names.

Tight lines,

WGFDFishBioLaramie 

[wyoutdoors]

WGFDFishBioLaramie you are a welcomed resource and good friend of Ice Shanty, thank you sir. Have a great Summer and I hope to cross your path and share a few stories somewhere in the High country!

- wyoutdoors 

[Wyofarmer]

Mike summed it up. Thank you for your time. You are a great asset to the site!

Wyofarmer

[wyoboypt]

Why does the wygfd insist on catering to non resident fisherman by promoting rainbow trout? They already have the platte and now youre trying to get rid of walleye in alcova? Most of the resident fisherman i know want to catch walleye, not trout. And least of all rainbow trout. Its very irritating that the wgfd is more interested in managing for nonresidents than residents.

[WGFFishBio]

Why does the wygfd insist on catering to non resident fisherman by promoting rainbow trout? They already have the platte and now youre trying to get rid of walleye in alcova? Most of the resident fisherman i know want to catch walleye, not trout. And least of all rainbow trout. Its very irritating that the wgfd is more interested in managing for nonresidents than residents.

I'm not quite sure I understand your question. We do not cater for anyone except the resource. I'm assuming that you are referring to the increase in the walleye limit for Alcova? Yes, the Casper crew increased the creel limit from the statewide 6 fish/day to a limit of 12/day, and that was for the fact that few people know how to catch walleye there, and for the fact that the walleye population is "top heavy" and they are preying heavily on stocked trout. I believe the Casper crew is just trying to shift the walleye size structure to a slightly smaller size to reduce some of the predation on trout. And from what I understand, could be wrong here, but a large majority of the anglers at Alcova are trout anglers.  But in what way does this change cater to the nonresident? It seems to me that anyone would have equal opportunity and take advantage of the increased creel limit.

[wyoboypt]

Yes anyone can take advantage of the creel limit but with that creel limit the walleye are going to be close to eradicated in one summer, then  there wont be any to catch. And to be fair, the wgfd should take a poll from the residents on what theyd rather catch, walleye or trout.
 Theres plenty of trout, how bout we stock walleye for a change.

[Nezlugh]

Saw this Article and it has opened a batch of questions. We need some guidance on the use of glow-in-the-dark and when it is legal and illegal. Local game officer says it is not legal to use anything that is lighted by any means, day or night fishing. HELP!

http://trib.com/lifestyles/recreation/wyoming-game-and-fish-may-update-several-fishing-regulations/article_3ae0938e-8b4d-50c6-a095-9fa49730d0f6.html

[Hole Tender]

It seems inefficient to manage a lake for both walleye and trout. A better use of resources might be to let the walleye eat the trout. It seems backwards to reduce the size and numbers of such a sought after species of fish. My opinion is biased though. I love catching walleye and don't really care if I ever catch another trout. I would like to see a survey of Wyoming license holders.

[Wyofarmer]

Our Wyoming Game and Fish has offered to volunteer their valuable time to answer our questions. Please keep in mind that their time on the site is very limited, and that not all questions may be answered. Hopefully this thread can be used by both sides to gain valuable insight. Please maintain the Q&A nature of the thread by reserving discussion for separate threads.

All G&F employees are invited to use the thread as a resource to share information, news and events affecting Wyoming sportsmen.

On behalf of our members, I thank the Wyoming G&F for taking the time to contribute to the site and it's members.