Pathfinder Bound

[Squirl]

I just got done loading up for the Pathfinder Tourney and my new Showdown 5.6 is charged and ready for its first outing. As soon as I closed the camper door I could feel the fish trembling in fear.................. .... or were they laughing?

[Wyofarmer]

if you're anything like me, they are laughing hysterically. but i hope they are shakin in their shoes!

[fishlord]

Oh there shakin in there boots allright cuz I've been out there the last month catching them,having a serious talk with them,letting them know I was coming back the 15th and I probably wasn't gonna let them off the hook this time
to the scale they go

Good Luck to all of yu going
Randy

[iceslayer]

do u guys think one could drive a 4wheeler from bishops to the weigh ins

[fishlord]

after this cold spell I would say probably,but it would scare me.
Randy

[Squirl]

It would be nice to have a weigh in station at Bishops.  There is usually a pressure ridge you have to cross on your way so be safe.
If you take a truck to Bishops. you could lose over an hour by the time you pick up all of your tip-ups, go weigh in and them come back

[outdoorschris]

do u guys think one could drive a 4wheeler from bishops to the weigh ins

If you do let me know I have a white polaris scrambler it will be parked mostly next to a blue Ice house 5000

thank you

[sgpitman]

Last saterday when I was out some one was riding around on one. They stayed by the camp ground and didn't drive all over the place but they were on the ice.

[cbtrtbum]

good luck everyone!  I will be out there the day after the derby so leave a few huh?

[TheGreenHornet]

Headed down from montana this weekend to fish the derby with by brother and some friends.  Just though I'd ask if anyone ever uses maggots out there.  I know allot of the lakes up here they are the bait of choice and wasn't sure If I should waste my time trying them out...by bro. said they typically just use crawlers and alot of others use minows.  Anyone ever had any luck with maggots?

[327trout]

I caught a rainbow on a meal worm there a couple years ago, I think they will work for you.

[fishlord]

I think you could use just about anything on these fish[trout]they have been very active the last month.I usually use minnows and tipups but once and awhile I will jig.doesnt hurt to try what you think is good.The walleye bite is allways slow at Pathy but you know as well as I do ,right place at the right time,you can knock em dead.Good luck

Randy

[TheGreenHornet]

I just read in the wyoming regulations that you are only allowed to keep 1 trout over 20" per day.  Does this apply to lakes as well.  I'm just thinking that this will make the fishing derby a little more difficult.  a 20" inch fish might be enough to win an hourly prize but won't win the tourney so your left with a major dilemna keep it and win an hourly prize and your day is over or let it go and go for the big fish prize.  Am I missing something here or does that make this whole thing pretty tough.

[fishlord]

your right on the money,there are alot of 20" + fish so either try to keep it alive and release, or eat it for a snack. LOL there was a guy that had at least 7 hourly wins last year so you got to wonder how they do that.aireated cooler with fresh water or something.Good luck
Randy

[Dorado]

your right on the money,there are alot of 20" + fish so either try to keep it alive and release, or eat it for a snack. LOL there was a guy that had at least 7 hourly wins last year so you got to wonder how they do that.aireated cooler with fresh water or something.Good luck
Randy

There is definitely some strategy involved in deciding whether or not to turn in fish.  Every time I have turned in fish at derbies, it seems I make the wrong guess!!

I know that once you keep a fish over 20" to bring to the weigh in, it is considered in your possesion, and you are done with fish over 20".  You cannot legally check more than one trout over 20", regardless of whether you kept it in a cooler full of water or not....

At the Fremont Lake derby, they had guys hauling fish on their snow machines 10 miles across the lake and back to the lodge to weigh them in.  They were then "releasing" their fish down a hole near the lodge.  I can't imagine many of these fish survived....

[TheGreenHornet]

So what is the law... Can you transport them in a cooler and release them and keep fishing for the 20"+ fish or not. This seams like an important law to get straight with the 1 over 20 rule before the derby.

[WYeyes]

From the G&F fishing regs
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 and shall
be killed prior to being transported from the water of origin.
No fish that has been reduced to possession of the angler
shall be released alive without prior written approval from the
Department.

[Dorado]

So what is the law... Can you transport them in a cooler and release them and keep fishing for the 20"+ fish or not. This seams like an important law to get straight with the 1 over 20 rule before the derby.

No.  You either have to release a fish immediately or it is considered in your possession, whether you put it in a live well or cooler etc. 

Do the Pathfinder rules say anything about this?  The Pinedale Boat Club Fremont Lake derby rules make it pretty clear that once you check in one 20" trout you cannot check in any more that day.....

[WYeyes]

From the G&F fishing regs
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 and shall
be killed prior to being transported from the water of origin.
No fish that has been reduced to possession of the angler
shall be released alive without prior written approval from the
Department.

I would quess the only exception would be if the derby has "prior written approval" to release fish, but the way I read it the fish would still have been reduced to possession.