Is Flaming Gorge WY. side worth the money

[liketrolling]

Wed at 10 AM left my house for FG. got a room at the villa for two nights,   then went in the after noon to the water to fish for big Lakers.
had two downriggers down 90 feet ant two lines out set back 100 feet, it did not take to long for the wind to come up and big whit caps.
the elect. minn kota keep coming out of the water so it was no good. hooked into a fish he got into the other line, next thing the lines in the kicker motor the boats going where ever it wants.  the wife is no help.  so we pack up and go back to are room.

Gas is not cheep  any more and WY wants $30 for the boat $30 for my wife and $30 for me just to catch 3 kokanee. each 
plus what we spent on the room and food and wear and tear on the truck and boat.

any way we had a lot of fun.  watch the video  to the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhyNo-ag...el=RobertG

never did get to fish for big lakers to much wind in the PM.

on are way home Friday at 12 noon looked like the hole city was on the road to FG.
boy was it hot should have fished from 3 am to 9 am.

[MrShane]

Yes, worth it.

[brookie]

I guess it depends. It is all in the experience. I fished Strawberry yesterday (Saturday 11th) only got 2. Both 20".

Fishing at Strawberry has been slow but still bringing some home.

[Kent]

It apparently isn't to me (or I would be doing it), but to go to fish for sturgeon, in Idaho, DEFINITELY worth it.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

NOPE!!  Not any more.  When they raised the cost of reciprocal stamp coupled with the non-resident quagga mussel sticker requirement I told them to stick it up their hind end. I can catch nearly as large as kokes at Strawberry (and the other Utah reservoirs are coming on too). WY used to get my money for gear, gas, groceries, licenses, camping, etc. but not any longer. For 3 kokes that I can catch elsewhere and in more aesthetically pleasing places to fish (the lack of trees/green in WY, around FG, drives this bush-loving northerner crazy).

[dubob]

Wed at 10 AM left my house for FG. got a room at the villa for two nights,   then went in the after noon to the water to fish for big Lakers.
had two downriggers down 90 feet ant two lines out set back 100 feet, it did not take to long for the wind to come up and big whit caps.
the elect. minn kota keep coming out of the water so it was no good. hooked into a fish he got into the other line, next thing the lines in the kicker motor the boats going where ever it wants.  the wife is no help.  so we pack up and go back to are room.

Gas is not cheep  any more and WY wants $30 for the boat $30 for my wife and $30 for me just to catch 3 kokanee. each 
plus what we spent on the room and food and wear and tear on the truck and boat.

any way we had a lot of fun.  watch the video  to the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhyNo-ag...el=RobertG

never did get to fish for big lakers to much wind in the PM.

on are way home Friday at 12 noon looked like the hole city was on the road to FG.
boy was it hot should have fished from 3 am to 9 am.

Yes, Robert, its worth it.  Tell us again how much your boat, truck, camper, and sonars cost.  And you're going to quibble about a paltry $90 bucks?  If you fish the Wyoming side of the Gorge 10 times during the year and you and your bride limit on kokes each trip, thats 60 salmon that cost you $1.50 each.  Think you could beat that at Costco or Sams?

How much are you spending for launch fees at Strawberry these days?  The annual pass is over $100 and the daily fee is close to that for 10 launches.  And the cost to get there and back is about the same as going to the Gorge for me from Weber County.  I've never been skunked on kokanee at the Gorge and very seldom leave there without a full limit.  I can't say the same for Strawberry.

Your nit picking pennies in the overall picture.  

[TubeDude]

We all like to be able to justify our expenditures on tackle, transportation, licenses, permits, gas, food, etc.  But I respectfully suggest that anyone who approaches fishing as an accounting problem rather than a sensory experience is really overthinking it.

Like the old saying..."Any man who claims to be able to see through women is missing a lot of good stuff in between."

[BYUHunter]

I think some of the math in the above posts is dubious at best, in terms of cost per fish. Looking outside of just license fees, you're $60-100 a night for the hotel, $200+ in gas for the truck and boat (depending on where you are driving from), meals, tackle, launch fees, etc. Now some of those costs exist anywhere you go, but at least in my case, the cost to go to the Gorge is significantly greater than Strawberry, any way you slice it. If you model all of that into the cost per fish, it's the worst deal going. You'd be better off at Costco.

But to TubeDude's point, can you put a price on all of the memories and experiences? No. I agree Strawberry has been fishing well, and producing some monsters, but the Gorge's average fish has tended to be 6-12 oz larger than Strawberry this year. Additionally, the bycatch at Strawberry is cutts, which are an absolute nuisance, whereas the bycatch at the Gorge is lakers, which are delicious. Always worth the trip, IMO.

[Mildog]

It’s all about the experience enjoy them all. It does add up and if you can only spend a day or two fishing on the Gorge, I definitely see the all the fees being a deterrent. So save the dough and spend it on local Koke waters and enjoy wherever you end up. We have lots of great options, let’s hope the water levels hold up!!
Good fishing to all wherever you end up!!

[mjlevie]

We were there last week. This was my first time fishing there and I would say it is definitely worth it. My family had a great time regardless of the fishing, but the fishing sure made it better.

[sliverslinger]

We were there last week.  This was my first time fishing there and I would say it is definitely worth it.  My family had a great time regardless of the fishing, but the fishing sure made it better.

Great fish and s!

[PACKFAN]

NOPE!!  Not any more.  When they raised the cost of reciprocal stamp coupled with the non-resident quagga mussel sticker requirement I told them to stick it up their hind end.  I can catch nearly as large as kokes at Strawberry (and the other Utah reservoirs are coming on too).  WY used to get my money for gear, gas, groceries, licenses, camping, etc. but not any longer.  For 3 kokes that I can catch elsewhere and in more aesthetically pleasing places to fish (the lack of trees/green in WY, around FG, drives this bush-loving northerner crazy). 

Their answer in the past is "We can do just fine without nonresidents" I said let them have it along time ago, Idaho is prettier and places like Anderson Ranch near Mt. Home the limit of Kokes is 25 per day unless they changed it this year and the local population seems to be much friendlier. Just my 2 cents.

[submoa]

NOPE!!  Not any more.  When they raised the cost of reciprocal stamp coupled with the non-resident quagga mussel sticker requirement I told them to stick it up their hind end.  I can catch nearly as large as kokes at Strawberry (and the other Utah reservoirs are coming on too).  WY used to get my money for gear, gas, groceries, licenses, camping, etc. but not any longer.  For 3 kokes that I can catch elsewhere and in more aesthetically pleasing places to fish (the lack of trees/green in WY, around FG, drives this bush-loving northerner crazy). 

Their answer in the past is "We can do just fine without nonresidents" I said let them have it along time ago, Idaho is prettier and places like Anderson Ranch near Mt. Home the limit of Kokes is 25 per day unless they changed it this year and the local population seems to be much friendlier. Just my 2 cents.

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

[Bduck]

NOPE!!  Not any more.  When they raised the cost of reciprocal stamp coupled with the non-resident quagga mussel sticker requirement I told them to stick it up their hind end.  I can catch nearly as large as kokes at Strawberry (and the other Utah reservoirs are coming on too).  WY used to get my money for gear, gas, groceries, licenses, camping, etc. but not any longer.  For 3 kokes that I can catch elsewhere and in more aesthetically pleasing places to fish (the lack of trees/green in WY, around FG, drives this bush-loving northerner crazy). 

I get this and understand how this digs deep into the pockets. For me it doesn't help to fill up gas at 1/2 a tank spending an easy 100 bill. That equates to near $200 round trip. I use a 1/2 a tank for Strawberry alone but this is the less expensive route which I'm heading to Monday the 19th. I  like seeing folks enjoy their playground, sharing their experience and pics, especially the youngsters cradling a monster that's almost as big as they are. 

[wiperhunter2]

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

Not that big, the last time I was there, the big ones was 12 to 14", that is why the limit is 25 each, they are trying to thin them out. On the plus side they do have Chinook salmon in there that I have heard, have been caught up to 5 lbs or so but few people are catching them, they could get bigger, if they survived.

[2knots]

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

Not that big, the last time I was there, the big ones was 12 to 14", that is why the limit is 25 each, they are trying to thin them out. On the plus side they do have Chinook salmon in there that I have heard, have been caught up to 5 lbs or so but few people are catching them, they could get bigger, if they survived.

The tourney there a week or so ago, 1st place had a 6 fish limit (tourney weigh in limit) that was over 19lbs

[wiperhunter2]

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

Not that big, the last time I was there, the big ones was 12 to 14", that is why the limit is 25 each, they are trying to thin them out. On the plus side they do have Chinook salmon in there that I have heard, have been caught up to 5 lbs or so but few people are catching them, they could get bigger, if they survived.

The tourney there a week or so ago, 1st place had a 6 fish limit that was over 19lbs

I guess things have changed then, unless they were chinook being weighed. That would be an averaged fish of over 3 lbs, that would be impressive for any kokanee from that lake.

[wiperhunter2]

Just read your attachment, over 22" for a koke there is an impressive fish but it does not look like most people did as well, those top winners must be folks that fish there often and know the lake well. Makes me wonder if they did as well in the first three years of the tournament. Maybe their 25 each koke limit is helping and making the difference.

[2knots]

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

Not that big, the last time I was there, the big ones was 12 to 14", that is why the limit is 25 each, they are trying to thin them out. On the plus side they do have Chinook salmon in there that I have heard, have been caught up to 5 lbs or so but few people are catching them, they could get bigger, if they survived.

The tourney there a week or so ago, 1st place had a 6 fish limit that was over 19lbs

I guess things have changed then, unless they were chinook being weighed. That would be an averaged fish of over 3 lbs, that would be impressive for any kokanee from that lake.

The chinook were a side pot when I fished the event a couple years ago, some nice kokes have been coming out of there the past couple years, seems down by the dam has been the  area area in July

[PACKFAN]

NOPE!!  Not any more.  When they raised the cost of reciprocal stamp coupled with the non-resident quagga mussel sticker requirement I told them to stick it up their hind end.  I can catch nearly as large as kokes at Strawberry (and the other Utah reservoirs are coming on too).  WY used to get my money for gear, gas, groceries, licenses, camping, etc. but not any longer.  For 3 kokes that I can catch elsewhere and in more aesthetically pleasing places to fish (the lack of trees/green in WY, around FG, drives this bush-loving northerner crazy). 

Their answer in the past is "We can do just fine without nonresidents" I said let them have it along time ago, Idaho is prettier and places like Anderson Ranch near Mt. Home the limit of Kokes is 25 per day unless they changed it this year and the local population seems to be much friendlier. Just my 2 cents.

How big are the Kokanee there? You are right about Wyoming preferring they have the lake to themselves.I wish Utah would raise the reciprocal to $5 more than they charge us as a standard policy.  I have a place in Manila so will always fish there but am curious about the size of the Kokes at Anderson Ranch. We are pretty spoiled reeling in 2-5 lb Kokanee at the Gorge.

You wont get them that big there, 18 inches is probably top end but I like to smoke them and doing a big bunch of 12 to 18 inch kokes is what i like to do they also have some great small mouth fishing as well as fair size perch. They stocked chinook salmon there a couple years ago and they are starting to take hold. 300 miles to the lake and they don't charge an arm and a leg to camp there.