Flaming Gorge anglers invited to Evanston open house

[liketrolling]

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regional-Offices/Gr...n-open-hou



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Green River region will host a public open house in Evanston to discuss the Flaming Gorge fishery. Another open house hosted in Green River in early October was well attended, with over 50 members of the public receiving an update on the fishery at Flaming Gorge. This open house is a second opportunity for anglers to see the Flaming Gorge fishery presentation and talk to the fisheries biologist about Flaming Gorge. The meeting will be held at the Beeman-Cashin building at 35 10th St. in Evanston, WY, on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.
 
Over the past few years, numerous research projects have been completed on kokanee salmon and lake trout, including an eight-month-long creel survey and population estimate of lake trout under 28 inches. Both projects were completed in cooperation with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.


A recently completed population estimate suggests there are approximately 143,000 lake trout under 28 inches in Flaming Gorge, over three times higher than estimates completed in the 1980s. There is also concern regarding the number of young kokanee these small predators consume. Diet analysis work by the University of Wyoming shows that kokanee comprise approximately 25% of pup diet annually. Managers are concerned that these high consumption rates of juvenile kokanee by small lake trout are the main reason anglers are catching fewer kokanee. The same can be said for rainbow trout in the reservoir.

[2knots]

I attended the meeting last night in Evanston,  to add to the last paragraph above:
Main focus is on reducing pups 23”’s and smaller. There was a similar crash of the fishery in the 80’s that they stocked their way out off, but Kokanee were put in the reservoir way back as a food supply for the lakers, bows and browns and now are prized target. Burbot numbers are declining as a result of the derbies and now with low koke numbers the fry are being feed on by the under 23” pups. Crawdad numbers are way up with the declining burbot numbers which creates another issue for the redds  in the lake. Creel samples indicate that angler catch is made up of 65% natural spawn kokes past few years. Netting the small lakers was talked about but would be an expensive option that the biologist don’t feel would be effective currently, with the samples they have taken for their data, fishermen at derbies catch more pups then they do with multiple sets. Eliminate any limit on pups to encourage anglers to take. Changes in regulations in regard to catch and keep 1st 3 kokes is not being well received by management and enforcement so limit changes etc not likely. Looking at stocking options for kokes other then “ramp” dumps to get higher survival numbers of fry. Introducing more bait fish like “chubs” is problematic due to not being able to get disease free and certified stock. Said current conditions/cover in lake do not support high natural recruitment of chubs. Appears to be 2 genetically different lake trout in the lake, 1 will reach trophy size and other will not get above the 23” size

Adam Eckel was ther filming, and when I asked him about an airing he said probably early December but not sure his show time slot will show whole presentation
Ryan Mosley was also there but was not part of the information sharing by WDFG

Ok found a copy of the presentation, link below

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https://youtu.be/hxPjRVp9nPo?si=JDKECDJAjcRO-zCm