Fishing Wyoming by Boat, new decal to buy $30 Non Resident

[BigBassaholic]

Just got this in the mail last week...
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[bowhunter3]

I got the same thing.....
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[fatkidfishin]

I got one also, funny thing is it doesn't mention what the $30 goes too. [fishin]
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[BigBassaholic]

Money to be used to address the aquatic invasive species threat.... to talk & think about it... lol Who knows where all the money goes... Someone must be short in their budget this year so this is one way of collecting some........
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[NatefromOgden]

Exactly what I noticed too. It's a huge emergency and we must spend our money for a sticker but there's no mention of what that money will be spent on.

Interestingly, I had my boat in the water at FG Mother's Day and 2 days in a row after that and nobody asked me about where my boat had been or made me fill out their form. Not such a big emergency for the Utah water I guess. </snark>
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[cpierce]

I may be wrong, but I was told the reason why out of state is more, is because the state is using some general funds also on these programs.
Since residents pay the general funds, it is all supposed to come out somewhat evenly. I doubt if that is always so, but that is the "political" reasoning that is supposedly behind things like out of state tuition, game fees and so on.

I don't have any actual numbers on that to back this up with, so take it for what it is worth -- not much!

Then again if we want to fish somewhere, do we pay or not?

How much is a night at the movies now? Do we pay or not.

Wish we had some guarantees on the money actually going to the program it is supposed to! Politicians of any species are questionable!
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[PACKFAN]

I think Utah needs to start doing the same thing, 5 bucks for us and 25 or 30 for non-residents. But wait, being the second dryest state we don't have any waters that non-residents would fish.[:p]
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[LakeDrifter]

So this brings up a Question! If you fish the Gorge and you launch in Lucerne and cross into WY do you need the sticker?? Cause I see no way your getting checked at the lucerne ramp by WY officials! Not bitchin just asking!![]
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[flygoddess]

My question is...if you have the STICKER on from Idaho, why do you need one for Wyoming? Aren't they suppose to be for the same prevention?

OH WAIT, just because you have a sticker, doesn't mean you can still transport.

Again....this is up to the idiot, or the responsible parties...

So, if UTAH does eventually go with this fee, will it change the way you boat?
Do the right thing, and you shouldn't need a stupid little sticker.
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[Troll]

As I understand it, yes you do. You are no longer in UT waters, all WY laws apply once you cross that line of bouy's. That is one reason it is marked so clearly instead of an imaginary line. You cross the line, you better have the sticker. I would not doubt one bit id WY F&G patrols the bouy line on FG this year. Some good bino's and flashing lights is all it takes.

Natefromogden,
What happened to you at FG is that you broke the law. Probably did not intend to but the law in UT is that YOU MUST certify your boat to be mussel free to launch. You do this by filling out either this form each day you launch.
[url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/mussels/PDF/self_certify.pdf"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/mussels/PDF/self_certify.pdf[/url]
or by taking this on-line course and getting a certificate good until Dec. 31, 2010.

[url "https://dwrapps.utah.gov/wex/dbconnection.jsp?examnbr=504688"]https://dwrapps.utah.gov/wex/dbconnection.jsp?examnbr=504688[/url]
I would do this right away so that you don't get a ticket anywhere else you launch in UT.
I do think UT needs a more pro active approach to this problem, invasive species are a huge PIA to clean up once they get started and with UT's reliance on water transfer and irrigation the mussels pose a threat that would cost millions a year to just keep in check.
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[Gorgefanatic]

I have the same question because the way I read the post card was that they are checking at the launch ramps.
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[wiper_junkie]

RANT WARNING: sorry, but I need to get this off of my chest!

I got this postcard too, and man did it piss me off! I had planned to do a few trips into Wyoming this year, but not now. For some reason I find it hard to belive that once I pay $30 for this sticker that the mussels magically won't attach to my boat and be transported elsewhere. There should at least be some provision for anglers from another state (say Utah) that are fishing a lake that is in two states, like Flaming Gorge. What they have done with the fishing license is a good example..... $10 if you live in Utah and want to fish the Wyoming side. Thats reasonable. $30? Forget it! Yeah, I know $20 is not that big a deal, but its the point of it..... this is just another back door tax under the guise of "for the greater good". So great job Wyoming! Now I won't be fishing any lakes in your state, I won't be spending money on your motels, gas, food, ect, and guess what??? If I have mussels on my boat and put in at Lucerne to fish the Utah side, you're still going to get them on your side regardless if I've got the magic sticker or not [crazy] Rant off. Fred K.
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[NatefromOgden]

I got'er done. Thanks for the link.
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[Troll]

No worries. I hope everyone takes the course, here are some good things to know.

If I were someone who goes to Lucerne much I would get the WY sticker. If you google the area on Lucerne, you can see that just to get onto the road you have to cross into WY. You come back out again if you go all the way to the marina, but if you go to the north at all or into the cove where lots of people camp, your back in WY.
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[Ryno]

I just wanted to clarify some things, if anglers plan on fishing the Gorge this year.

If you launch in Utah and boat into Wyoming, you need the decal on your boat. It's available on the WYGF website or at any WY license dealer. WYGF will be working the ramps and also patrolling by boat this upcoming season. Of course, if you launch in UT and go into WY, you will still need to display the UT Self-Certification form on your truck dash and boat. Someone already gave the link for the UT online annual certification and there are the forms at the launches also.

If you launch in WY you not only need the decal on the boat, but you also need to fill out their Self-Certification form, available at the launch ramps.

Utah's AIS program has been funded up to this point by the state legislature, that is why no fees have been required. Wyoming's AIS program was funded this year by their state legislature, but they were delegated to start the decal program to fund it in the future. The cost of these programs is exceptional when you consider all the signage, decontamination washers, man power, etc. that it takes to pull this off.

Both of these programs mirror those used in Minnesota. They have had mussels in their lakes and rivers for decades, but last I looked, had contained them to somewhere around 150 bodies of water. Impressive considering how much water they have. They have been successful with their program by educating boaters.

It could change in the future, but it could also be worse. Lake Powell currently has ramp hours which dictate when you can launch. When I was down there last month, you could only launch between 7AM and 6PM. The National Park Service has taken this threat very seriously.

Hope this helps some. I think everyone agrees we don't want these things in our lakes, and they would be an absolute nightmare for the Flaming Gorge fishery.
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[kokeking]

Ryno,thanks for clearing up some of the misconceptions about the sticker program. Weather you agree or not with the state of Wyoming's sticker program, that is your choice,but it is here to stay.If you don't want to fish Wyoming's water's then don't buy the sticker. Pretty simple solution .
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[hooterpatrol2]

i got the same card in the mail all i fish is the gorge i paid my 30 bucks and got it over with good thing i was up their over the weekend and got checked at buckboard 30 bucks is cheaper than the fine. the say the money goes to awareness and for the power washers and extra man power to watch the ramps so they say i agree it sucks but what do you do
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[WyomingMoose]

It doesn't suck as much as infecting Boysen, Glendo, or Flaming Gorge with mussels. Three amazing fisheries.

I have heard a lot of complaints about this from out-of-staters. I follow 2 Wyoming fishing forums and both of them had heated discussions on this topic.

I am glad that my state is taking a proactive approach and making sure their efforts to protect and secure our waters is fully funded and operational. In reality you guys should be upset Utah isn't doing this.

It's easy to gripe about 30$ but the damage these things could do could be hundreds of thousands of dollars. In which case we'll all end up paying for it.
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[PACKFAN]

Too bad they (WY. Fish & Game) couldn't have done something about the bourbot situation before they infiltrated the Gorge. They could have charged us non-residents 20 or 30 bucks for a "Bourbot Bashing Badge".[crazy]

Just my 30 bucks worth[:p]
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[Troll]

I agree, UT should do something more.

I suggest that UT residents pay nothing and continue exactly as we are with our certificate program. I further suggest that all out of state boats have to pay $50 to launch at either Bear lake, Powell or FG. All other lakes would cost $30. If your just passing through but don't intend to launch the fee should be only $10.
I think the RAC is taking suggestions this week too.
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