GREEN RIVER—The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is reminding anglers about the fishing closure in place to protect fish on the Green River below Fontenelle Dam. This closure has been in place for many, many years to protect trout and kokanee salmon spawning in that stretch of the river. The first mile of the river from the dam to the cable crossing just above Weeping Rock Campground is closed from October 1 through December 31.

Kemmerer Game Warden Chris Baird said he had observed a very high fishing violation rate on the Green River below Fontenelle Reservoir. “We have had fairly nice weather and continued good fishing these past several weeks, and that has been part of the reason for the higher rate of fishing violations on the river,” Baird said.

“I have fielded much more than the average volume of calls reporting violations of the closure the last couple years. Unfortunately, some of these violators were reportedly very disrespectful to parties informing them of the closure and said that they are not keeping any fish, so the violation doesn’t really matter. They totally missed the point of the fishing closure and its purpose to protect the trout they are harming by fishing in these crucial spawning areas. Several parties have been from our neighboring states, but many have included Wyoming residents violating the closure.” – Kemmerer Game Warden Chris Baird

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In addition to the closure, there are special regulations in place for anglers fishing on the Green River from the Sweetwater County Road 8 Bridge, just below Slate Creek Camp Ground about 4.5 miles below Fontenelle Dam, downstream to the Bid Sandy River in Sweetwater County. The creel limit on trout is one per day or in possession. All trout less than 20 inches shall be released to the water immediately. Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only.

“So, if you are an angler headed to fish in the Green River region, please pick up a free copy of the 2016 Wyoming Fishing Regulations and look in the section marked Region 4,” Baird said. “Not knowing about a fishing closure or any other law and not seeing a sign are no excuses for violating the closure. Fishing closures and bait and tackle restrictions are in place to protect the very resource anglers are after.”