FLAMING GORGE — Anglers who yearn for a fishing contest following the cancellation of the Burbot Bash have an option that both could pay off and aims to improve species balance within the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. 

The Lake Trout Angler Harvest Program began at the start of the year and continues to April 30 and looks to reduce numbers of small lake trout from the Gorge. Lake trout measuring under 25 inches have become a problem as their numbers are impacting other fish species. In Wyoming, they’ve been classified as a nongame species at the Gorge, and anglers can harvest an unlimited amount of lake trout under 28 inches.

A number of cash prizes are available to those participating. Anglers placing in the top five of most lake trout caught will receive cash prizes, with first place receiving $1,500, second place receiving $1,000, third place receiving $500, fourth place taking home $300, and fifth place nabbing $200.

Beyond the prizes, the fishermen submitting the first 10 tagged lake trout entries will receive $125 cash award. Participants have to present the whole fish, along with the date and location of the catch, to a WGFD or Utah Division of Wildlife employee to be verified. There is also a random drawing where 35 winners will receive $150 cash. Each lake trout head an angler submits is counted as a separate entry into the drawing.

John Walrath, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Green River Fisheries Supervisor, said the program is a new method of combatting the small lake trout numbers. He said the Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce is funding prize money for the program, with additional funds being used to grow the program and attract private sponsorships from businesses benefitting from tourism dollars generated by fishermen participating in the program.

So far, Walrath said organizers have seen some interest so far and hopes the program encourages anglers to take advantage of the lack of lake ice to fish from a boat or the shore. He said the winter fishing period is when most small lake trout are harvested and years when lake ice doesn’t develop quickly leads to low harvest numbers. While they’re working to encourage winter fishing at the Gorge, the WGFD expects low harvest rates this year.

“We don’t expect to see really high harvest rates because we don’t have ice,” Walrath said.

The program also encourages anglers to not waste the fish once they’re caught. While the nongame species designation allows anglers to responsibly waste the small lake trout they’ve caught, Walrath said organizers are encouraging the consumption or gifting of fish fillets cut from the trout. The WGFD has provided a number or recipes for lake trout on its website. For Walrath, lake trout are best smoked or filleted and baked using a variety of different seasonings.

All licensed anglers can participate in the program, with no entry fee required. Anglers can deposit their heads in one of four freezers found in Wyoming and Utah. The locations are:

• Green River Wyoming Game and Fish Office, behind the building.
• Buckboard Marina store
• Lucerne Valley Marina fish cleaning station
• Flaming Gorge Resort

A full program rules can be found here.