June 2, Game and Fish news

Wyoming Game & Fish Department sent this bulletin at 06/02/2014 10:27 AM MDT
 Summer Mnts

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For Immediate Release:

 

 

2014 Should be Good Year for the Cutt-Slam......................................................................................... . 1

New Walk-in Fishing Area Atlas Available Online................................................................................... . 2

Laramie River and Saratoga North Platte River Public Access Areas Closed Due to Flooding...... . 3

Game and Fish Calendar................................................................................................................................ 3

Ask Game and Fish......................................................................................................................................... 3

 

 

 

2014 SHOULD BE GOOD YEAR FOR THE CUTT-SLAM

CHEYENNE – The above average snowpack of this past winter has made difficult to impossible fishing conditions on many Wyoming streams, but this same snowpack bodes well for anglers going after their Cutt-Slam later this summer.

                In 2013, Wyoming’s Cutt-Slam program continued to be very popular with a record number of anglers receiving recognition for completion of the program. Last year, 141 anglers completed the requirements for certification. Especially noteworthy was that the 1000th Cutt-Slam milestone was reached. That accomplishment was completed by Riverton angler Matt LeClair. This brings the total number of anglers completing the program to 1,083 since the Cutt-Slam was started in 1996.

Anglers who complete the Cutt-Slam are recognized for catching Wyoming’s four subspecies of cutthroat in their native range in Wyoming. The four subspecies are the Yellowstone, Snake River, Bonneville and Colorado River cutthroat trout. Successful anglers receive a certificate listing the name of the angler, color artwork of the four subspecies and notation on the date and location of each catch. The Cutt-Slam program has been featured in national outdoors oriented magazines and on several television programs. Over the years the Cutt-Slam has enjoyed nationwide popularity. Anglers completing the slam come from most states and several foreign countries.

Rules for completing the Cutt-Slam are quite simple. To qualify, an angler needs to provide a photograph of each fish and information on the date of catch and water where it was caught. There is no minimum size requirement. Releasing of fish is encouraged and may be required depending on the regulations for different waters.

One of the key components of the Cutt-Slam is that each of the fish must be caught in their native range in Wyoming. Over the years, several of the cutthroat subspecies have been stocked in waters outside of their native drainages. Cutthroat caught in these waters do not qualify for the Cutt-Slam’s native range requirement. A map showing the native range of the different drainages where the four subspecies can be found is on the Game and Fish website, http://wgfd.wyo.gov. Click on Fishing then on Cutt-Slam. In addition to the map, the different native drainages of these fish are listed along with phone numbers of the regional Game and Fish offices responsible for fisheries management in each drainage.   Anglers can also view the Cutt-Slam certificate and obtain applications on the Game and Fish website.

The program continues to grow in popularity as more and more anglers take advantage of visiting the unique country specific to the native environment of each cutthroat subspecies. Typically, most entries are received in late summer and fall following the spring runoff as anglers take advantage of improved fishing conditions. With the above average snowpack in most native cutthroat waters, it will likely be sometime in July before most of the streams are in good fishable condition. Good fishing is expected to continue into the summer and fall months.

(Contact: Al Langston (307) 777-4540)

                                                                       -WGFD-

 

 

NEW WALK-IN FISHING AREA ATLAS AVAILABLE ONLINE

CHEYENNE – Walk-in area fishing atlases for 2014 are now available online on the Game and Fish website at http://wgfd.wyo.gov. A walk-in-area is a tract of private land or inaccessible public land on which the Game and Fish has leased rights for fishing.

The Walk-in program has been responsible for establishing access to streams and lakes and ponds throughout Wyoming. The atlas contains maps showing a listing of the various walk-in fishing areas the species of fish available in each area.

The walk-in atlas contains 60 fishing spots in11 drainages. Fishing atlases are valid for the calendar year. According to the Game and Fish areas now available through the walk-in fishing access program encompass nearly 5,000 acres of lake/pond access and more than 100 miles of stream access on private lands. Many of these areas allow anglers to get through private lands to get to public lands where much more access is available.

The Walk-in fishing areas supplement the more than 100 places to fish that anglers can access through Game and Fish public access easements and Game and Fish wildlife habitat management areas. In addition, Wyoming has extensive public fishing opportunities on National Forest, Bureau of Land Management and Wyoming State lands.

Walk-in fishing areas are part of the same public access program that provides walk-in and hunter management area access for hunting on private lands.

The Walk in program is funded to a large extent through the Game and Fish AccessYes program from contributions of anglers and hunters usually at the time of license purchase and application.                                                                        (Contact: Al Langston 307-777-4540)

-WGFD-

 

 

 

 

 

LARAMIE RIVER AND SARATOGA NORTH PLATTE RIVER PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING

LARAMIE - Due to flood waters along the North Platte River in the Saratoga Valley the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has closed the following Public Access Areas (PAA): Treasure Island, Foote, Pick Bridge, Sanger and Fort Steele/Rochelle.

WGFD has also closed following two PAAs on the Laramie River: the Jelm PAA near Woods Landing and the Monolith PAA four miles west of the town of Laramie. While the roads entering these areas may appear dry and safe to use, the rising flood waters can quickly change and create flooded or washed out roads. The public is asked not to attempt using the roads on these PAAs. All these PAAs will remain closed until flood waters recede and the campgrounds have become dry and safe for public use.

The WGFD has also closed some roads on the Wick Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) along Wagonhound Creek due to flood damage. The public is urged to use caution and delay any activities on the Wick WHMA

until flooding has ended.

(Contact: Robin Kepple 307-777-4523)

-WGFD-

 

 

Game and Fish Calendar

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

June 2 – Application deadline for resident limited quota elk, deer, antelope licenses, 12 midnight application deadline             June 7 – Free Fishing Day – no fishing license required                                                                                                                     June 7 – Afton, Kids’ Fishing Day, Golf Course Pond, 10 a.m                                                                                                            June 7 – Casper, Kids’ Fishing Derby, Yesness Pond, 9 a.m.                                                                                                   June 7 – Cheyenne, Family Fishing Day, Granite Reservoir, Curt Gowdy State Park, 10 a.m.                                                                                                             

June 7 – Cody, Kids’ Fishing Day, Beck Lake, 8:30 a.m.

June 7 – Jackson, Kids’ Fishing Day, Jackson National Fish Hatchery, 10:30 a.m.                                                                                                                                                                                                        June 7 – Lander, Kids’ Fishing Day, Lucky Pond, 9 a.m.

June 7 – Pinedale, Kids’ Fishing Day, CCC Ponds, 10 a.m.  

June 7 – Kids’ Fishing Day, Saratoga Resort Pond, 7:30 a.m.                                                        

June 7 – Powell, Annual Kids’ Fishing Day, Homesteader Park Pond, 6 a.m.

June 11 – AIS Watercraft Inspection Training, Jackson, WGFD Regional Office, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.    

June 14 – Dubois, Kids’ Fishing Day, Scout’s Pond, 9 a.m.

June 14 – Evanston, Kids’ Fishing Derby, UP Ice Ponds, 7 a.m.

June 14 – Rock Springs, Take a Kid Fishing Day, Wataha Park Pond, 9 a.m.

June 14 – Kemmerer, Youth Fishing Derby, Kemmerer City Pond, 8 a.m            

 

 

Ask Game and Fish

 

Q. Does the Game and Fish sponsor fishing contests?                                                                                                                                         A. Even thoughmany fishing contests are held on Wyoming watersduring both summer and winter months, they are not sponsored by the Game and Fish Department. Sponsors of contests typically include various organizations, businesses and individuals. However, those who do hold contests are required to get a permit from the Game and Fish. Information on fishing contests is found on page 6 in the fishing regulations. Required contest paperwork including applications and reporting forms is found in the fishing section of the Game and Fish website.