So many anglers have asked questions about lake trout management in Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Wyoming side that Green River fisheries managers have put together a list of these questions and their answers for anglers to review. But he just got his first kayak this summer, so he still has a lot of practice before he has the skills to pursue lake trout from a kayak. Currently, the popular reservoir in northeastern Utah known for producing some of the largest lake trout in the U.S. has too many small lake trout in it. Report a violation, ONLINE STORE Flaming Gorge Reservoir: Date: April 27, 2003: Angler: Bubba O'Neil - Evanston: Bluegill: Weight: 1.92 lbs. Famous for its big trout (the record weighing in at 51 pounds, 8 ounces), you'll come away with the best darn fish stories you have yet to tell. The trout's girth was 34.7 inches and its length was 44.1 inches. The trophy lake trout that live in the Flaming Gorge reservoir are catchable all through the year, and it’s really nice to be on the lake when there aren’t a lot of other boats trolling through the same area. He once held the Colorado state record for lake trout at 44 pounds, 5 ounces caught in 2003 at Blue Mesa Reservoir. You will need a good fish-finder and a GPS. I also think it would have been cool to see this fish released, but can respect the fact that this man decided to keep it too. They will get hung up on the bottom. If you're looking to catch the big one in Wyoming this year, you came to the right place. Trolling and jigging are good most of the year. Nope. Del Canty set the state rainbow record in 1979 with a 26-pound, 2-ounce rainbow and Curt Bilbey got a 51-pound, 8-ounce lake trout into his boat in 1988. Sports Dude Catches MASSIVE 57-Pound Lake Trout In Utah, A New Catch And Release Record In The State #Fishing Record by Cass Anderson July 20, 2017 10:38 am Via Facebook / UtahDWR On his fourth day of fishing the famous Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Matt Smiley caught only one fish, but it was a doozy. A record fish. If you get a snag, you can lose a lot of line fast. . View our Privacy Policy, NON-DISCRIMINATION NOTICE The north area is called the J Run. Commission Information, ABOUT US Check the list of record fish to see if your fish might be a contender. Wyoming State Parks, CAREERS The recreation area also offers many campgrounds and hiking areas. Send me a good detailed map of Flaming Gorge, make sure it is this map. The Fishing Wire 2020 / All Rights Reserved. Another Mussel Boat Intercepted in Montana. There are plenty of big/trophy fish in the Gorge. Fishery managers have set liberal regulations on burbot to encourage anglers to harvest as many burbot as possible and help suppress these voracious non-native predators. Angler harvest can be an effective tool for managing fisheries. Buckboard Marina invites anglers to assist in the targeted removal of small lake trout from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, by hosting the "Pupulation Domination Contest" Feb. 12-13. June 27, 20236 min read Wyoming Game and Fish says the kokanee salmon fishery at Flaming Gorge Reservoir is being threatened by low water levels and too many lake trout pups, which feed on kokanee. Fisherman nearly let record lake trout get away. Photo: Lucy Wold, WGFD https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/08/angler-breaks-32-year-old-lake-trout-record-stirs-controversy, 2023 NFL Preseason Power Rankings: From powerhouses (the Bengals!) Click the link below to get started. UTAH, Dec. 28, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) An 11-year-old Utah boy caught a 48-pound lake trout over Christmas weekend. Privacy Policy | GDPR FAQ. The high elevation of 6,040 feet/1840 meters at the reservoir keeps temperatures moderate, 80 degrees Fahrenheit/23.8 degrees Celsius, during the summer months. 271 E. 250 N. They definitely knew it was bigger than his previous one, and knew it wasnt far from the state record, Vanessa Grimshaw said. View our Non-Discrimination Notice, Southwest Aquatic Invasive Species Information, Lake trout management in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Printable Road Trip Activity Book For Kids, Monument Valley | Highway 163 Scenic Drive, Photo gallery: Flaming Gorge | Photo Gallery, Why and How You Should Start a Fishing Family Tradition, Why Heber Valley is Family Vacation Bliss. After measuring itthe lake trout stretched 48 incheshe released the fish. This area is divided into two parts, with a deep canyon draw dividing them. The trails wind through meadows, tree-covered slopes, and mountain peaks above timberline. Ledgestone Hotel is one of the Incredibly unique accommodations located in Green River, home to Utah's Super 6. The burbot has swallowed a rainbow trout whole. Since Lake Trout are a long-lived species, relatively few need to exceed 28 inches to maintain a high-quality trophy fishery. Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. If the abundant population of smaller lake trout (under 25 inches) is not reduced, there could be impacts on the salmon and rainbow trout populations, as well as fewer fish to feed the trophy lake trout. Lake Trout aka Mackinaw. Submitted photo. Knowing where to locate these spots will put you on track to zero in on the Macs. Anglers are fundamental to helping control the number of lake trout in the reservoir, Mosley said. Theyre already growing slower and unless we can thin the herd, it will only get worse.. I like to use Seaguar fluorocarbon line in a 15 pound test, but it is very expensive to use. And so he did. Fish and Wildlife Services, Green River Star, The Radio Network, City of Rock Springs, City of Green River, Sweetwater County Historical Museum, Green River Chamber of Commerce, Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce, and Rock Springs Historical Museum. Finally, at 2:15 in the afternoon, I got the only hit of the day: My recommendation is a 7 foot, one piece, medium action bass rod. Shop WGFD Merchandise, STATE OF WYOMING The fishing here is the best from April to July. Turns out, it was a Utah . Finally, big lake trout are very moody and 20% of the time or one out of every 5 days. View our Privacy Policy, NON-DISCRIMINATION NOTICE This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Every time you see a bunch of five or more big fish on the bottom, mark a waypoint on your GPS. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/06/lake-trout-flaming-gorge-utah-state-record, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Small lake trout also taste really good. People ask me, You dont actually drag the bottom, do you? And I tell them to look at my downrigger balls and notice all the dents in the lead from hitting rocks. Learn more about the types of fish. . There are all sorts of of way to fish for these massive Lake Trout. Recipes for cooking small lake trout, The current record is 50.35 pounds. Many anglers dont fish the Gorges open water this time of year, so theres very little fishing pressure. Pelow Media // Shutterstock Wiper (Whiterock) Bass After you find the humps, it is just like connecting the dots, trolling from one waypoint to the next. During the spring, lake trout forage close to the shoreline, so anglers should have excellent opportunities to fill their limits. Shore-side Fishing. Each angler can submit 12 lake trout less than 25-inches each day of the tournament. Flaming Gorge Reservoir is home to some of the largest fish in the west. 20-pound lake trout are very common! The lake trout record is over fifty pounds. Construction of the dam, development of the recreation area, and highway access have ushered in the modern era for this ageless country. Check out the most recent Wyoming Flaming Gorge Reservoir records, and see if you can beat them on your next trip! Fishing Flaming Gorge: If you want to take a shot at breaking some of Johnson's fishing records at Flaming Gorge, now might be a good time. Fish were caught on 1/2 ounce jigs dressed with a lime green skirt and tipped with a small piece of sculpin. WYOMING WILDLIFE MAGAZINE - SUBSCRIBE TODAY. There is no limit on burbot in the Area 4, which includes all of the Green River drainage including Flaming Gorge, Fontenelle Reservoir and Big Sandy Reservoir. After all, DuBois said he safely released this one back to the reservoir. Flaming Gorge Dam stands 502 feet tall and was completed in 1964. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 12 pound Izorline XXX line in smoke color, available at Tackle Warehouse, Davis aids in finding whoppers at Flaming Gorge, Suggestions for Fishing Flashy Fish Lures, An Honest Review of Flashy Fish Lures at Otter Creek. Knowing where to locate these spots will put you on track to zero in on the Macs. Now that you know where the fish are and have a bunch of flutter spoons ready to go, theres just a few more details that will help you catch big lake trout consistently. The Utah record for lake trout is 53 pounds, 15 ounces . Fishing with Raplas early in the morning in the shallow areas can be deadly, such as on the 50 foot to 60 foot area of Swim Beach. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sure it was his choice to keep it, but if everyone starts doing it the trophy potential will greatly reduce., Also on FTW Outdoors: Great white shark chased by prey in odd encounter. It took Tyler a solid 20 minutes to reel in the latest trophy trout, his mother Vanessa Grimshaw told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. 41 " 29" Frank Twitchell: Flaming Gorge Reservoir: TROUT, Rainbow: 1979: 26 lbs. Check out the most recent Wyoming Flaming Gorge Reservoir records, and see if you can beat them on your next trip! Scott landed the lake trout at Flaming Gorge, known for its trophy fishery. Three-year classes of kokes, at a time, thrive in the ideal conditions of this 91-mile long impoundment of the Green River. It was on May 26, 1869 that Major Powell named the Flaming Gorge after he and his men saw the sun reflecting off of the red rocks. Why not keep it? About Wyoming Game & Fish, STOP POACHING I will mark it on your map. Youre ready to fish! US-40/US-191 continue to Vernal.REQUEST INFORMATION. Federal resource managers moved the water from one reservoir to the other to prevent Lake Powell from falling below power pool, the level where Glen Canyon Dam will no longer generate hydroelectric energy. Trolling is from southeast to northwest, or northwest to southeast. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Fishing is a great outing to do with your family. This area can be very productive, but on many days the fish act like they have lockjaw. Take pics and measurements, that way the mount lasts longer anyway. Fishing for illegally transplanted burbot in the Green River drainage has become popular with ice anglers. From salmon to trout to catfish, you can find a huge variety of trophy fish in Lake Flaming Gorge. Fish 150 feet back from the ball in this area. An adult probably could have done it quicker, but because he is so little, it took a bit longer., Also on FTW Outdoors: Yellowstone wolves chase elk across road in a shocking sight. There are many good brands to choose from. state record Lake Trout, caught at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, is currently 51.5 pounds. Good number of 30+ pound fish are caught each year. Below the lake . My favorite Rapalas are the floating Rainbow, Green Pike, Silver Blue, or Silver Chartreuse. This method usually only works before sunup or after sundown. Now that you have the map, you are ready to find individual humps and hills where the Macs are at. For this reason, I now fish with, OK! I had been wanting to catch a fish over 50 pounds for a long, long time, Smiley told The Denver Post. Nice catch, should have released though., This is why that fishery is going downhill fast, but congratsI guess., That fish is probably over 30 years old. After landing a monster . Within the Ashley National Forest, the forest is thick with evergreen trees, pinyon pines, and junipers that grow down to the clear blue waters of the reservoir. The fishing tournament was created in 2019 to encourage anglers to target and harvest small lake trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Dont put your waypoints too close to each other, you should only mark one on the top of the hump, or edge of the drop-off, where you see the most Macs. Chance Scott, of Utah, caught and kept this 53-pound, 15-ounce lake trout at Flaming Gorge. If anglers want to continue catching lakers that big at the Gorge, they need to be released. Among the comments: Dang!!!! We enjoy chasing these giants in a number of ways. Lake Trout - Weight: 51 lbs 8 oz - Length: 45.13" . In September, Tyler caught a personal-best 7-foot sturgeon while fishing the Snake River in America Falls, Idaho. 53 42 36 Experienced--Proven--Reliable--Passionate Light tackle jig fishing for lake trout to 50+ pounds! Tylers favorite fishermen are Aaron Martens and Mike Iaconelli. However, once you have these secret GPS points, you will be able to start making trolling routes. You can find them on most shallow rocky points, humps and ridges throughout the reservoir. Both were weighed in the net and released. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Three full-service marinas offer launching, storage and maintenance facilities. Creative presentation techniques. If its about feeding a family, head to a trout farm. A couple of anglers enjoyed a beautiful December day jigging for Lake Trout ranging from 19 to 22 inches, just out from Buckboard Bay. Fish are also easy targets from a boat whether you like to vertical jig deep water or troll. They should be trolled at 1.5 mph right onor close tothe bottom. All were caught at Flaming Gorge. About Wyoming Game & Fish, STOP POACHING He was like, Man, weve got to measure that fish, do you have a tape measure in here? Im like, I dont even care, man, I broke 50 pounds, Im good with it. Hes like, No, thats the longest fish Ive ever seen, you need to measure that thing.. This is a total pound contest, where the top five teams with the heaviest average weight of lake trout less than 25 inches win. Lake trout management in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Chance Scott with his record lake trout in Utah. In August 2020, a state record lake trout weighing just over 53 pounds was caught at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. On top of the decreased length, the number of small lake trout in the reservoir has increased, and were concerned the situation is going to get worse. Good number of 30+ pound fish are caught each year. The big fish have gotten weary of them. Invasive, but delicious First things first. The Utah record went 51 lb 8 oz, and there may yet be a bigger one swimming in the reservoir. boater on Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a magnificent, man-made reservoir, offering so many recreational opportunities, especially fishing and boating. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. GAME & FISH COMMISSION Depending on what depth they are holding at will dictate how we target them. . When Flaming Gorge freezesthough the main lake near Lucerne may not always freezerainbow . From Salt Lake City to Vernal, UT is approximately 173 miles. You can learn more about how to catch smaller lake trout and how to cook smaller lake trout by clicking on the attachments below. Lake Trout over 28 inches are considered trophy size and are therefore protected by a conservative limit of one fish per day. Business You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So other than marking a trolling line and pattern, there are no humps to mark. Okuma also makes a cheaper line-counter that I like, The Okuma Cold Water Linecounter. Tyler Grimshaw, an 11-year-old who lives for fishing, was testing out his new winter fishing bibs that he received for Christmas and very nearly nabbed himself a state record while fishing Flaming Gorge in Utah on Sunday. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said the fish broke the long standing (since 1988) state record, which was a 51 pound lake trout also taken from Flaming Gorge in 1988. An annual fishing tournament (that was canceled last year due to COVID-19 concerns) will resume this year to incentivize anglers to help in this effort. Take the US-40 E (exit 146) toward Heber/Vernal. Capt. I will mark it for you and send it back. 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