March 2021 - 8
NEWS
Fisheries personnel from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department electrofish along the upper Green River to monitor fish populations. (Photo by Mark Gocke/WGFD)
Trout estimates
strong in upper Green River
PINEDALE - The year 2020 will be
remembered for many things, but will it be
remembered as the glory days of fishing on
the upper Green River in western Wyoming?
Recent assessments of the trout fishery
completed by Wyoming Game and Fish
Department biologists in Pinedale indicate
the trout population was at or near an alltime high last year.
Every year, biologists monitor the status
of the fishery by completing an electrofishing
assessment within a designated reach of the
river. Darren Rhea, Game and Fish fisheries
biologist in Pinedale, directs the work on
the upper Green.
" We maintain a fairly rigorous monitoring
strategy, " Rhea said. " It's an extremely valuable resource and supports a lot of angler use.
It's important that we keep a close eye on the
fishery to ensure it is not being over-utilized
or impacted from other factors. "
Above Fontenelle Reservoir, six reaches
8 | March 2021
are monitored on a three-year rotation, with
two reaches monitored annually to maintain
a robust dataset going back several decades.
The effort in 2020 focused on two areas
of the river, including one near the Daniel
Fish Hatchery and Forty-Rod Creek, and
another below Five-Mile Bridge near Big
Piney. Both have been sampled periodically
for more than 25 years and provide a baseline
for monitoring over time.
Work within the Forty-Rod reach in September generated an estimate of 719 fish
per mile, which is greater than any obtained
within this section of the river. Brown trout
accounted for more than 80 percent of the
population. Rainbow trout made up the
remaining majority.
It was the first time in more than 20 years
the number of trout in that section of the
Green River exceeded 700 per mile. Historical data going back more than 30 years
indicates more trout used to inhabit similar
areas of the river, though most were rainbow
trout less than 9 inches long that were the
result of widespread stocking that has since
been eliminated. Wild trout now make up
the majority of fish in the river, and their
numbers have never been higher.
This section of the river is popular among
anglers and supports some of the highest
angler-use in the region. Recent monitoring data indicates fishing pressure, especially
from boaters, has increased.
" It's encouraging to see such a robust population of wild trout persisting within this
section of the river, especially considering
all of the angling use the river supports right
now, " Rhea said.
One trend Rhea has witnessed over the
years is a strong shift in voluntary catch-andrelease angling on the Green River and other
popular river fisheries.
" During the summers of 2019 and 2020,
we interviewed over 300 anglers fishing the
March 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2021
Cover
From the Director
In this issue
A couple pennies
Mailbag
Opening shot
News
Ask Game and Fish
Project profiles
Case files
In the field
Tracking the rarest carnivores
Seeking the slam
A family matter
Getting kids outside
Wild country dispatch
Backpage
March 2021 - Cover
March 2021 - From the Director
March 2021 - In this issue
March 2021 - A couple pennies
March 2021 - Mailbag
March 2021 - Opening shot
March 2021 - 7
March 2021 - News
March 2021 - 9
March 2021 - 10
March 2021 - 11
March 2021 - Ask Game and Fish
March 2021 - Project profiles
March 2021 - Case files
March 2021 - 15
March 2021 - In the field
March 2021 - 17
March 2021 - Tracking the rarest carnivores
March 2021 - 19
March 2021 - 20
March 2021 - 21
March 2021 - 22
March 2021 - 23
March 2021 - 24
March 2021 - 25
March 2021 - Seeking the slam
March 2021 - 27
March 2021 - 28
March 2021 - 29
March 2021 - 30
March 2021 - 31
March 2021 - A family matter
March 2021 - 33
March 2021 - 34
March 2021 - 35
March 2021 - 36
March 2021 - 37
March 2021 - Getting kids outside
March 2021 - 39
March 2021 - 40
March 2021 - 41
March 2021 - 42
March 2021 - 43
March 2021 - 44
March 2021 - 45
March 2021 - Wild country dispatch
March 2021 - 47
March 2021 - Backpage
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