Anglers urged to modify angling techniques for fish protection and wellbeing
As temperatures soar in Wyoming during the summer months, it's essential for anglers to adjust their fishing practices to minimise stress on trout and promote their survival. Here are some recommended practices:
## Best Practices for Trout Survival
### 1. **Fishing Time and Location** - **Timing**: Fish early in the morning or later in the evening when water temperatures are cooler. Avoid fishing during the hottest part of the day. - **Location**: Focus on areas with cooler water, such as deep pools, undercut banks, or where cold streams enter rivers or lakes. These areas are more likely to hold trout during hot summer days.
### 2. **Tackle and Gear** - **Light Tackle**: Use light tackle to handle trout gently. This minimises stress and reduces the risk of injury. - **Barbless Hooks**: Use barbless hooks to make it easier to release trout quickly and safely. - **Netting**: Use a soft-mesh net to handle trout gently during landing.
### 3. **Handling and Release** - **Quick Release**: Release trout quickly to minimise handling time and stress. - **Avoid Over-Handling**: Handle trout minimally and avoid removing them from the water for extended periods. - **Keep Them Wet**: Keep trout wet during handling to prevent gill damage.
### 4. **Respect Water Conditions** - **Monitor Water Temperature**: Avoid fishing in waters where temperatures exceed trout tolerance levels (generally above 68°F for Brook Trout). - **Weather Awareness**: Be aware of weather conditions, such as thunderstorms, which can affect water temperature and clarity.
### 5. **Fly Fishing Techniques** - **Dry Flies and Streamers**: Use dry flies and streamers, which are less likely to injure trout than nymphs. These methods also require less handling during the catch. - **Match the Hatch**: Be patient and match natural hatches to ensure trout are not stressed by unnatural presentations.
By following these practices, anglers can help ensure the survival of trout during high summer temperatures in Wyoming. It's important to remember that prolonged exposure to water temperatures greater than 75 degrees Fahrenheit can kill trout. Anglers are advised to play and land fish as rapidly as possible to reduce exhaustion stress.
As water temperatures approach 70 degrees, the chance for any fish species to survive being caught and released is reduced. Anglers are advised to monitor water temperatures while fishing. When water temperature is at or above 65 degrees, anglers are advised to keep their catch within regulations. Removing the hook gently is advised, with cutting the leader if the hook is deeply embedded.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is warning the public about warmer temperatures affecting streams and rivers in Wyoming. Anglers are asked to practice self-restraint and use flies and lures when many fish are being caught and released. If water temperatures are too high, a trip to another top-notch, high-country fishery where it's cooler is suggested.
It's crucial to keep the fish in the water as much as possible, avoiding squeezing the fish or placing fingers in the gills. Anglers are recommended not to attempt catch-and-release when water temperature is 70 degrees or higher. These recommendations are for the conservation of the fishery resource, not new regulations.
In the realm of environmental science, it's essential to consider the impact of warm water on fish species like trout, not just during summer months in Wyoming, but also in sports activities like fishing. To support the survival of trout, one could choose to engage in activities such as playing and landing fish rapidly, minimizing exhaustion stress, and monitoring water temperatures as they approach 70 degrees, as some sports enthusiasts do in the field of scientific fishing practices.
