June 30, 2022 |
Effective immediately, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has temporarily lifted creel and possession limits on game fish at Saratoga Lake. The move to lift the creel limit was expected.
Fisheries Biologist Chance Kirkeeng announced the plan at a meeting in Saratoga in early June when discussing the chemical kill-off of fish in the lake this fall.
Pictured above: Photo of Saratoga Lake courtesy WGFD.
Speaking to Bigfoot 99 this morning, the head of fisheries for the state wildlife agency, Alan Osterlund said the emergency regulation lifting creel and possession limits is the first time such a rule has been issued.
Game and Fish plans to kill all of the fish in Saratoga Lake using rotenone in September as a way to prevent the proliferation of yellow perch into the North Platte River System. Yellow perch were illegally stocked in the lake sometime last year.
Game and Fish regards their presence as a threat to trout fisheries and native fish communities along the entire length of the North Platte drainage below Saratoga.
The lifting of the creel limit comes at the start of the July 4th weekend. Saratoga Lake is stocked with brown, rainbow and tiger trout.
Wyoming Game and Fish has established a page on their website devoted to providing the most up-to-date information on the management of the lake.
