Show a f aNi lf sf J e t tE ti I i E r a II I I 3 l I III II I r lIl Y f GILL NET CATCH is hauled in near the Antelope boat ramp on Flaming Gorge reservoir by Bruce Schmidt left and John Lund The Division of Wildlife Resources specialists are doing a study of Lake Trout population The gill nets are dropped out and left all night and then pulled up the next day Lake Trout study made madet at t Taming Flaming Gorge By K R. Alan Gandy Candy In the freezing below-freezing temperatures temperatures temperatures tem tem- biologists Bruce Schmidt and John Lund and conservation officer Clay of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are conducting a week three-week study of the lake trout population in inthe inthe inthe the Flaming Gorge Reservoir This investigation is providing information on when the trout spawn and for how long what their food habits are what their growth age-growth rate ratio is at what age they reach sexual maturity and how high their reproduction rates are The fish needed for this study are caught in gill nets These nets entangle the fish when they swim into them making escape im impossible Smaller fish caught in these nets provide in information information information in- in formation on growth rates and sexual maturity while the larger fish give indication of spawning rates and The netted fish are counted weighed and measured The contents of their stomachs are examined to determine what they are eating at what age To find the exact age of the fish scales and bones from the gills and skull are examined The project leader Bruce Schmidt said The lake trout population looks very good at Flaming Gorge but there is no noway noway noway way to tell how many trout are in the reservoir Our net samplings do show that the population is on the increase however According to biologist John Lund there is plenty of spawning habitat in the reservoir The lake trout like washed areas where there are boulders aroi- aroi twelve welve inches in size T i 1 in the shallow wa hese these boulders and T r r down among apparently to from predation m. m m.'s s 's s spawn ran from approximately November 5 to the Lake Trout feed on small fish ranging from suckers and chubs to other trout fry but there is a scarcity of small fish in the reservoir right now according to Schmidt The trout do not feed during their spawn but they will be hungry now that tha t it is over The majority of the Lake Trout are in the Utah portion of the reservoir because that's where the water is the deepest The largest trout taken by the biologists so far weighed thirtyfour thirtyfour thirtyfour thirty- thirty four pounds It was measured weighed and then released Anglers there are still some big fish in Flaming Gorge Project leader Schmidt predicted This is going to be a slow-catch slow lake for trophy lake trout in the near future There arent aren't going to be any boatloads boatloads boatloads boat boat- loads of fish caught and anglers are going to have work at it Early spring will be the best time either with bait fish fishon on the bottom in deep water jigging a lure in deep water or trolling At times trailers have hooked into the study nets tearing them or leaving them piled up so that they are ineffective In Inthe Inthe the past people have stolen fish from the nets Both problems make accurate predictions of offish offish offish fish habits and populations impossible The lower lake levels may have hav some effect on the lake trout population this next year but at present there is no way to tell One indication may be bethe bethe bethe the brown trout run into Sheep Creek this fall It was was down over what it has been in the past However the biggest deterrent to the growth and production of these big fish is suckers They are very numerous and utilize a large portion of the food available in the reservoir There have be been bean n many kinds of fish caught during the study this fall lake brown rainbow and cutthroat trout three species of suckers two species of chubs whitefish salmon a two-pound two bass bassi and carp I The iThe carp are not doing very well at Flaming Gorge according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to the biologists Large numbers of this springs spring's planted Rainbow trout caught in the nets indicate a good survival rate rale which h should improve rainbow fishing for the next few years |