Burbot raffle aims to provide fun and target harmful impacts

“Each tag is imprinted with the following message “2017 Burbot Raffle WGFD 307-875-3223”,” says Green River Fisheries Supervisor Robert Keith. “When anglers catch one of these fish they need to call the phone number on the tag. Game and Fish office personnel will give folks instructions to mail the tag with their contact information to the Green River Office of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Successful anglers will be officially entered into the drawing when their tag and contact information is received at the Green River office. There is no fee to participate in the 2017 Burbot Raffle on Fontenelle, just catch a burbot with the yellow Floy tag.”

The winning tag will be drawn on January 8th at the awards ceremony for the La Barge Ding the Ling Derby being held on Fontenelle Reservoir January 7th and 8th. Anglers need not be part of the derby, nor be present during the drawing, to win the 2017 Burbot Raffle. However, they do need to catch a tagged burbot and submit the yellow Floy tag with their contact information to Game and Fish prior to the drawing on January 8th.

“Game and Fish is partnering with UBRTU in an effort to highlight Fontenelle Reservoir as a destination burbot fishery and encourage anglers to help catch and remove burbot from the reservoir,” Keith said. “The Game and Fish has identified burbot anglers as the best resources for reducing burbot numbers and the impacts they have on valued sport fisheries west of the continental divide in Wyoming. Similar to Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the burbot population in Fontenelle Reservoir is impacting the sport fishery in the reservoir and the sport fisheries upstream of Fontenelle Reservoir. The Fontenelle burbot population has only experienced limited angling pressure so fish larger than 30 inches are still common.”

The Green River fisheries management crew finished two days of netting on Fontenelle Reservoir the last week of October. Twenty five burbot were tagged and released with the yellow Floy tags labeled with “2017 Burbot Raffle” during the netting operations. The tagged burbot are wearing a yellow Floy Tag next to the dorsal fin.

“This raffle is an opportunity for anglers to have some fun and help fisheries managers reduce the numbers and impact burbot are having on sport fisheries in Fontenelle Reservoir,” Keith said. “We thank the UBRTU for sponsoring this raffle and putting up the $1000 grand prize. We also thank the La Barge Events Committee for sponsoring the La Barge Ding the Ling Derby on Fontenelle Reservoir (January 7 and 8th). The La Barge Events Committee is sponsoring the derby because they are concerned about the impacts burbot are having on the fishery in Fontenelle Reservoir and other local fisheries. Good luck to all those that make Fontenelle Reservoir a burbot fishing destination this fall and winter.”