Catch unlimited fish, win prizes at annual Burbot Bash

Catch unlimited fish, win prizes at annual Burbot Bash

(Ron Stewart, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)


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MANILA, Daggett County — The annual fishing tournament known for helping get rid of invasive burbot in Flaming Gorge Reservoir will begin Friday, and officials are hoping anglers will come take advantage of the unlimited fishing and chance to win cash.

The Burbot Bash will be held Friday through Sunday, and then on Feb. 3-5, the Buckboard Burbot Classic will give anglers the opportunity to fish the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Protect the fishery

The Burbot Bash is held each year to help the fishery at Flaming Gorge. Burbot are an invasive species that were illegally introduced into the Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir, and their voracious appetites threaten other native species in those waters, Division of Wildlife Resources officials said. The unlimited catch limit helps eliminate some of the burbot and helps protect the smallmouth bass, kokanee and rainbow trout.

“Biologists believe anglers are the best way to decrease burbot populations, especially this time of year,” DWR regional conservation outreach manager Tonya Kieffer said in a news release. “Right now is the perfect time to remove burbot from the reservoir. Harvesting the fish now, and earlier in the winter season too, is great because it removes the females before they have a chance to spawn.”

Photo credit: Ryan Mosley, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Photo credit: Ryan Mosley, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

The fish that are tagged for the contest also provide information to biologist about how the burbot grow and where they migrate and spawn throughout the reservoir, DWR said.

Since 2011, nearly 17,000 burbot have been removed by anglers participating in the tournament, according to the Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce.

Winning prizes

Anglers who participate in the ice fishing tournament can also win big cash prizes, DWR said. Adult anglers and young anglers are split into separate categories and cash prizes are awarded for the most burbot caught and the largest burbot caught. Prizes are also offered for anyone who catches a tagged burbot.

The burbot have external and internal tags and anglers should bring each burbot they catch to a check station so DWR and Wyoming Fish and Game Department officials can scan the fish to see if there is a tag. One tagged fish in the tournament is worth $10,000 and two others are worth $2,500 and $1,000, respectively. A total of 50 fish will be tagged for the tournament. Anyone with a tagged fish will receive a cash prize.

“Tagged fish contests are great, because they level the playing field,” DWR Flaming Gorge Fishery biologist Ryan Mosley said in a news release. “One angler can catch a single burbot and potentially take home more money than those who check in hundreds.”

Ice danger

DWR officials said anglers should be careful during the tournament and should not venture onto ice that looks unstable. The ice conditions have been changing on the reservoir and officials urged extreme caution to all participants.

“With the latest cold front, ice made a rapid move down lake. But, while fishing on some new ice last week, I saw the thickness go from 5 inches to 2 inches without any warning,” Mosley said. “If they aren’t careful, those using ATVs could get into trouble pretty quick.”

Anglers interested in participating can learn about the rules and register at the Burbot Bash website and at the Buckboard Classic website.

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