A Deep Look Into the New Regulations at Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Flaming Gorge Reservoir – the massive reservoir spanning the Utah–Wyoming border – is famous among anglers for its kokanee salmon and trophy lake trout. Recently, fisheries managers from both states made important rule changes to protect kokanee and manage the booming lake trout population. Starting in 2024–25, anglers can only keep three kokanee per day (down from four), and there is now no catch limit on smaller lake trout (under 28 inches). These changes were designed to boost kokanee survival while still preserving Flaming Gorge’s renowned trophy lake trout fishery. We saw the official press releases from the government agencies on this, but I wanted to know more, so I reached out to the biologists and fishery managers in both states who oversee the management of Flaming Gorge. In this article, we’ll break down why these changes happened, what they mean, and how they aim to restore a healthy balance between kokanee and lake trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, and what early results biologists are seeing after the first 6 months.

Why the Kokanee Limit Dropped to Three

Flaming Gorge’s kokanee salmon (a landlocked form of sockeye salmon) are prized for their bright red tasty fillets and fun fight. In the past, anglers could take home up to four kokanee per day from the reservoir. Early reports from this year from anglers is that the kokanee catch has been phenomenal this year so far. So why cut the daily kokanee limit to three? The short answer is that despite the recent window of good fishing, kokanee population numbers have been in a sharp decline in recent years, and biologists want to prevent overharvest and give the population a better chance to rebound. Fewer kokanee in the lake means each fish is more precious. By slightly reducing the limit, managers hope more kokanee will remain in the water to grow, spawn, and sustain the fishery.

Kokanee populations naturally go through ups and downs, boom and bust cycles, but the recent decline has been sharp. Biologists from Wyoming Game and Fish and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources set a goal to keep about 600,000 young kokanee (ages 0–2) in the reservoir. A few years ago, they were easily meeting or doubling that target – from 2016–2019, the estimated number of young kokanee was nearly twice that, at about 1.1 million. However, in 2021 the estimate fell to ~600,000 and by 2022 dropped to ~550,000 according to biologists count. That was over a 50% decline in kokanee recruitment (new young fish) compared to just a few years prior. With fewer kokanee entering the population, limiting the harvest (even slightly) is a cautious step to avoid “overharvesting” the remaining kokanee. In simple terms, as part of the effort to restore a good balanced fishing ecosystem, managers don’t want anglers removing fish faster than the kokanee can replace themselves.

Another reason for the change is that not all kokanee caught survive if released. Kokanee are sensitive, especially in warm summer months. In 2023, creel surveys (angler interviews) showed about 20% of kokanee caught were being released by anglers, likely in hopes of catching bigger fish or avoiding the old 4-fish limit. Unfortunately, kokanee caught in mid-summer often die after release due to heat stress, even if they swim off okay. Wyoming biologists observed freshly dead kokanee floating on the surface after being released on hot days. With a lower 3-fish limit, the idea is anglers will stop targeting kokanee sooner, reducing catch-and-release losses. Wyoming’s Green River fisheries crew even advised anglers to stop fishing for kokanee once they catch their limit and switch to other species (like lake trout) to avoid needless kokanee mortality. So, the new limit encourages anglers to be satisfied with three kokanee and then maybe go after some lake trout “pups” to fill up the fish cooler even more – which actually also helps the kokanee (more on that soon).

In summary, the kokanee limit was lowered to protect a smaller kokanee population and ensure more fish survive to spawn. “Stocking kokanee as both forage for trophy lake trout and as a highly sought-after sport fish for anglers has worked for three decades and can continue to work as long as the number of small lake trout is reduced,” explained Wyoming biologist John Walrath. That points to the other half of Flaming Gorge’s equation: too many small lake trout eating too many kokanee. This is why the second part of the strategy came into effect: while kokanee harvest was trimmed back, lake trout harvest regulations were dramatically relaxed to address the bigger problem.

Kokanee’s Challenges: Predators and Poor Conditions

Kokanee salmon face a “gauntlet” of challenges in Flaming Gorge. The biggest issue, according to fisheries scientists, is heavy predation by lake trout – particularly young, small lake trout often called “pups.” These hungry lake trout love to gobble kokanee, especially the fingerling (2–3 inch) kokanee that are stocked or hatched each year. Biologists have found that kokanee make up roughly 25-30% of a small (16-22″) lake trout’s diet by volume, a significant chunk. With tens of thousands of small lake trout in the reservoir, even modest appetites add up to huge losses of kokanee. For example, if about 30,000 small lake trout each eat just 10 young kokanee per year, that’s roughly 300,000 kokanee getting eaten instead of growing up for anglers to catch. Another estimate suggested that 150,000 small “pup” lake trout, eating maybe one kokanee a month, could consume 1.8 million kokanee in a year before the salmon ever reach catchable size. In short, little lake trout can out-eat the kokanee population’s ability to replace itself! This predator-prey imbalance is a major reason kokanee numbers have been dropping.

Adding to the pressure, Flaming Gorge now also has burbot, an invasive predatory fish that feeds at night. Burbot also snack on young kokanee, meaning baby salmon face predation from two fronts (lake trout by day and burbot by night). As local marina owner Tony Valdez put it, “[Kokanee] have to run that gauntlet of predators to survive and grow to trophy size.” If a kokanee makes it to a chunky 3- or 4-year-old, it’s beat the odds.

Environmental conditions have played a role too. In 2021–2022, drought-related water drawdowns dramatically lowered Flaming Gorge’s water level. In late 2022 the Bureau of Reclamation sent water downstream, dropping the reservoir about 30 feet. This sudden drop in water shrank the shallow areas and streams where kokanee normally spawn. Many kokanee were forced to crowd into the few spawning spots left, which made it “easier for lake trout that eat kokanee to hunt them down” during the spawn. Utah biologist Bryan Englebert noted that sediment and mud can then smother the kokanee eggs in those concentrated spawning areas, reducing hatching success. In fact, during fall 2022, biologists could not collect any late-running kokanee for eggs on the Wyoming side (and only limited early-run eggs in Utah) because so few fish showed up to the spawning traps. Fewer eggs collected meant fewer kokanee stocked in 2023 – a shortfall mostly covered by Wyoming’s brood hatchery and a federal hatchery, but still a worrying sign. Essentially, low water and silt issues dealt kokanee a double whammy: less spawning habitat and poorer egg survival.

All these factors – too many small lake trout mouths to feed, an invasive burbot boom, and unfriendly water conditions – set the stage for the kokanee decline. By late 2022, it was clear to managers that bold action was needed to prevent this beloved salmon fishery from crashing. Cutting back the kokanee limit was one action. The other was to dramatically ramp up the removal of lake trout “pups.”

The Lake Trout Predicament: Small vs. Large

Flaming Gorge’s lake trout (also called Mackinaw) present a classic fisheries puzzle: how consistently have some giant trophy fish without letting too many little ones overrun the lake and pose a threat to other species. Lake trout were introduced here in the 1960s, around the same time kokanee were stocked. For decades, both species coexisted and created a world-class sport fishery – but they were also on a collision course, since lake trout naturally prey on kokanee. With the addition of the burbot, the competition between kokanee and lake trout has tilted increasingly in favor of the predators (lake trout), especially the younger lake trout under 28 inches long.

Why focus on the small lake trout? The reason is sheer numbers. Flaming Gorge now has an overabundance of juvenile lake trout, and collectively they eat far more kokanee than the relatively few big lake trout do. Each large, trophy-sized lake trout (40+ inches long) can and does eat kokanee – in fact, roughly 23–25% of a trophy lake trout’s diet consists of kokanee by volume. However, those prey are mostly adult kokanee, not the baby ones stocked each spring. Meanwhile, the “pup” lake trout swarm the open waters and shorelines and feast on young kokanee soon after they’re stocked or hatched. One or two big lake trout might eat a handful of adult kokanee in a month – but a hundred thousand little lake trout might each eat dozens of juvenile kokanee in that time. The math is simple and scary for kokanee fans. “Too many toothy predators,” as Game and Fish put it, means kokanee struggle to reach maturity.

Another issue is that an overpopulation of small lake trout isn’t good for the lake trout themselves. When there are lots of mouths to feed but not enough kokanee to go around, the small lake trout grow slowly and the big lake trout start losing weight. Biologists monitor lake trout condition (a measure of how fat and healthy the fish are). In recent years, Flaming Gorge’s trophy lake trout have been skinnier than usual, with condition values dropping below the long-term average. “The decline in [trophy lake trout] condition is thought to be the result of decreased prey availability (i.e., kokanee),” a 2024 fisheries report noted. In other words, the giant lake trout are going a bit hungry because there aren’t enough kokanee, and they won’t risk leaving their cool, deep-water haunts to chase less-preferred prey like chubs or suckers. Lake trout are remarkably good at surviving malnutrition – they’ll simply grow slowly or not at all when food is scarce, rather than die off – so an overpopulation can linger in poor health for a long time. That’s not what anglers or biologists want; they’d rather have fewer lake trout overall, but in better condition, with enough kokanee for both fish and fishermen to eat.

The management solution sounds straightforward: Reduce the number of small lake trout, and increase the number of kokanee. But achieving that balance is challenging. Managers must be careful not to “eradicate” the lake trout or harm the trophy fishery – which is also very popular – while taking enough pressure off kokanee. “There’s no doubt that kokanee are prized, but the huge lake trout are valuable to anglers as well,” Englebert said. After all, Flaming Gorge draws anglers from far and wide for its 40-pound lake trout just as much as for its vibrant kokanee schools. So the trick is to allow – even encourage – heavy harvest of the small lake trout “pups,” while protecting the large lake trout so they remain part of the fishery.

Lake Trout New Rules: Unlimited “Pup” Harvest and One Trophy

To get a handle on the predator problem, Wyoming and Utah wildlife agencies worked together on a bold regulatory change. As of late 2024, lake trout in Flaming Gorge have been reclassified as a nongame fish in Wyoming (and similarly managed in Utah), which means there is now no limit on lake trout under 28 inches. Anglers can keep as many of these small lake trout as they want – 5, 50, or 500, if they could catch that many! The only limit that remains is one lake trout over 28 inches per day, to protect those prized monsters. This “one-trophy limit” had already been in place, but now it’s accompanied by essentially unlimited harvest of the smaller size classes. Furthermore, labeling lake trout as “nongame” fish in Flaming Gorge means anglers are even allowed to dispose of unwanted small lake trout if they choose (previously, wasting game fish is not allowed). The hope is that no one dumps these fish unnecessarily – they’re actually very good eating – but the rule change gives people maximum flexibility to remove as many lake trout as possible from the Gorge without worrying about breaking any limits.

These new regulations represent the most aggressive step yet in a 20-year effort to thin out the lake trout population. It didn’t happen overnight. Back in 2006, seeing lake trout numbers rising, Wyoming raised the daily creel limit from 6 to 8 small lake trout. A few years later, with “pup” populations still growing, the limit was raised again. In 2019, Wyoming (and Utah) increased the limit to 12 lake trout under 28″ per day (24 in possession). Anglers were also only allowed one trophy above 28″, to maintain some big fish. Officials described these as “liberalized” limits, meaning quite generous allowances for harvest. Despite a decade under the 12-fish limit, gillnet surveys showed small lake trout were still increasing in abundance. The message was clear: even higher harvest was needed. By 2023, both states were considering the ultimate step – no limit at all on small lake trout. After public meetings and input, that change became reality. In October 2024, Wyoming’s commission officially reclassified Flaming Gorge lake trout as nongame and removed the creel limit on fish ≤28, and Utah implemented similar rules for their side of the reservoir. (Utah’s fishing regulations likewise list “no limit” on lake trout under 28 inches at Flaming Gorge, with one over 28 inches allowed, though the Utah rule change happened a couple months after Wyoming’s due to differing rule making cycles.)

The goal of these liberalized lake trout rules is straightforward: encourage anglers to catch and keep (or otherwise remove) as many small lake trout as possible, to reduce predation on kokanee and improve conditions for the remaining fish. “The abundance of lake trout less than 28 inches continues to increase,” John Walrath noted, “Growth rates for [these small lake trout] are declining.” By culling a significant number of them, there will be more food (kokanee and other forage) to go around for the survivors. Over time, fewer predators should allow more young kokanee to survive each year. In turn, those kokanee will feed the trophy lake trout as they grow, creating a healthier balance. It’s a long-term play – lake trout are slow-growing and long-lived, so reducing their population is not instantaneous. But giving anglers unlimited harvest is the strongest tool managers have, short of netting the lake trout themselves.

To sweeten the deal, managers and local groups have sponsored lake trout fishing derbies and contests. Many anglers have answered the call to target “pups.” Fishing tournaments now often include categories or raffles for the most lake trout caught under a certain size (for example, under 25″). In early 2024, a winter derby added a raffle for harvesting small lake trout and succeeded in removing 319 lake trout under 25 inches in one weekend. Another derby in 2023 saw 375 small lake trout harvested. These events underscore the agencies’ message that “catching a small lake trout is a good thing – please don’t throw it back!” In fact, back in 2020 Wyoming Game and Fish even ran a campaign encouraging anglers at Flaming Gorge to stop releasing lake trout pups and to “take advantage of liberal creel limits” to help the fishery. With no limit now, that message is stronger than ever.

It’s worth noting that neither state made this decision lightly. Wyoming’s John Walrath and Utah’s Bryan Englebert both engaged in outreach to anglers, explaining the science and need for action. The proposal to remove limits was public for review, and anglers were invited to comment. Many kokanee anglers supported the change, having seen the downturn in kokanee first-hand. Some trophy lake trout enthusiasts were cautious, but generally people understood that without intervention, both kokanee and trophy lakers would suffer. The final regulations passed with both states in agreement – an important point, because Flaming Gorge is one big water body and it works best if Utah and Wyoming have consistent rules (so anglers don’t get confused about limits when they cross an invisible state line on the lake). This coordination reflects a strong partnership between the two agencies. They’ve long worked together on stocking and research – for example, each year Wyoming, Utah, and a federal hatchery coordinate to stock about 1.5–1.65 million kokanee fry into Flaming Gorge. Likewise, Utah handles annual hydroacoustic (sonar) surveys to estimate kokanee populations, and Wyoming manages a brood hatchery to supply kokanee eggs – all collaborative efforts. Agreeing on harvest rules together was a logical next step in this joint stewardship of the reservoir.

Early Signs, Reactions, and the Road Ahead

So, now that the new rules are in place, what are the early results and how are people responding? According to Tony Valdez at Buckboard Marina, anglers have indeed been harvesting more small lake trout – but he feels it’s still not enough. Even after a season of no limits, Valdez said in spring 2025 that public anglers “have hardly made a dent in the lake trout population” in his view. He has even wondered if commercial netting – hiring professionals to net large numbers of lake trout – might be necessary to really knock back the population. However, biologists like Englebert are cautious on that idea, noting that commercial-scale netting would be extremely expensive and not guaranteed to target only lake trout (it could accidentally kill kokanee or other fish). Englebert estimated it could cost on the order of $1.7 million to significantly net lake trout, and neither state has the budget for that right now. The agencies are hoping that dedicated anglers can accomplish enough removal with hook and line, given time.

On a positive note, there are hints the kokanee may be rebounding. By mid-2025, Valdez noted “there seem to be a few more kokanee than before” in the reservoir. This anecdotal observation suggests that the combination of heavy lake trout harvest and better water conditions (the reservoir has stabilized some) could be helping. But Valdez and the biologists agree it’s not nearly enough yet – the kokanee need to increase a lot more to reach desired levels. It will likely take multiple years of sustained predator reduction before kokanee numbers climb substantially. Kokanee salmon grow and reproduce on roughly a 3-4 year cycle, so improvements in survival now will be most evident a couple of years down the road when those fish reach catchable size and spawning age. Managers will be closely watching the kokanee surveys in 2025 and 2026 to see if the trend turns upward.

Many anglers have adjusted well to the new rules. Kokanee anglers, by and large, support the 3-fish limit if it helps secure the future of the fishery. It’s a small sacrifice now (keeping one fewer fish per day) for the promise of better fishing later. And in practice, when kokanee were scarcer in 2022–2023, plenty of anglers weren’t hitting a 4-fish limit anyway. Now, casual anglers can still take home a few kokanee for the grill, while more avid anglers often continue fishing for trout or lake trout after landing their three kokanee. The tone on local fishing forums and at the cleaning stations has been mostly positive – people want to see kokanee bouncing back, and many enjoy the added challenge of targeting lake trout pups for the good of the fishery. There’s even a silver lining: small lake trout are very tasty. They have orange, flaky meat (from that kokanee-rich diet) and are low in mercury, making them a healthy meal. Wyoming Game and Fish has promoted recipes and noted that these fish are high in omega-3s and great for smoking. Some anglers have started smoking lake trout fillets and sharing them with friends, converting others to the cause of catching-and-cooking more lakers.

That said, not everyone is on board or fully informed. Englebert mentioned that someone even tossed dozens of small lake trout in a dumpster by the marina, an incident which upset other anglers. While legally allowed now, wasting good fish is discouraged – if you don’t want to eat your catch, you can give them away or at least dispose of them properly. Valdez himself has turned to smoking lake trout meat and selling it commercially in small batches, seeing an opportunity to create value from the overabundance. Both biologists and business owners are encouraging folks to use the lake trout they catch (or release them into someone’s frying pan!) rather than treat them as trash. This cultural shift – viewing small lake trout as a resource to harvest, not as “too small to bother” – is something the agencies have worked hard to promote through outreach and education.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, fisheries managers will keep a close eye on the data. Success, in their eyes, means seeing kokanee numbers climb back toward the levels of the 2010s and maintaining a healthier predator–prey balance. Specifically, they’d like to consistently meet or exceed that 600,000 young kokanee objective each year, – or even raise the bar if possible. Success also means trophy lake trout in Flaming Gorge regain their heft and healthy condition, supported by ample kokanee forage. If the plan works, anglers should notice fatter big fish and better kokanee catch rates in the coming years. In terms of metrics, managers will look for increased kokanee survival (measured by egg collections, hydroacoustic surveys, and catch-per-unit-effort in nets) and decreased small lake trout abundance (measured by netting surveys and angler catch reports). It’s not a quick fix, but a gradual improvement over, say, 5+ years would indicate they’re on the right track.

What if, despite unlimited harvest, anglers can’t reduce the lake trout enough? The agencies may brainstorm additional measures. These could include even more fishing incentives (larger fishing tournaments, reward tags or bounties for turning in lake trout heads, etc.), or in a worst-case scenario, revisiting the idea of direct removal efforts like netting. However, netting comes with risks and high costs, as discussed, so it’s considered a last resort. Biologists also hope nature might lend a hand – for example, a couple of years of poor spawning success for lake trout (due to environmental factors or competition) could naturally reduce their numbers. They will also continue to adjust kokanee stocking strategies, such as timing the releases to minimize immediate predation. In 2024, for instance, managers stocked kokanee after the spring lake trout netting survey, hoping many lake trout had moved to deeper water by then, giving the fingerlings a better head start.

The coordination between Wyoming and Utah will remain crucial. Both agencies meet regularly to share findings and ensure their regulations stay in sync. Englebert, who took over management on the Utah side in 2025, emphasizes continuing the cooperative approach that has been a hallmark of Flaming Gorge’s management. Anglers can expect that any future changes (whether tightening or loosening of limits) will be done jointly by both states after careful review of the science and public input.

For now, the message to the fishing community is: “Help us help the kokanee.” Keep harvesting those small lake trout – there’s no limit, and every one removed potentially saves dozens of young kokanee. Enjoy your three kokanee salmon if you’re lucky enough to catch them, and consider it a win for the fishery to leave a few extra kokanee in the lake. With a bit of patience and a lot of participation from anglers, the famed Flaming Gorge kokanee runs could rebound to their former glory, coexisting with fewer but healthier lake trout. As one study showed, a single trophy kokanee can generate hundreds of dollars in local economic value from angler travel – and countless memories for fishing families. Flaming Gorge’s story is still being written, but with these proactive steps, officials are optimistic it will continue to be a “premier kokanee fishery” for years to come, alongside its legendary lunker lake trout.

In conclusion: The recent changes at Flaming Gorge represent a proactive, science-based effort to restore balance in the reservoir’s ecosystem. By reducing the kokanee limit and opening up lake trout harvest, managers are tackling the kokanee’s challenges from both ends – less fishing pressure on the prey and more fishing pressure on the predator. It’s a fine line to walk, but with continued collaboration between Wyoming and Utah and strong angler support, the future looks bright for kokanee and lake trout alike in Flaming Gorge. As anglers, we can all do our part by embracing these changes and understanding that today’s limits are in place so we can enjoy even better fishing tomorrow.

References and Further Reading

Wyoming Game & Fish – “Warm Up Your Smoker for Abundant FG Lake Trout” (2023)wgfd.wyo.gov and “Catch and Keep Lake Trout Pups” initiatives.

Walrath, J., Wyoming Game and Fish – Flaming Gorge Fishery Updates, Cowboy State Daily interview (June 27, 2023)cowboystatedaily.comcowboystatedaily.com

Englebert, B., Utah Division of Wildlife – Flaming Gorge Management Perspectives, Cowboy State Daily interview (May 22, 2025)cowboystatedaily.comcowboystatedaily.com

Wyoming Game & Fish Department – News Release: Anglers Should Expect Reduced Kokanee Catch Rates (2023)wgfd.wyo.govwgfd.wyo.gov

Wyoming Game & Fish Department – News Release: Anglers Encouraged to Target Lake Trout After Reaching Kokanee Limit (July 19, 2023)wgfd.wyo.gov

Wyoming Game & Fish Department – Public Notice: Proposed Flaming Gorge Regulation Changes (June 4, 2024)wgfd.wyo.govwgfd.wyo.gov

Flaming Gorge Reservoir 2024 Fisheries Progress Report – Utah DWR & Wyoming G&F (2024)file-aihlt1z4kzvive5ixvvlncfile-aihlt1z4kzvive5ixvvlnc

Cowboy State Daily – “Flaming Gorge Lake Trout Still Devouring Kokanee…Despite No Limits” (Mark Heinz, May 2025)cowboystatedaily.comcowboystatedaily.com