News – Sheridan Media
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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports three nonresident anglers from California pleaded guilty to exceeding trout possession limits and violating size restrictions while fishing the North Platte River in Saratoga.
According to the department, the investigation began on Nov. 12, 2024, when 32 vacuum-sealed brown trout, 18 of which exceeded the 16-inch size limit, and one rainbow trout were discovered in the freezer of a Saratoga resident. The resident said a group of out-of-state anglers had been using the resident’s shop to process game meat and store fish. The owner was unaware of the extent of the anglers’ harvest.
Following the discovery, the three individuals were located and interviewed by Saratoga Game Warden Levi Wood. They initially claimed they only caught three trout per day. Further questioning led to their admission they exceeded the daily and possession limits and size restrictions.
The investigation confirmed that:
Angler 1 took 10 brown trout, including four more than16 inches long.
Angler 2 took 15 brown trout and one rainbow trout, including nine more than 16 inches long.
Angler 3 took seven brown trout, including five more than 16 inches long.
According to the Game and Fish, regulations for the North Platte River where the anglers were fishing allow a daily and possession limit of three trout, with only one fish permitted more than 16 inches long. Although the anglers claimed confusion regarding possession limits, multiple witnesses reported they were informed of the regulations. Daily or creel limits mean the total number of game fish a person may harvest in any one day. In contrast, possession means the maximum number of game fish that may be legally in possession at any time and in any form, even at home, regardless of how many days an angler has fished or how long it has been between catching those fish.
“The current special regulation on North Platte River in Saratoga helps to maintain a thriving wild brown trout population and its blue-ribbon classification,” Wyoming Game and Fish Department Fisheries Supervisor in the Laramie Region Bobby Compton said. “These are places where trout exceed 600 pounds per mile, making them exceptional places to fish. There are only 16 rivers with a blue-ribbon classification in Wyoming.”
Each angler was issued citations for exceeding the limit of game fish and violating size restrictions. They subsequently pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2024, and were ordered by Judge Susan Stipe of the Carbon County Circuit Court to pay a combined total of $1,140 in fines and $1,500 in restitution. They also lost their fishing privileges in Wyoming and 48 other states for one year.
“This case highlights the importance of understanding and following fishing regulations,” Wood said. “Possession limits exist to protect fish populations, and it’s every angler’s responsibility to know the rules.”
Game and Fish suggest that those who are unclear on any hunting or fishing regulations should contact their regional office or local game warden. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department always appreciates cooperation from local residents and asks anyone with knowledge of wildlife violations to report them.
Reports of poaching can be made through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Stop Poaching Hotline, 1-877-WGFD-TIP (1-877-943-3847), or online at www.wgfd.wyo.gov.
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Last modified: February 18, 2025