Fisheries are working to educate fishermen about current weather conditions and how they affect the fish, specifically trout. An article in the Casper Star-Tribune shared that water temperatures during catch and release should be considered for the fish’s safety. The Green River is at 700 cfs (cubic feet per second), compared to normal at 2,000 cfs. This means higher temperatures in the water. While trout can survive this, if the waters get too high it will disorient the fish and if those temperatures are sustained the trout will die. As a result, biologists are asking anglers to stop catch and release fishing when the river temperatures are in the high 60’s and 70’s. It is the same for lake trout and kokanee. Consider fishing rivers in the early morning, in areas where you can keep fish, catch your limit and head out, and bring a thermometer to check water temperature as they heat up. Other ideas include to go to high mountain streams where waters are cool enough to catch and release and to target other species.
