Wy game and fish regulations

Wading or anchoring without permission is trespassing. Access to public lands for public use is only permitted if these lands are accessed by floating on a navigable water or if the lands are accessible from an existing public road or border other public lands that you can access without crossing private lands.

If you are unsure, check with the land management agency responsible for the land in question. In all cases, respect the land, the landowner, and those who come after you by removing litter and minimizing evidence of your presence and the evidence of others who have not been so considerate.

Treating your access as a privilege goes a long way in gaining more access for fishing and hunting in Wyoming. As water temperatures increase during summer months, using the proper techniques to catch and release fish become increasingly important to help ensure the fish will survive.

The Game and Fish asks anglers practicing catch and release, to consider the following:. Popular Now! Area 1 Regulations Area 5 Regulations. Releasing Fish in the Summer As water temperatures increase during summer months, using the proper techniques to catch and release fish become increasingly important to help ensure the fish will survive.

The Game and Fish asks anglers practicing catch and release, to consider the following: Fish early in the morning while the water temperature is cooler and carry a pocket thermometer to monitor the water temperature as the day warms.

If the water temperature is at or above 65 degrees, consider keeping what you catch within the regulations. If the temperature is 70 degrees or higher, do not attempt to catch and release fish. Failure to submit this report may result in denial of future fishing contest permits. The specific dates when contests are not allowed are listed with the regulations for the drainage areas. Every angler shall stop and report at every check station on route to or from any fishing area regardless if the person has any fish in possession.

Upon request of any authorized Department representative, anyone who has been fishing shall produce a valid license and conservation stamp, if required, and fish. Even if the fish in possession have been cut and wrapped or processed, the person transporting fish shall stop and report at the check station. Compliance with aquatic invasive species inspection requirements is an express condition of allowing a watercraft to contact any waters of this state. Immediately upon removing a watercraft from any waters of this state, the operator shall remove all visible vegetation from the watercraft and trailer and drain all water from the watercraft including, but not limited to, water in the hull, ballast tanks, bilges, live wells and motors.

All bilge and ballast plugs and other barriers that prevent water drainage from a watercraft shall be removed or remain open while a watercraft is transported by land within the state. Any person transporting any watercraft into the state by land from March 1 through November 30 shall have the watercraft inspected by an authorized inspector prior to launching.

Any person transporting any watercraft that within the past thirty 30 days has been in contact with a water known or suspected to contain zebra or quagga mussels shall have the watercraft inspected by an authorized inspector prior to launching regardless of time of year. All persons transporting a motorized or nonmotorized watercraft shall stop at aquatic invasive species check stations that are established on their route of travel. As part of all inspections, all compartments, equipment, and containers that may hold water, including, but not limited to, live wells, ballast and bilge areas shall be completely drained as directed by authorized inspectors.

Any person who refuses to permit inspection of their watercraft or refuses to complete any required removal and disposal of aquatic invasive species shall be prohibited from allowing the watercraft to contact any waters of this state and the watercraft will be subject to impoundment until an aquatic invasive species inspection and decontamination is completed.

All watercraft owners or operators that have not paid the aquatic invasive species program fee as part of the motorized watercraft registration fee, shall purchase and display an aquatic invasive species program decal valid for the current calendar year prior to contacting any waters of this state. Purchase of this decal shall be evidenced by an aquatic invasive species program decal properly affixed to the watercraft.

Owners of multiple non-motorized watercraft may transfer valid decals between their own non-motorized watercraft, however, each non-motorized watercraft shall display a valid decal while contacting any of the waters of this state. Proof of decal purchase may be used in lieu of a properly affixed decal for up to fifteen 15 days from date of purchase. All non-motorized inflatable watercraft ten 10 feet in length or less, all solid and inflatable paddleboards regardless of length, and all devices defined as water sport toys are exempt from this decal provision.

Visit the Aquatic Invasive Species website at wgfd. No person shall transport live fish or live fish eggs from the water of capture, except as provided by Commission regulations or as authorized by the Department. This includes transporting live fish in the live well of a fishing boat that has been removed from the water. No person shall tag or mark fish and release them into the waters of this state without prior written approval from the Department.

All fish rearing and retaining ponds used by the state including those located at state fish hatcheries, or any that may be constructed elsewhere, are closed to fishing throughout the calendar year. Temporary facilities at spawning station sites are closed to fishing during the time they are in use by the Department. Some waters that are open to fishing are not accessible due to other land use restrictions.

Be sure to check with the appropriate land management agency before planning a winter trip. Seining and trapping licenses hereafter referred to as seining license for the purpose of taking baitfish may be obtained from Department Regional Offices or from the Cheyenne Headquarters.

No person shall seine, net, trap or spear baitfish without first obtaining a valid seining license. A valid seining license is required when using a seine, net, trap or spear to take baitfish, even those that will be used as dead bait.

No person shall have more than one 1 seining license each calendar year. Seining or trapping and use of baitfish shall only be done as specified in regulations for each drainage area. Locations where baitfish may be obtained, possessed and used shall be specified on the seining license. Legal gear for taking baitfish includes seines, traps, cast nets, umbrella nets and dip nets.

There are no restrictions on the size of mesh or net size for cast nets, umbrella nets or dip nets. Collection gear shall be hand operated. Any brook stickleback Culaea inconstans taken must be killed immediately and shall not be possessed or transported.

Traps used for the purpose of taking baitfish shall not be more than thirty-six 36 inches long, twelve 12 inches deep, twelve 12 inches wide or twelve 12 inches in diameter and the throat shall not exceed one 1 inch width. No person shall intentionally tamper with or remove a trap or net, or remove fish from a trap or net that is set and maintained in compliance with Commission regulations without written permission from the seining license holder.

Any live nongame fish captured for use as dead bait shall be killed immediately and shall not be transported live. All wild caught live baitfish transported out of the water of capture shall be held in aquaria when not in use. Wild caught live baitfish confined to a live car, net, pen or other enclosure in the same water from which the baitfish were captured are exempt from the aquaria holding requirement. A seining license holder shall allow Department personnel to inspect live baitfish and all aquaria and enclosures used to hold live baitfish during reasonable hours.

If an inspection discloses species of wildlife not authorized by the Department or an aquatic invasive species, the Department may order the wildlife, including all fish in aquaria and enclosures, removed from Wyoming or destroyed. Wild caught live baitfish may be held indefinitely by the holder of a valid, unexpired seining license, but shall not be released, abandoned or allowed to escape.

A seining license holder shall be allowed to give live baitfish to other anglers in his or her fishing party for use only when the seining license holder is present. All live baitfish shall be returned to the seining licensee while not in use, and shall remain in the wild caught live baitfish possession area listed on the seining license. A seining license holder shall be allowed to give dead baitfish to other anglers for use as dead bait.

Seining licenses are subject to suspension or revocation for failure to comply with the seining and trapping conditions specified above or with the regulations for each drainage area. The use or possession of live baitfish is prohibited throughout Areas 1 and 4 and on all waters in Areas 2, 3, and 5 except as otherwise provided beginning on Area 1 Regulations which describe where live baitfish may be obtained, possessed and used.

The specific waters from which wild caught live baitfish may be seined, netted or trapped and used are listed beginning on Area 1 Regulations. Wild caught live baitfish shall not be transported out of the designated wild caught live baitfish possession area from which they were collected. This area shall be listed on the seining license, live baitfish dealer license or live baitfish receipt. No person shall possess live baitfish while fishing on any water where the use of live baitfish is prohibited.

Commercially produced live baitfish may be transported and possessed throughout Areas 2, 3 and 5 east of the continental divide except where the use of live baitfish is prohibited.

Use or possession of commercially produced live baitfish is prohibited on all waters except as otherwise provided beginning on Area 1 Regulations. Persons with live baitfish in possession shall produce, upon request from Department personnel, either a receipt from a licensed live baitfish dealer or a valid, unexpired seining license verifying the origin of the live baitfish. Containers may be used to transport legally obtained live baitfish or other wildlife by land, but shall not be part of a watercraft and shall be free of aquatic vegetation.

Live baitfish shall not be released, abandoned, or allowed to escape and must be killed when the receipt expires. Dead baitfish may be used as bait. Restrictions on the use of dead baitfish are designated within the regulations for the specific drainage areas. Nongame fish taken by the use of legal fishing methods during any season open for the taking of game fish may be used as dead bait.

Any live baitfish captured for use as dead bait shall be killed immediately and shall not be transported live. The applicant shall provide information including, but not limited to, the physical location of the business and a description of facilities to be used for holding fish. Amphibians and reptiles shall not be used as fishing bait.

The possession of live or dead amphibians and reptiles while fishing is prohibited. Crayfish shall only be used as live fishing bait in the water body from which they were captured. Once transported away from the water of capture, crayfish shall not be used as live fishing bait.

Traps used to take mollusks and crustaceans shall have the owners name and address attached while in use. Importation or possession of Rusty Crayfish is prohibited. Terms and Definitions Aquaria Means any enclosures used to contain organisms that prevent escape. Archery Equipment Means crossbows, longbows, recurve bows, compound bows and arrows.

Artificial Flies and Lures Means manmade flies and lures. Artificial Light Means any man-made light or lighting device. Baitfish Means nongame fish not designated as aquatic invasive species that were collected or purchased for use as bait.

Commercially Produced Live Baitfish Means adult fathead minnows that were propagated and reared in a Department approved private fish hatchery. Creel Limit Means the total number of game fish a person may harvest and reduce to possession during any one 1 day regardless of the method or methods of harvest. Dates Means the dates mentioned are inclusive. Day Means calendar day. Drainage Means the river or stream proper and the area of land, including all streams and standing waters, that drains into that river or stream.