Anglers asked to report fishOfficials at Buffalo Bill Reservoir west of Cody continue to investigate the extent of the damage caused by the illegal stocking of walleye in that body of water last summer. Anglers are being asked to join in the effort by reporting all walleye caught at the lake and harvesting all walleyes caught. “The more information they can provide to us, the better,” said Wyoming Game and Fish fisheries supervisor Steve Yekel. “The day, time, location, bait used and size of the catch is important. We'd also like them to bring the fish in so we can take a sample as well.”That sample, taken from the head of the fish, can be analyzed and possibly help investigators discover where the illegally stocked fish came from. “There are things in the bone that you can look for that help narrow down where it may have come from,” said Yekel. A standing $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for introducing walleye to Buffalo Bill Reservoir is also available. Information may be left via the department's toll-free number 1-877-WGFD-TIP.Until the mystery of the species' arrival can be unraveled, officials are uncertain how widespread the damage is. Fall samplings for walleye produced six fish at each of two locations, leading Yekel to worry the problem was fairly significant. Samplings taken so far this spring have yet to produce a walleye and only one angler has reported landing one of the fish this spring.While Yekel is optimistic that those counts are a good sign, he is also aware that there could be other explanations for the low spring samplings.“Walleye aren't that active in colder water,” said Yekel. “I suspect they're down there deeper than our equipment can sample right now. As the weather and water heat up, we'll see more and more reports of them.”Yekel notes the reservoir has an abundance of walleye habitat. Should the fish exist in the waters in sufficient numbers, the opportunity is there, Yekel says, for the species to gain a foothold in the lake, something that could spell disaster for the trout population.Like lake trout, walleye represent an aggressive threat to the lake's native Yellowstone cutthroat species, as well as other fish in the waters. Yekel describes walleye as a “top of the chain” species when it comes to feeding on other fish. While walleye and trout coexist in other Wyoming waters, Yekel stresses that Buffalo Bill is managed as a “wild” fishery, meaning larger trout are not stocked to bolster the population the way they are at other locations. The threat posed to native species by the walleye was considered serious enough that the department altered its fishing regulations this year to confront the problem. Anglers are allowed no-limit fishing for walleye at Buffalo Bill this year. “We've made the decision to manage against the species,” said Yekel, noting that the lack of a walleye limit at the lake has also been written into proposed 2010 fishing regulations as well. “We do that any time there's a threat to a world-class fishery.”

Anglers asked to report fish

Officials at Buffalo Bill Reservoir west of Cody continue to investigate the extent of the damage caused by the illegal stocking of walleye in that body of water last summer. Anglers are being asked to join in the effort by reporting all walleye caught at the lake and harvesting all walleyes caught.

“The more information they can provide to us, the better,” said Wyoming Game and Fish fisheries supervisor Steve Yekel. “The day, time, location, bait used and size of the catch is important. We'd also like them to bring the fish in so we can take a sample as well.”

That sample, taken from the head of the fish, can be analyzed and possibly help investigators discover where the illegally stocked fish came from.

“There are things in the bone that you can look for that help narrow down where it may have come from,” said Yekel.

A standing $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for introducing walleye to Buffalo Bill Reservoir is also available. Information may be left via the department's toll-free number 1-877-WGFD-TIP.

Until the mystery of the species' arrival can be unraveled, officials are uncertain how widespread the damage is.

Fall samplings for walleye produced six fish at each of two locations, leading Yekel to worry the problem was fairly significant. Samplings taken so far this spring have yet to produce a walleye and only one angler has reported landing one of the fish this spring.

While Yekel is optimistic that those counts are a good sign, he is also aware that there could be other explanations for the low spring samplings.

“Walleye aren't that active in colder water,” said Yekel. “I suspect they're down there deeper than our equipment can sample right now. As the weather and water heat up, we'll see more and more reports of them.”

Yekel notes the reservoir has an abundance of walleye habitat. Should the fish exist in the waters in sufficient numbers, the opportunity is there, Yekel says, for the species to gain a foothold in the lake, something that could spell disaster for the trout population.

Like lake trout, walleye represent an aggressive threat to the lake's native Yellowstone cutthroat species, as well as other fish in the waters. Yekel describes walleye as a “top of the chain” species when it comes to feeding on other fish. While walleye and trout coexist in other Wyoming waters, Yekel stresses that Buffalo Bill is managed as a “wild” fishery, meaning larger trout are not stocked to bolster the population the way they are at other locations.

The threat posed to native species by the walleye was considered serious enough that the department altered its fishing regulations this year to confront the problem. Anglers are allowed no-limit fishing for walleye at Buffalo Bill this year.

“We've made the decision to manage against the species,” said Yekel, noting that the lack of a walleye limit at the lake has also been written into proposed 2010 fishing regulations as well. “We do that any time there's a threat to a world-class fishery.”