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Trends in Fish Population, 1963 through 1976 <br />- 14 Years of Gillnetting, Flaming Gorge Reservoir <br />by <br />Robert W. Wiley <br />ABSTRACT <br />Gillnets were set throughout Flaming Gorge Reservoir in littoral <br />areas through 14 years (1963-1976). Nets were set for periods of 20 to <br />24 hours (overnight) and all trout were weighed and measured while <br />numbers of non-game fish processed was dependent on number netted. <br />Rainbow trout were most abundant in the net catches to 1965. <br />After that time production began to favor non-game fishes, most <br />notably Utah chub, flannelmouth sucker and white sucker. The <br />decline in abundance of rainbow trout is attributable to fishing <br />effort and competition with non-game fishes and large predator trout. <br />Introduction of forage fishes to compete with non-game fish and to <br />provide forage for rainbow trout have been considered. <br />INTRODUCTION <br />A comprehensive fishery investigation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir <br />was begun in 1963 and has been financed (1963 - 1971) by funds <br />allocated according to the Colorado River Storage Project Act, by <br />Dingell-Johnson funds (1972 - 1974) and by State funds (Wyoming, <br />1972 - 1976). Fishery information has been assembled to satisfy <br />these objectives: <br />17