01-18-2022, 05:17 PM
Interesting thread. Flaming Gorge has always been an interesting fishery. Go back to the 60's and 70's when it was kicking out monster Browns AND Lakers. Unfortunately at that time, Utah DWR was not as forward seeing as it is today. The tactics for these big fish has changed dramatically over the last few decades. Big Browns were caught mainly by long line trolling big Rapala's, while the lakers were targeted with Steel line pulling T55 Flatfish on the bottom. The picture of the little boy holding the huge laker on the Flaming Gorge map was my next door neighbor in Provo. He was working construction in the Basin back then and he would go to the Gorge every weekend to fish. That fish was over 40lbs, one of many between 20 &40 that he caught. You don't hear much about the Browns anymore, my guess is they are still there and the main tactic for Lakers is to vertical jig with big tubes or troll with downriggers. My hat is off to the young folks who are doing the research today to improve the fishery for tomorrow. Keep up the good work.