New Youth Fish Challenge
by Wyoming Game & Fish
December 18, 2013
With the holidays coming up, school is out and the Game and Fish suggests one way to fill kids’ free time is to take them fishing and try for the Wyoming Youth Fish Challenge.
Fishing with kids is often thought of as a warm weather activity, but the recent cold snap has created excellent ice conditions on many waters and fishing is good.
"This is a great time to take kids fishing and try for the youth fish challenge," said Casper region information specialist Janet Milek. "Our goal is to provide youth with angling challenges to expand their fishing skills."
Kids under the age of 18 can complete up to 10 challenges. One of the challenges is the Trout Trio. To complete the Trout Trio, participants are required to catch any three separate species of trout found in Wyoming, including brook, brown, rainbow, cutthroats, kokanee, tiger, splake, lake or golden.
In addition to the Trout Trio, there is the Cool Catch, Wyoming’s Wild One, Pan Pair, Habitat Counts, Percid Prize, Bass Battle, and the Hatchery Hop. If kids complete five or more challenges, Game and Fish will recognize them as a Master Angler. The program is based on the Cutt-Slam, a Game and Fish program started in the 1990s.
Participants who successfully complete any category will receive a collectable certificate featuring the fish they caught and recognizing them for their efforts.
Program rules are as follows:
- Open to any youth (resident or nonresident, 18 years of age and under).
- All fish must be caught in Wyoming.
- Photos must be taken with the youth and the fish at the body of water of capture.
- Fish can be caught over multiple years, prior to the 19th birthday.
- Native fish do not have to be taken from their native range, unless it is for the Cutt-Slam.
- Verification sheet must be submitted to Casper Game and Fish office for authorization.
Verification sheets and a description of the program are available at the Casper Game and Fish office, online at wgfd.wyo.gov or by calling Janet Milek at 307-233-6404.
Only a few months old the program is growing in popularity. "A number of kids have already completed challenges and there seems to be a great deal of interest in the program," said Milek.
Youth completing the challenge should send in the verification sheet along with photos and all other information requested on the sheet to Janet Milek in the Casper Region office of Game and Fish.
This program is a collaboration of the Wyoming Game and Fish, North Platte Walleyes, Trout Unlimited, 4-H Sportfishing and the Wyoming Fly Casters.
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