A bill intended to prevent Wyoming’s prized trout waters from being mobbed by unregistered out-of-state fishing guides passed the Senate on Monday, a vital step toward Gov. Mark Gordon’s desk.
The Senate passed House Bill 5, which would set up guidelines for regulating fishing guides, on its third and final reading by a vote of 19-11, with one vote absent.
Because some amendments were made in the Senate, the bill will go to concurrence, which is a process for House and Senate members to hammer out the differences before sending it on.
Fishing guides from both sides of the Wyoming-Colorado state line told Cowboy State Daily that they were pleased with the bill’s progress.
“This clearly demonstrates that both the House and Senate clearly understand the issues we’re facing with Wyoming waters,” said noted Wyoming outdoorsman Paul Ulrich, a fishing guide for Two Rivers Fishing Co. of Pinedale.
Pete Mott, president of the Gypsum, Colorado-based Trout Trickers fishing guide service, said that regulating guided fishing in Wyoming will benefit everyone.
“I respect local outfitters and support Wyoming,” he said.
Reeling In Unregulated Fishing Guides
HB 5 was drafted in response to growing concern over the North Platte River near Casper and other prime fishing waters getting mobbed, as overcrowding in Montana and Colorado pushes more anglers toward Wyoming.
Big game hunting outfitters and guides are regulated and must be registered and permitted in Wyoming.
But no such system exists for fishing guides. Ulrich and other supporters of HB 5 said that has caused an essential free-for-all here.
Anybody calling themselves a ‘guide’ can charge people to take them fishing – regardless of whether the self-described guide has first aid training, liability insurance or a registered boat and trailer, supporters of HB 5 argued.
Mott said his company operates in Wyoming under a permit from the Bureau of Land Management. He’s glad to see Wyoming moving toward regulating guided fishing.
“I took the steps and the expense, and the time and energy, to be permitted. And others from out-of-state should perhaps be held to that same accountability,” he said.
Making New Rules
If HB 5 passes concurrence and is signed into law by Gordon, it will start the process toward oversight of fishing guides, possibly by a board like the one that oversees big game hunting outfitters and guides.
The bill calls for the creation of a seven-member “commercially guided fishing boats advisory board.”
That board will be charged with advising the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regarding possible regulations – such as registering and tracking the number of guided fishing boats operating on Wyoming waters.
The commission and the advisory board would present recommendations to the Legislature’s Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources interim committee no later than Nov. 1, according to the bill.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
