Explainer: How fish survive winter - Buckrail

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Ice fishing on Jackson Lake. Photo: Nick Sulzer // Buckrail

WYOMING— The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently released information about how fish survive the cold Wyoming winters.

According to Game and Fish, their survival is almost entirely based on how, when and where ice forms.

Ice usually forms across an entire stream in late fall and gets covered with snow. This is an ideal situation for fish to survive the winter because they’re safe from predators and harsh weather conditions. Fish move to areas where the stream is flowing slow and deep – like pools or underneath stream banks. Because there’s snow on the ice blocking sunlight, fish do not move around much to try and eat during the winter. Fish can live on their energy reserves for up to five months. Aquatic insects tend to hatch in the fall and are too small for fish to filter out of the water until the following summer.

While ice can be good for fish if it’s a solid cap on streams, slush ice, caused by warm spells, or sudden cold weather in the spring can create problems for fish. As it floats downstream, the ice can clog the gills of fish. Some fish move to shallow areas along the bank where slush ice may not flow. Others go to deep pools where the slush ice usually floats over top. But all too often, the fish that move to the shore get caught and eaten by mink that hunt for food along stream margins all winter. Small fish that move into deep pools can be eaten by bigger fish that live there.

Game and Fish biologists work with water managers and dam operators around the state to keep the flow in rivers stable during the winter and help streams and rivers ice over.

About The Author

Buckrail @ Lindsay

Lindsay Vallen is a Community News Reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in politics, wildlife, and amplifying community voices. Originally from the east coast, Lindsay has called Wilson, Wyoming home since 2017. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking, cooking, and completing the Jackson Hole Daily crosswords.