Two is a meaningful number in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Every two years Game and Fish puts out new fishing regulations. Every two years the agency hosts public meetings so anglers can comment on proposed changes.

The proposed 2008-09 regulations are now up for discussion, and this time around it's two times the meetings.

If you haven't heard, Game and Fish is in the process of hosting scoping meetings around the state. Unlike previous years, however, the scoping meetings are in addition to the regular May-June public meetings to help finalize regulation proposals.

Fisheries management coordinator Dirk Miller said there are some big changes on the horizon and the agency is conducting the extra meetings to get the public into the process.

"We just had enough different kinds of changes on the horizon that we really wanted to have a more prolonged public input process, and try to really let people know," Miller said. "Often times, it kind of goes by them and you get new regs in the book and they're surprised. And they're sometimes disappointed. We wanted to avoid that and get a chance for people to really take a look at the proposals."

Casper-area fisheries manager Al Conder said one proposed change will make the regulations more user-friendly. Regulation booklets in the past began with a lengthy statewide summary, then it was on to a separate set of area-specific requirements that often confused anglers.

The new booklet would consolidate regulations so anglers can refer to the section that most interests them.

"In the past we've always had a statewide set of regs, then we refer everybody back to the special regs," Conder said. "We got to the point where everybody went back to the special regs, then when they think something's wrong they'll call us."

Big changes in possession limits are also proposed. For example, the agency is looking at different creel limits on various trout species.

Rivers and streams will also be managed separately from reservoirs and lakes, at least as far as creel and possession limits are concerned. One proposal, for example, will cut in trout limits on rivers and streams while doubling the possession limits on many lakes.

Miller said that recognizes lakes are more durable fisheries.

"There's been public interest in having a possession limit that's more than the daily creel limit. We thought biologically we can withstand that," he said. "A lot of times if people are going to go camping and make a trip to go somewhere, allowing them to have more than a single limit, I think the public will like that. … We're putting them there for people to catch them."

Other proposals will change bait fish regulations with the hope of increasing the supply of available minnows. Those should interest ice anglers who have had trouble this winter finding live bait.

Speaking up at a public meeting isn't for everybody, so the agency has provided a summary on its Web site, and an online survey for comments. Go to http://gf.state.wy.us, then click on "Fishing Regulation Changes" in the "What's New" box in the upper right-hand corner.

Otherwise, there is likely to be a scoping meeting soon in a venue near you. Get out and speak up.

"We've got the public meetings. We've got surveys on the Internet that folks can go to get all the information that we'll be presenting at the public meetings, too," Conder said. "We certainly want to protect the resource, but we also want to make it as easy for people as we can."

Willy Zimmer can be reached at (307) 266-0524 or William.Zimmer@casperstartribune.net.

If you go …

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will host the following scoping meetings to discuss recommendations for the 2008-09 fish and bait fish regulations. All meetings begin at 7 p.m.:

*March 1 - Lincoln County Library, Kemmerer; Campbell County Library, Gillette; Headwaters Center, Dubois

*March 5 - Saratoga Town Hall; Sublette County Library, Pinedale; Casper Game and Fish office

*March 6 - Bighorn Federal Bank, Cody; Cokeville Town Hall; Converse County Courthouse, Douglas; Albany County Courthouse, Laramie

*March 7 - Platte County Library, Wheatland; Fremont County Library, Riverton; National Park Service Visitor Center, Lovell

*March 9 - Sublette County Library, Big Piney

*March 12 - Jeffrey Center, Rawlins; Jackson Game and Fish office

*March 13 - Laramie County Library, Cheyenne; school district office, Afton

Regulation changes and a comment form are available online at http://gf.state.wy.us. Comments on scoping meetings must be provided by March 14. Written comments should be mailed to Fish Division, Attn: Regulation Comments, 5400 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82006.