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Show The Utah Department of Fish and Game predicted today that nearly one out of every four people in the state would be afield over the coming weekend for the opening of the general angling season. Department records show this annual opening of the trout season draws more sportsmen to the outdoors than any other event of the year, with upwards of 180,000 expected ex-pected to "head for the hills" this coming Saturday, June 6. With this "mass migration" in mind department director Harold S. Crane has asked that every angler going to the lakes and streams conduct himself like a true sportsman. He noted that many of Utah's limited waters are closed clos-ed to angling each year because be-cause of those who, knowingly or otherwise do not respect the trespass laws. The director also added a plea to everyone in regard to making the season a more enjoyable en-joyable one by practicing the rules of safety and by observing observ-ing the laws. Needed safety was also cited in observance of the traffic laws, since highways and byways by-ways are all expected to be congested with traffic. In summary the director said "Fishing is a game of fun one of the age old recreational pursuits of man afield. If we all practice courtesy, safety and respect for both property and individual, our return from our fishing trips will be just as enjoyable as our leave taking. tak-ing. If we know and abide by our laws, make courtesy and respect our creed, angling can be a wonderful pastime." The department said that weather forecasts show the present fair and warm weather should hold over this first weekend of the season. The program of stocking catchable rainbow into ail of the hard fished waters is further fur-ther ahead than for the past several years. This means that lakes and streams normally stocked with this larger sized trout will be stocked and ready for the opening weekend. Heaviest fishing pressure and most consistent creel returns are still expected to come from the old "standby" larger lakes and streams. The department said this was expected to be increasingly so as the season progresses under the present seriously low water conditions. These same low water conditions condi-tions should also mean a banner ban-ner opening day since the fish are confined to less living space and are more accessible to the angler. Most High Uinta Mountain waters will not be ice free and in "fishable" condition until later la-ter in the season. This prediction predic-tion applies to the lakes and streams above the nine to ten thousand foot elevations where a recent airplane survey showed show-ed most were still ice covered and the camp grounds not yet free from the winter snow cover. cov-er. Waters in the area below these elevations should all be in fishable condition. Road and trail conditions are far advanced this year in most mountain areas other than the Uintas. These include the Manti, Fishlake, Thousand Lake, Boulder, Escalante and Beaver mountain sections where all favorite fishing waters wa-ters are expected to be accessible acces-sible by opening day. Anglers were again remind- ed that Scofield Reservoir and all tributary waters to this lake are closed to angling during dur-ing the 1959 season, following chemical treatment last fall to control trash fish populations. The tributaries include Gooseberry Goose-berry CC Pond, Bench Pond, and Fish Creek. |