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Show Wildlife Resources Fishing forecast is good By John Schijf (innervation Officer Wildlife Resources We can look forward to generally good fishing with the opening of the general season on May 29. Runoff has, however, been slower than usual and therefore some streams will not have been stocked. There may also be access problems. Before continuing with the fishing forecast, a few comments should be made regarding the fishing proclamation. proclama-tion. A recent newspaper article made some rather unfair remarks about the so-called complexity of the proclamation. proclama-tion. The proclamation is indeed fairly detailed - but it needs to be. First, it is a legal document. It has to be written in a detailed manner in order to close all loopholes that would enable some people to take unfair advantage of the fishery resource. Second, and perhaps most important, a detailed proclamation is necessary to regulate the harvest of fish in order to manage our resource in a scientific way. Our fisheries management programs pro-grams are becoming more and more sophisticated with our increasing knowledge of the biology of the many species of game fish. Each species and each body of water has its own unique biological characteristics. We cannot manage a large warm water lake like Lake Powell as we manage a cold water stream such as Ashley Creek. In order to take into consideration con-sideration uniqueness and to manage scientifically, we must specify different harvest criteria for the many bodies of water and fish species. The detail in the proclamation is in fact a reflection of the extreme diversity of the fishery resource that we are fortunate to have in the State of Utah. There are important changes in the proclamation from last year: 1. Daily bag and possession limit: Opening weekend (May 29, 30, 31) six (6) trout only. Eight (8) trout for the rest of the season. 2. Artificial lures and flies must be used us-ed in streams after 2 trout over 13 inches in-ches have been caught. It is hopes that this regulation will enable anglers (who have caught two trout larger than 13 inches) in-ches) to return any additional large trout caught to the stream with minimal injury to the fish. However, you may still not possess more than 2 fish over 13 inches caught in streams. Other important points to remember include: 1. Ashley Creek from the mouth of Ashley Creek gorge to Steinaker Reservoir Reser-voir will be open to fly fishing only. 2. Resident juveniles under fi vpars old may fish without a license but they must be accompanied by a licensed angler and their fish must be included in the limit of the licensed angler. Resident Resi-dent juveniles age 6 to 11 can fish without a license and without a licensed angler but their limit is half that of a licensed angler. 3. Non-resident juveniles under 12 years of age may fish without a license but must be accompanied by a licensed angler and the fish caught must be included in-cluded in the licensed angler's limit. 4. Fishing is allowed only between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. (except in year-round waters such as Pelican, Bullock and East Park where fishing is allowed at all hours). 5. Remember you have to have lived in Utah for six months to qualify as a resident. Due to the large number of non-residents in this area you may be asked to verify your residency status when checked in the field by a Wildlife Officer. In conclusion, check the proclamation proclama-tion carefully before you go fishing and if you have any questions contact the Division of Wildlife Resources in Vernal Ver-nal or the local Conservation Officer. Hopefully these comments and the following fishing forecast will help to make your opening weekend a successful suc-cessful one. I 1 ' - Ashley Greek - A locally popular water where access is difficult because of private property. It is generally high and turbid on the opener, but following the spring run-off period, fly fishing for natural brown trout is good. Ashley Creek from the mouth of the Gorge downstream to the Steinaker diversion is fly fishing only. Check the proclamation proclama-tion for special regulations. Ashley Creek ( South Fork I : Will be stocked with rainbow catchables when the water conditions improve. Big Sandwash Reservoir - Definite all-weather all-weather access and draws a large crowd for the opener. Fishing success is expected to be good early in the season and variable thereafter because of an erratic irrigation use schedule. Boat fishing success is somewhat better later in the year, but during opening weekend differences between boat and shore angling success are not significant signifi-cant for rainbow and brown trout. Except Ex-cept for a boat ramp, no facilities are available at Big Sandwash Reservoir. Brough Reservoir -A small reservoir located approximately four miles north of Pelican Lake. Fishing at Brough has improved and is becoming more popular. No boat launching facilities are available, and therefore, fishing is generally done from shore. Water level varies. Brough Reservoir has a rather small following of local anglers and fair to good fishing is expected throughout the summer. Access is rather rough but is sure. Browne Lake - High in elevation and may not be readily accessible on opening open-ing weekend of the fishing season. Most years it is stocked for the opener and fishing can be expected to be fair to good. Browne Lake is a popular lake and can be crowded if the weather is good. Water levels in Browne Lake are not subject to fluctuation and fishing should be fair throughout the season. Bullock Reservoir - Accessible and open to year-round angling. Fishing is fair to poor and is best from shore. Success Suc-cess will continue to decline because of an increasing rough fish population. Calder Reservoir - A very popular rainbow and cutthroat trout fishery located on Diamond Mountain. Fishing success for shore fishermen is con-l sidered good and the lake is almost always accessible on the opening weekend ol fishing season. Most of the anglers are local people but Calder Reservoir continues to gain a following of fishermen from the western part of the state. The fishing experience is primitive since no facilities are available. Water conditions are generally clear and drawdown is rare. Cart Creek - A small stream of local importance. It is highly accessible and is generally stocked prior to opening. Carter Creek - A moderately sized stream that may be stocked for the opener depending upon water conditions. condi-tions. Carter Creek below Highway 44 downstream to Flaming Gorge Reservoir Reser-voir does not open until July 1. Crouse Reservoir - A popular rainbow trout fishing water located on Diamond Mountain. Fishing success will be only fair this year because of a partial winterkill. Currant Creek - Opens July 1. Fishing is expected to be good for cutthroat, brown and rainbow trout. Campground facilities are available near Currant Creek dam and the access road is all-weather. all-weather. Most of the land adjacent to the stream is open to public fishing, but it is private and should be respected. Duchesne River - Managed as a wild trout fishery, and therefore, is not stocked with catchable trout. Access is via State Highway 208 and the stream is bordered by private property -respect it. Fishing is fair for trophy class brown trout. Fishing pressure is variable on opening day but light thereafter. Duchesne River (North Fork) - Pressure after opening weekend is generally heavy throughout the season and fair to good fishing is main- i - - ... - v v.... ... - . " ' -. -i , . - LEFT TO RIGHT, Bill Karr, Jim Zumbo and Danny Zumbo. Karr is weighing Danny's 14-pound mackinaw taken while jigging in Henry's Fork just south of Lucerne Valley Marina. The marina should be a popular spot during Saturday's fishing season opening. tained by frequent plants of rainbow trout. Road access is good, but the stream often is not stocked for the opener because of adverse water conditions. condi-tions. During this period, a few small ponds near Defa's Ranch are available for public use and are usually stocked for the opener with rainbow trout. Duchesne River (West Fork) - Opens to angling July 1. Fishing is expected to be fair for rainbows and cutthroats. No improved im-proved campsites are available and much of the land adjacent to the stream is private, but access should be good by July 1. East Park Reservoir Open to year-round year-round angling but off-season pressure is light. Assess is questionable until June 10th and it may not be planted until as late as June 20th. Following stocking, fishing success will vary between fair and poor. Fishing pressure is often heavy because of excellent camping facilities located near the west shore. Boat fishing is better following the drawdown after July 20th. Flaming Gorge Reservoir Although open year round, it draws a large crowd for the opener. Recently the rainbow trout fishing has been picking up and trophy-sized fish are available for fishermen with a lot of patience. The limit of trout is eight (except on the opening 3-day weekend when the limit is six) except that not more than two lake trout may be taken. Only one trout over 20 inches in length may be kept.. Fishing from boats is most popular at Flaming Gorge, but rainbows are being taken from shore. Green River - A first-class large fishery of statewide importance. The trailhead-boatramp facility below Flaming Gorge Dam is highly accessible accessi-ble and a maintained trail parallels the river along the north bank. Fishing is expected to be fair to good on the opener from boats and shore. A large crowd is expected. Fishing success should hold up throughout the summer. Jones Hole Creek - A small fishery of local importance. Both rainbow and brown trout are readily taken on the opening weekend. Fishing success deteriorates to only fair as the season progresses. The trailhead is accessible and a maintained foot path extends to the confluence of the Green River. Jones Hole Creek will be crowded during dur-ing the opener and on weekends. Moon Lake - Good fishing for stocked catchable rainbow on the opening weekend. Fishing pressure is light because of low water levels. Moon Lake fills rapidly in June and good fishing is maintained with large plants of rainbow rain-bow trout. Fishing from boats is best because of rapid drawdown in July and August. Access to Moon Lake is all-weather. all-weather. Campgrounds are used heavily. heavi-ly. Oaks Park Reservoir - Will not be stocked in 1982 because of the-maintenance the-maintenance schedule of the dam. Paradise Reservoir - Open to year-round year-round fishing but access is questionable for the opening. When the road opens, Paradise will be stocked with rainbow catchables. Abundance of brook trout also available. This reservoir has considerable con-siderable local appeal and pressure is variable. Success is good early in the season and deteriorates to fair in midsummer mid-summer and becomes poor after drawdown is completed early in the fall. Pelican Lake - Continues to produce large numbers of huge bluegills. This reservoired lake is located 25 miles southwest of Vernal and camping-boat launching facilities continue to be improved im-proved on federal lands located on the south side of the lake. Fishing success is considered excellent for bluegills and good to fair for bass until Aug. 15. Water levels decrease toward late summer sum-mer when weeds become bothersome to anglers. Early in the year fishing from shore can be profitable. Boat fishing is best. Red Creek Reservoir - A small reservoir reser-voir that is quite popular on the opener when accessibility by unimproved dirt road is generally good. Access deteriorates rapidly if weather is poor. This year a good opener is anticipated. Fishing should be fair to good for rainbow rain-bow and cutthroat throut. Red Creek is rather small for boats and shore fishing has been as least as good as from boats. As the season progresses, both fishing success and lake water levels decrease because of irrigation. Red Fleet Reservoir - A new impoundment impound-ment located approximately 12 miles northeast of Vernal. After facilities are completed, access will be excellent by oiled road two miles east of Highway 44. Red Fleet is approximately two-thirds full and fishing success will remain only on-ly fair until the reservoir fills. Neither the boat ramp nor the campground facilities are expected to be con by the opening weekend of season. Fishing pressure is expect be light and boat anglers should more successful for small raiii trout. Sheep Creek - A small, well-kr,- stream. Highly accessible and v bably be stocked for the opener dert ding upon run-off conditions. Can-facilities Can-facilities available. Closed to list ' during September. ' Sheep Creek Lake - May not be rea accessible on the opener. Shore -boat fishing is considered good tor throat trout during the first few we, of fishing season, but fishing j" deteroriate until fall when it gene improved again. Sheep Creek is t known so crowded conditions are a pec ted. Sheep Creek (Middle Fork) - Paral-the Paral-the road to Spirit Lake. Becauseoll; water, it will probably not be stou; for the opener. The beaver ponds t provide fair fishing for cutthroat k when accessible. Spirit Lake - Will probably not bt ;: cessible for the opener. After the dries out, it will be stocked and fish should be good to fair throughout J; and July. Spirit Lake is smaller an:, not a highly popular water. Boat fish may be only slightly better than si-fishing. si-fishing. Spirit Lake is subject to rite drastic drawdown as fall approach . Starvation Reservoir - Fishing Mill slow due to a rough fish problem; (Continued on page 5) t Forecast... (Continued from page 4) pressure will be light. Fair number of t walleye. This year-round water is being 42 converted to a warmwater fishery with :ti plants of both largemouth and u smallmouth bass. ; Steinaker Reservoir - High accessible and fishing success during the opening n: weekend of the general fishing season is j expected to be good for rainbows bet-ft bet-ft ween 1 and 22 lbs. Fishing from boats SH is somewhat better at Steinaker J especially after drawdown begins. Fishing success will drop off to fair dur- ing mid-summer but will be good again for two months before the season closes. Camping facilities and a boat ramp are available. Make reservations ahead for camping facilities and expect to wait up to an hour and more sometimes to use the boat launching ramp, especially on opening day. Uinta Mountain Lakes - Access into these lakes become available approximately approx-imately July 1. Check with local sources to determine when access is available. Excellent fishing and hiking opportunities are available especially on the south slopes of the Uinta Mountains. Moun-tains. Don't neglect the streams in many drainages; sportsmen concen trate on lakes when some of the best fishing is to be had on the streams. Strawberry River - Between Soldier Creek and the confluence of Red Creek, it is a flies-only, quality fishing stream endearingly regarded by anglers as the "Wild Strawberry." The fishing season on the Strawberry River is delayed until un-til July 1, 1982 and closes Sept. 15. Fishing should be good throughout the season for both brown and cutthroat Uinta River - May not be stocked for the opener if water is still high. When water conditions stabilize, fair to good fishing is expected for rainbow cat-chables cat-chables and wild trout. Camping opportunities oppor-tunities are excellent in several campgrounds cam-pgrounds near the Uinta River. Access to the Uinta River is questionable early, but usually good later in the season. Whiterocks River -A wild trout stream (i.e., not stocked) with small brook and cutthroat trout. Fishing suc- cess will be fair to good later in the season. Access into Whiterocks Canyon is definite and camping facilities are available. Yellowstone River - Will be stocked with rainbow catchables when spring flows stabilize, probably after the opener. Fishing success will be fair throughout the season. Access is generally good and camping facilities are available. |