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Show I tee I ress Tuesaay, jJecemDer 24, lutfti - i 'Utah Wild' to feature ferrets Opportunities available for winter angling By BRIAN BRINKERHOFF Outdoors Correspondent Anglers seeking their last last 1996 outdoor adventure, will have several opportunities available for their winter fishing adventures. Ice will be safe on many Utah lakes and reservoirs for ice fishing action, while streams and rivers can provide plenty of brown trout and whitefish. Following are a few recommendations. Ice anglers are strongly cautioned to check the ice, before stepping out onto any water, regardless of the latest fishing report. Ice conditions can change daily and awareness of changing ice conditions is critical for survival. Lakes and reservoirs have varying ice thicknesses across the same water, depending on the ice location on the reservoir. Underwater currents and springs weaken the ice, while ice is often weaker along the edges of the ponds. Tossing a fair sized rock onto the ice will help determine, whether the ice is safe for travel. Safety equipment and the "buddy system" are strongly recommended. Scofield Reservoir Ice should be safe on Scofield, with lots of fish hitting various colors of powerbait. Soft biting fish are tricky to catch, but are worth the effort. Fishing is rated as fair to good using an attractant and dropper, such as a mini-jitipped with a piece of night crawler. Anglers are typically catching five or more fish per hour, with trout ranging from 9 inches. 13-1- Strawberry Reservoir Some anglers are fishing on the ice with good fishing action on Jake's Bay and one or two other bays, but anglers are strongly recommended to check ice conditions, before trying this water. Currently 75 of the lake is frozen over with thin ice. Large rainbows and cutthroats are still in late fall feeding mode, making them vulnerable to a wide variety of baits and jigs. The limit on this reservoir is four fish, with only one trout over 18 inches long. Anglers are asked to park in established parking and pull-of- f areas only. Those parked along Highway 40 are hampering snowplowing and will be ticketed. (Above River Provo Olmstead Diversion Dam) Low and clear water is providing good fishing, using sow bugs, serendipities, and glo bugs. This section is a "flies and lures only" section, with a limit of two brown trout under 15". Anglers are reminded to avoid brown trout spawning areas to ensure quality fishing for the future. Reservoir Jordanelle Fishing has been fair from shore, with thin ice forming on some of the more protected bays of this reservoir. Most of the reservoir was still ice free as of Dec. 13. Powerbait has been producing the best action from shore. A four-trolimit is enforced. White bass Utah Lake action should be providing great action for anglers fishing the thicker ice on this water. This water was Bird viewing days slated By BRIAN BRINKERHOFF Outdoors Correspondent Wildlife viewers of all ages are invited to participate in the annual Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Counts, occurring throughout Utah to determine wintering bird numbers across the state. Provided are a few of the scheduled viewing opportunities and contacts for more information, regarding specific meeting times and locations: Saturday Dec. 28, Heber Valley: Contact R. Cox at (801) Dec. 28, Ogden: Saturday Contact J. Bellmon at (801) 654-303- 773-048- Wednesday, Jan. 1, Jordan River: Contact J. LeBer at (801) Sunday, Jan. 5, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge: Contact J. 532-738- 4. Bantaat (801) frozen, with unsafe ice before week's cold snap. Check ice carefully before venturing onto it. 40 522-535- Deer Creek Reservoir Light fishing pressure with decent success reported from anglers with spinners. Water temperature is still 36 degrees. Trolling with popgear and a threaded worm seems to be producing the best fishing action. State Park staff will plow the State Park boat ramp until ice up. 4X4 vehicles with chains are recommended for launching on the slippery ramp. Bonneville Bear Lake whitefish spawning has peaked, which is providing excellent fishing from shore, along rocky areas. Anglers should use small spoons, size 0 and 1 spinners, and small jigs-Allo- your lure to sink to the bottom and slowly retrieve it just above the bottom. Many anglers are catching their limits. Some of the best areas include the State Park marina, First and Second Points, Cisco Beach, and the North Beach Jetty. Bonneville whitefish have firm white meat and are excellent for eating, especially when baked, fried, or smoked. Cutthroat and lake trout are being caught by verfeet of water, tical jigging, in using jigs tipped with sucker meat or cisco. Try along the east shoreline and off the rockpile. Also, try casting spoons off rocky shoreline areas. Blacksmith Fork Fishing is great using nymphs and spinners with light fishing pressure. Brown trout are spawning and anglers are asked to avoid spawning areas. Currant Creek Reservoir Reports indicate ice covering the 45-6- 0 reservoir, but ice thickness is still questionable. Roads are often muddy and may become impassable, depending upon winter storms. Green River A record brown trout was caught on Dec. 14 during the late evening hours, below the dam. Angler pressure is light with best action resulting with scuds and other small nymphs on the bottom. Flows are expected to be 1900 cfs, with some fluctuation in the late afternoon and night. Minersville Reservoir Most of the lake had thin ice covering it before the cold snap, which may indicate safe ice for this week. Black-foote- d ferrets and black bears will be featured on the Dec. 28 installment of Utah Wild, which airs on KUED Channel 7 at 7:30 a.m.. An view of the endanferrets is schedgered black-foote- d uled, as their reintroduction to Utah is considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Boyde Blackwell, Mammals Program Coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, reports regarding the ferret segment, "The proposed reintroduction is a unique opportunity for a species to be reintroduced back ferrets into the state. Black-foote- d were once an important part of Anglers may want to check with the State Park before traveling to this reservoir. Remember special regulations, including artificial flies and lures only and a limit of one fish, at least 20 inches long. Some rainbows over 20 inches long have been caught consistently by those spending some time. Best fishing has been found at midday, using jigs or flies near the bottom. Frozen Johnson Reservoir with up to 5 inches of ice, but no fishing reports were available. The road from Fish Lake to Johnson is not plowed, so access will depend upon future storms and snow conditions. Boulder Mountain Lakes Access to the northern slopes are by snowmobile andor snowshoes, with lakes above 8,000 feet frozen over. May your holidays be filled with Joy... ana mau z the coming year bring you health & happiness Good to excelOgden River lent fishing reported, with worms or salmon eggs catching healthy rainbows. Brown trout are hitting blue or green vibrax and black panther martin spinners. Worms and files are also producing fish on the upper stretch. Water has been low and clear. Big game applications to be distributed By BRIAN BRINKERHOFF Outdoors Correspondent Although many sportsmen are winding up their 1996 hunting seasons, they should now begin considering their '97 hunts. At the request of sportsmen across the state, hunting licence agents will begin distributing applications for the 1997 Utah Bucks, Bulls, and Draws from Jan. This change may catch many outdoor enthusiasts by surprise, but hunters across the state recommended it. Sportsmen, attending Regional Council Advisory Meetings, requested the change to provide more time for vacation planning and preparation for the hunts. Judi Tutorow, Division Wildlife Licensing Coordinator, added, "Having Utah's application period coincide with the application periods of other states allows hunters to include Utah as one of their initial draw choices. A lot of other western states have their application draw period at the beginning strongly prairie ecosystems. Reintroducing them into Utah would provide better balance and health to our own prairie ecosystem." Black bears will also be viewed as they slumber in the Book Cliffs. Other topics covered will include dressing warm for the winter, taking better winter scenic photographs, osprey nests constructed at Jordanelle State Park's Rock Cliffs Nature Center, and scenic visits to Snow Canyon State Park This program covers wildlife management issues, recreation opportunities, wildlife news, a monthly calendar of upcoming; events, and outdoor tips. of the year." Applications are available at all participating licence agents, beginning January 1, and Division of Wildlife Resources Offices, beginning December 2. The 1997 Utah Bucks, Bulls, and Proclamation and Hunting Guide will be available at the same locations near the end of JT 120 N. 100 E. American Fork ); December. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Central Regional Office at (801) J. 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