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Show Free Fishing Day Termed Successful "It looks like Utah's Free Fishing Fish-ing Day did what it was supposed to do, at least in Garfield County," said Division of Wildlife Resources Conservation Officer Norman Mc-Kee. Mc-Kee. "The Idea was to generate more interest in fishing," he said, "and if Panguitch Lake was typical, the day was a success." McKee said that action at Panguitch Pan-guitch Lake, even with winds up a bit, was almost as heavy as the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend when most lake resort owners reported re-ported the busiest day ever. McKee said he counted 132 boats on the lake on Memorial Day weekend Saturday and 123 last Saturday, Sat-urday, Utah's first free fishing day. Many were enjoying fishing from shore at popular Panguitch Lake where, as all over the county, entire families were enjoying the sport. Others enjoyed trying their luck at Tropic Reservoir and East Fork and McKee said that more than likely last weekend's fishing was heavier than that of the Memorial Day weekend on a countywide basis, since many of the high mountain lakes, still closed in May, are now open. On June 11, throughout the state, DWR officers were out interviewing inter-viewing fishermen during the state's first free fishing day.'Terhaps as many as one-third of those I interviewed inter-viewed were fishing without licenses," said McKee. The results of the statewide poll have not yet been finalized, but it appears that perhaps as many as one-half of those fishing on that day may have been taking advantage of the state's offer to fish without a license. When asked about future "Free Fishing Days," possibilities, Fisheries Fish-eries Manager Dale Hepworth from Cedar City indicated that the impacts im-pacts of such an event would have to be looked at. Hepworth added that he was surprised that so many people participated and at all the positive support the program received re-ceived throughout thp. |