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Show UTAH TROUT FISHING SEASON CLOSES ON THURSDAY, OCT. 8 No fishing for game fish in Utah after 9 p. m., October 8, is the edict of N. iB. ;Cook, state fish and game commissioner, issued Friday. The date is fixed on 20 days' notice. Drouth conditions are responsible for the new order, which comes after the proposal had been studied by and comments received from nearly all the fish and game associations of the state. Mr. Cook had originally suggested sug-gested October 1 as the closing date, but replies had not been received from a sufficient number of associations associa-tions in time for a three-week notice closing on that date. He believes now he had a good cross section of ideas of sportsmen throughout the state, and they are nearly all in favor of an early closing. clos-ing. "We must sacrifice a few days' fishing this year," he said Friday, "in order that we may expect good fishing fish-ing next season. Must Protect Supply "We would not object to the taking tak-ing of fish for the remainder of the present season, jf it were not that the supply for next year is hereby jeopardized. "Owing to the drouth condition, the small streams are without fish. Our hatccheries are full, and the fish must be planted, and we must plant them in the large streams and bodies of water. "The big fish are already concentrated concen-trated there. "Many sportsmen do not realize that any species of trout quits feeding feed-ing after the water gets above a certain cer-tain temperature. The exact temperature temp-erature may vary a few degrees, according ac-cording to the species. But when it gets around 70 or above, none of them feed. "The resrvoirs of the state that can be emptied are dry. In those that have dead water, the water has been so warm that the trout have not be,en feeding and no great harm has been clone by permitting fishing to continue. con-tinue. The waters are getting cooler with the cool nights. The fish become be-come ravenous. The big fish are concentrated con-centrated in the small bodies of water that remain in the reservoirs and lakes. Supply at Fish Lake Decreases "The take of brook trout eggs at Fish lake has been steadily decreasing. decreas-ing. We must have them, as they are the main supply for the hatcheries, hatcher-ies, of the state of this variety. "Strawberry lake is about the sole remaining supply for the native trout. It is little more than a puddle this year. "So we must empty the rearing ponds in the larger bodies of water, and we must have our supply of eggs for another season. "The associations are practically a unit there is one exception on the advisability of closing the season. Opposition has come largely from the man who commercializes in fishing, and I feel that the sportsmen of the state are behind the move for an early ear-ly closing. "We do not want to kill the goose or is it the fish ? that lays thfe golden egg." |
