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Show Area anglers won't fish on thin ice with safety tips i Kven though it is now mid-ianuary mid-ianuary md ice fisnermen are thinking that lakes are safe for fishing, the Division of Wildlife Resources DWR) advises caution Alien fishing. The DWR has published a list of ips to help .mglers recognize safe conditions. Here are some of them : Two inches of ice usually will support sup-port one adult of average size while 3 niches will support a small group of people, provided they walk in single ile. about 10 feet apart. Ice 12 inches thick generally will support the weight of an automobile. It is wise to watch for color changes and cracking patterns, vhich may mean the ice is weak. Look Out for holes that may have lieen cut in the ice and always listen lor that cracking sound indicating eak ice. New ice is stronger than old ice and hite ice i only about half as strong as clear blue ice. River ice is always much weaker than lake ice. If you fall through the ice, extend nur arms flat on the surrounding ice as you squirm the upper part of our body onto the ice. Then roll quickly to one side away from the edge and get out of wet clothes and get warm quickly. If you see someone fall through the ice. find a pole, rope or article of lothing a id extend one end to the victim to ensure he doesn't go under, hie flat on the ice to keep weight evenly distributed, spreading your arms and legs as you move toward the victim. Kxplain the recovery technique you are attempting to the victim and offer assistance if possible. Don't try to pull the victim out. Chances are ou'll both end up in the water. "Some of the state's waters are till making the transition from open water to safe ice, but other waters are providing exciting angling opportunities." op-portunities." said Karen Conner, DWR spokesman. Scofield Reservoir in Carbon ounty and Sn awberry Reservoir in Wasatch County are proving to be popular waters throughout the year as anglers catch trout on both waters with basic baitfishing techniques, techni-ques, she said. There's ood fishing for cutthroats and an occasional lake trout on the east side of Bear Lake, near the Utah-Idaho border. Whitefish suc cess should continue to improve until un-til just before the cisco run. According Accor-ding to DWR fisheries biologist Bryce Nielson, cisco fishing should be great during mid-January. Bluegills, in the quarter- to half-pound half-pound class, are reported to be very catchable in Mantua Reservoir in northern Utah. East Canyon Reservoir Reser-voir in Morgan County and i Panguitch Lake in Garfield County ' reopened Jan. 1 and the ice should be safe now and fishing good. ", Other hot spots to try include Utah j Lake near Provo for white bass; f Yuba Reservoir lor perch in central Utah; Fish Lake in Sevier County for lake trout and Otter Creek Reser- I voir in Piute County for rainbows. 1 " Ice conditions can change rapid- ly with the weather. Anglers should always be observant and cautious when on the ice," Conner said. 1 For current fishing conditions call the DWR Fishing Line at 530-1298. It is a 24-hour service. Conner also suggested that anglers pick up a copy of the 1986 fishing proclamation and review the regulations for ice fishing since many Utah waters have reduced w inter limits. |