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Input sought about Provo River and Flaming Gorge fishing changes for 2004
[url "http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/pdf/proposed-2004.pdf"]http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/pdf/proposed-2004.pdf[/url]
SALT LAKE CITY — Changing fishing regulations on a portion of the middle Provo River and adding regulations to improve kokanee salmon fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir are among fishing proposals for 2004 that people may comment on at upcoming Regional Advisory Council meetings.
All of the proposed fishing changes for 2004 are available for review at the Division of Wildlife Resources Internet Web site (wildlife.utah.gov/fishing).
The Utah Wildlife Board will consider the public input received at the meetings when it meets Sept. 11 in Salt Lake City to approve Utah's 2004 Fishing Proclamation.
Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:
Northeastern Region
Aug. 18, 7 p.m.
Vernal City Office
447 E. Main St., Vernal
Southeastern Region
Aug. 19, 6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St., Green River
Southern Region
Aug. 20, 7 p.m.
Beaver High School
195 E. Center St., Beaver
Central Region
Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Springville Junior High School
165 S. 700 E., Springville
Northern Region
Aug. 27, 6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W., Brigham City
[url "http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/news/03-07/fishing_changes.html"]http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/news/03-07/fishing_changes.html[/url]
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Relaxing fishing regulations on a portion of the Provo River
The Division of Wildlife Resources will recommend changing the fishing regulations on a 1 mile portion of the middle Provo River for 2004. The division will recommend that the use of bait be allowed and that the trout limit be raised to four trout a day between the Charleston Bridge and the Legacy Bridge. Anglers would be allowed to keep brown, rainbow or cutthroat trout.
Currently, anglers may keep two brown trout a day on this stretch and they must use artificial flies or lures.
"Anglers only kept one to two percent of the brown trout they caught there last year. There's an overpopulation of brown trout in the river and that's impacting the population," said Tom Pettengill sport fisheries coordinator for the DWR. "If anglers will take more fish, the growth and health of the remaining fish will improve.
"Also, Snake Creek, which parallels this portion of the Provo River, has general statewide regulations," he said. "We're concerned about being able to enforce two different fishing regulations in an area where these two waters run right next to each other."
The artificial flies and lures only restriction would remain in effect on the remaining portions of the middle Provo River, but anglers would be allowed to keep two trout of any species as long as the fish were under 15 inches in length. Currently, only brown trout may be kept.
Changes to improve kokanee salmon fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir
The DWR will also recommend two changes aimed at improving kokanne salmon fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Under DWR proposals, the lake trout limit would be increased to 6 lake trout and fishing for kokanee salmon in the reservoir would not be allowed from Oct. 1 to Nov. 7.
"Kokanee salmon usually go through a two-year cycle. Numbers are good for two years, then they decline for two years and then they come back up," Pettengill said. "Kokanee salmon numbers haven't increased from the last down cycle and our biologists believe predation by lake trout is the reason. There are lots and lots of young lake trout in the reservoir and we need help from anglers to reduce the population."
Under DWR proposals, the combined trout and kokanee salmon limit would remain at 6 fish, but all of those fish could be lake trout. The kokanee salmon limit would remain at three fish and anglers could have only one lake trout over 28 inches. "This regulation would keep plenty of big lake trout in the reservoir while helping reduce the number of smaller fish," he said.
The Wyoming Game & Fish Department is proposing a similar lake trout limit in 2004 for the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge.
The DWR will also recommend that fishing for kokanne salmon in the reservoir not be allowed from Oct. 1 to Nov. 7, which is the spawning season for the lake-strain of kokanees in Flaming Gorge.
"Wyoming has closed kokanne salmon fishing on their side of the reservoir during the spawning season and more anglers are coming to the Utah side to fish for kokanees," he said. "That increased pressure is impacting the population. We believe this closure will protect the population and improve kokanee fishing."
For more information about the meetings, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.
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The way that that looks, it seems that Brough Reservoir would go back to normal regs. This year, they made it Artificials only, and it really made me mad. Last year my family fished there, and we couldn't keep em off of our lines. Pretty much all of the fish, however, came on powerbait, so we were scared off this year. I would absolutly love it if they would switch it back.
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Maybe 5% of all the lakes and stream in Utah are Artifical so why does everybody complain so much about it.
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I just think that it is crummy that they would change that one lake to that, especially since it was only a bunch of planters in there. They can use other lakes to grow bigger fish. Besides, what good did it really do? The lake was chalk full of trout, so if hardly any of the trout get caught, won't it stunt? Also, as low as the lake is, if too many fish are in there they are gonna winter kill.
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I'm sure the DWR had a good reason to change the regs. The two lakes down south that are lure and fly are two of the best lakes to catch bigger and better fighting fish but it seems like the only group of people that don't like it is the ones that bait fish or don't care about what's best for the lake just whats best for them.
Give your local fishery biologist a call find out why the changed the rules.
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[size 2]I do like the fact that they're proposing getting rid of this stupid rule for Bear Lake.[/size][font "Verdana"][size 2] [left]"A person may not use or possess hooks, single or multipoint, larger than 9/16 inch at the shortest distance, between the shank and the point of the hook from January 1 through February 15."[/left] [left]I'll know longer need to rifle through my tackle box with a measuring device and empty out all my good Mack jigs (rather large hooks) every time I want to fish Bear Lake between January 1 and February 15.[/left] [left] [/left][/size][/font]
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I see they are showing a perch limit at Jordanelle at 50 fish . Wish that was the case this year would of gladly hauled out 50 perch each time I've went . Wait a minute that's a lot of filleting .Lots of work . LOL
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I'll help you fillet em'. with that new recipe that pikemans wife gave us i will be up there on a regular basis. Mark my words on that one. That was tasty. Anytime you wanna head out ha69 let me know i'll go along.I just bought p4l's tube. Or ill drive I dont care Ijust want more of that perch.
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