Willard Snagging

[AllFish]

Went out Monday morning, wanted to see if the walleye were at the baffles yet. Tried fishing legitimately, soaked a minnow, then a night crawler. No luck.

Saw about 6-8 guys there. All but one left eventually, son witnessed him snagging one big fat walleye, clearly saw it snagged. Guy turned his back, left the fish in the water and took it off the hook in his net and slipped it on his stringer. Son was infuriated, wanted to confront the "happy harvester"

I told him no, not our place. Others made it possible for this to happen. Just keep fishing legitimately, all you can do. Many have voiced their opposition to the inlet being open, but it stays open.
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[fish_hntr]

[quote AllFish]Went out Monday morning, wanted to see if the walleye were at the baffles yet. Tried fishing legitimately, soaked a minnow, then a night crawler. No luck.

Saw about 6-8 guys there. All but one left eventually, son witnessed him snagging one big fat walleye, clearly saw it snagged. Guy turned his back, left the fish in his net and took it off the hook in his net and slipped it on his stringer. Son was infuriated, wanted to confront the "happy harvester"

I told him no, not our place. Others made it possible for this to happy. Just keep fishing legitimately, all you can do. Many have voiced their opposition to the inlet being open, but it stays open.[/quote]

I haven't ever actually fished Willard but hope to this year, seems to be a few threads on this exact issue lately. I find it odd that they don't close/restrict harvesting during the spawn like they do with some species, is it because they are overpopulated in there and want to thin out the walleye numbers? And do they get mushy like some species of fish during the spawn?
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[fish_fear_me2]

Did you attempt a call to the DWR? They may not always get there to catch the guy but it is certainly worth trying.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]For many years the inlet WAS closed to angling during the spawn...much like the inlets for Utah Lake. I couldn't believe it when it was reopened. But I could believe the wholesale snagging that takes place there. But because the violators often have others watching for DWR arrivals they are seldom caught in the act. Even plain clothes officers are usually spotted and the illegal harvest slows or ceases.

What is worse is that when you confront someone keeping a snagged fish their excuse is often "I didn't mean to snag it...so it's legal." Yeah, right. That big treble hook on your line is for soaking Power Bait. Right? And those big long jerks are just to keep the weeds off. Right?

The best we can do is to keep reporting what we see to DWR. Use your cell phone to call the number on your license...to report poaching. Hopefully, if enough of us who care make enough noise we can get the inlet closed in the future.

It is definitely not because there is a surplus of big walleyes in Willard. True, there is little successful spawning and recruitment from the inlet...because of the siltation of the eggs. But that is no reason to allow non-sportsmen the right to snag walleyes when they are at their most vulnerable. We pay our license and daily use fees for the chance to catch a few of those fish LEGALLY during the rest of the year.

And NO the walleyes do not turn mushy during the spawn...like trout. Their flesh is always firm and white...even the larger females. Those who believe in releasing large females perpetuate the myth that they are not good eating. Not so. But it is always better for the resource to release the larger spawning fish and keep the smaller ones. Those around 20 inches are ideal...and more plentiful.
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[fish_hntr]

[quote TubeDude][#0000ff]For many years the inlet WAS closed to angling during the spawn...much like the inlets for Utah Lake. I couldn't believe it when it was reopened. But I could believe the wholesale snagging that takes place there. But because the violators often have others watching for DWR arrivals they are seldom caught in the act. Even plain clothes officers are usually spotted and the illegal harvest slows or ceases.

What is worse is that when you confront someone keeping a snagged fish their excuse is often "I didn't mean to snag it...so it's legal." Yeah, right. That big treble hook on your line is for soaking Power Bait. Right? And those big long jerks are just to keep the weeds off. Right?

The best we can do is to keep reporting what we see to DWR. Use your cell phone to call the number on your license...to report poaching. Hopefully, if enough of us who care make enough noise we can get the inlet closed in the future.

It is definitely not because there is a surplus of big walleyes in Willard. True, there is little successful spawning and recruitment from the inlet...because of the siltation of the eggs. But that is no reason to allow non-sportsmen the right to snag walleyes when they are at their most vulnerable. We pay our license and daily use fees for the chance to catch a few of those fish LEGALLY during the rest of the year.

And NO the walleyes do not turn mushy during the spawn...like trout. Their flesh is always firm and white...even the larger females. Those who believe in releasing large females perpetuate the myth that they are not good eating. Not so. But it is always better for the resource to release the larger spawning fish and keep the smaller ones. Those around 20 inches are ideal...and more plentiful.
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I'm a firm believer in releasing bigger fish, and am very surprised to hear about their lack of support during the spawn in that area. Even at the gorge we release anything over 6-7 pounds as long as it swims away on its own and there is no gill damage, it just makes sense to let them keep growing and take home the small ones that taste better anyway. I remember reading about one of the guides at the gorge who would suggest that clients keep even the larger fish, makes no sense to me when a picture and measurements are all you need for a replica mount and the fish lives on to keep breeding. You can't help but to respect a big fish that has lived longer than some of us and needs to pass its genes on to the future.
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[gooseguts]

I personally have fished the inlet since it has opened and myself and friends have enjoyed fishing the run! One thing too remember is NOT everyone down there is poaching or snagging fish! And for you that complain but don't call authorities your just as bad as the guy snagging! Also, another item to remember is our great state of UTAH manages for $$$ not for wildlife Yes that includes fisheries as well as big game and Waterfowl They run it like a business for profit it's a ordeal compared to our surrounding states. As far as snagging goes about 100% of that happens just about dark or after and is done by folks that DONT speak english. Just my .02's
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[gmwahl]

While I agree with you that keeping a snagged fish is wrong and especially intentionally snagging a fish, I don't think it was a bad idea or a big deal to allow fishing in the inlet during the spawn and here is why....

If people are so concerned about catching spawning fish, then by that argument the rest of the lake should be closed during the same time frame that the inlet used to be closed. I used to fish Willard during the spawn along the dikes and caught and kept my fair share of walleye over the years there. Some nights/days were a bust and others were just plain easy to catch walleyes. It never affected the population and those rock spawning fish are supposed to be the ones that successfully spawn.

I have tried fishing the inlet a few times since they opened it and did so during the peak of the spawn. I NEVER tried to snag a fish and fished no differently than I would have off the rocks or any other spot for that matter. My total haul has been two walleyes! One snagged on the front fin by accident and immediately released and one 20" that bit it legit and I did keep that. It was a zoo there and I did see some walleye being kept, but mostly legit......I was looking for snaggers! I saw a few snagged fish being kept by two people and a phone call was immediately made to DWR.

The biggest turn off for me to be brutally honest was that every time a person got a walleye on there always seemed to be the self appointed guy that is going to make sure that nobody is keeping snagged fish and would holler and talk loud and remind every last one of us that if it was snagged that it had to be turned back or he would call the DWR. While I appreciate the vigilance, it made fishing there miserable for those of us giving it an honest shake and had I been on the same side of the inlet as him I think I would have drown him ( the "him" changing every time I was there).

I guess bottom line is that I don't break the rules and MOST people I saw don't break them either, so what is the harm? If the rest of us are willing to keep an eye out for poachers and report them then that should suffice. And also, keeping a walleye or even a limit when you feel like it is not a big deal....after all, they are plentiful, not very many people are successful at catching them, and they are at their best when on a plate with lemon wedges!

Though I won't fish the inlet anymore due to the irritating people and circus like atmosphere, I certainly trust that our DWR biologists have the best intentions for willards fishery and trust them to know their jobs better than the rest of us.......now let the darts fly my direction[]

Mike
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[Gemcityslayer]

Well said, thanks for giving your point of view. I can certainly understand why you wouldn't want to fish in that kind of environment. I like many on here go fishing for peace of mind as much as anything.

In my opinion you can only get so mad at the people breaking the law and then the majority of the anger/blame should be placed on the government agencies that are responsible for upholding the law. They need to do their job that is the bottom line. Why can't they have someone show up in plain clothes, undercover, and make a presence made there? What are they doing elsewhere that is so important? Maybe they are under funded. People sure gripe about paying more taxes but when you elect legislators / leaders who won't adequately fund our government agencies this is what you get. A mess!

This will always be a contentious issue. It is just a situation when people ignore the laws and when the laws aren't enforced. At the end of the day if they are going to keep the inlet open they need to step up to the plate and enforce the laws and have a strong presence down there. If they aren't willing to do that, they should just close it again in my opinion.
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[DKStroutfitter]

I have fished at the Willard Inlet during the spawn in the past 2 years.
Part of my reason for being there was to see what all the fuss is about.

My friend and I have witnessed a few people trying to keep snagged fish.
We told these people that if they kept the illegally caught fish that we would turn them in.

A few argued with us but did release the fish.
One man refused and we called the DWR.
The DWR did show up and the man was sited for the infraction.

I have seen DWR Officers there in plain cloths and other times in uniform. I have witnessed the DWR watching anglers through binoculars from the road above the inlet.

There are not enough DWR Officers in our area for them to spend all of their time at Willard.
For this reason, it is up to the anglers to be the eyes and ears for them.

I have talked to Chris Penne, a biologist from the DWR about the controversy at the inlet.
Chris has expressed that keeping the inlet open during the spawn will not impact the quality of fishing at Willard Bay.
He went on to say that opening the inlet back up will allow people who fish from the shore the opportunity to catch some Walleye without the need for a boat.
This is his job and I respect his opinion.
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[gmwahl]

I 100% agree with Chris penn about giving the shore anglers a chance to catch them when they're accessible. Many of us with a boat take it for granted that catching fish and boats go hand in hand, but when I think about it, most of my friends and acquaintances don't have a boat that allows them access to many of the fish in our state. I have a boat, kayaks, pontoon, etc.., so I really have no problem going where the fish are, but a lot of my friends aren't so lucky unless they go with me.

Their dollars are funding these fisheries too, so I think it is very reasonable to allow them the opportunity to fish for spawning fish if it can be demonstrated that the fishery isn't impacted for the negative.

I live up on bear lake and I absolutely love that we can fish for lakers during the spawn while others are rabid about wanting it shut down. Again, it allows people that may not have a chance otherwise to access those fish and I think that it is a good thing. The lakers don't successfully spawn there anyway, and FAR more fish are caught and kept by trollers and people jigging from boats than are kept by bank fisherman. Again, those of us that enjoy fishing it keep an eye out and report illegal activity, but the nice thing is that we don't see too much of it AND WE ARE WATCHING.

If I go to fish the Willard inlet again I'll be watching, but mostly I'll be fishing for my own enjoyment and if I see illegal activity I'll certainly report it, but it will be a cold day in Hades before I'll actually be confrontational and fight over a stupid fish......that is for law enforcement to do.
Well, it is what it is and people griping about it most likely won't change anything because it was a decision based on sound study and biology. Keep it open and keep an eye out..... Profiling works very well, so you know who to keep more of an eye on than others....and mostly JUST HAVE FUN! After all, isn't that why all we fish?

Mike
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[Chuuk]

Thanks for the insight from the biologist over that area. I think the rules apply to those that follow them and for those that do not, it is the obligation of those law abiding anglers to report law breaking anglers. I do not like to see peoples' ability to speak English come into play on these issues ( to the poster a few comments above). I am on this site quite a bit but do comment much, but I do see a lot of speculation about peoples' ability to speak English and correlate that to law breaking. I am sure once Trump gets elected then ALL our problems with fishing and hunting and rules not being followed will go away and only white, law abiding citizens will exist and use our natural resources. We are better than that to call our certain races. To the original poster, I think showing your son that you should call the authorities and report law breaking is the right move and it is our problem when people don't follow the law. I have seen more " white folk" breaking recreation laws than any other race.
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[gmwahl]

Just to be clear, when I commented on profiling works, it had nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with a persons actions, mannerisms, and the way they behave or the impression they give. It's hard to explain, but those of us that deal with the seedy side of humanity in our jobs know exactly what I'm talking about.
The two different people that I witnessed break the law at the inlet were 1-white and 1- Asian.....hardly a big enough cross section to be significant, but regardless, when you see a repeatable pattern of certain types or groups of people consistently repeating the same violations you gotta call it like it is.

Also, the reason you see more "white folk" breaking fishing laws is......wait for it....there are more white folks![]

Mike
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[rancid_crabtree]

Utah should do like Minnesota and close Walleye fishing to everyone from April 15th to May 15th. There are not enough walleye in Willard to keep up with the demand and pressure put on them. Its getting to be more and more popular as table fare each year. They are going on the down cycle in Willard and with the lake consisting of over 50 % wipers and over 25 % more catfish they are in a lot of completion for food. Im appalled that there are only around 5% walleye in Willard. Throw in snagging and then using Willard as the source to replenish Red Fleet is only more pressure on them even if it is only slight. They need help to reproduce in Willard which in my opinion they are not getting. Out back more walleye instead of so many wipers, Only my opinion. We need to help them in Starvy and Deer creek as well. With as much fun as Willard was with only 6 % walleye in there can you imagine how good it would be if the were 30 %. Utah Lake seems to fair ok but some of these lakes need help IMO
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[PACKFAN]

[mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad]That's all I have to say.
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[Sirfilletalot]

Packfan,

I was one of the old timers that fought the re-opening of the inlet channel. Spent several long evenings waiting for our turn to speak to the issue at the RAC meetings.
Even though the RAC members voted to close the inlet, the Wildlife Board voted to keep it open. The chairman made this statement before the vote. "Just because we have a few poachers, we don't close deer season!" His vote was to keep it open and the other members followed his lead. In my opinion, the RAC process is a joke!
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[DKStroutfitter]

I have to question your statistics about Willard stocking.
These are the stocking numbers from last year and the year before.
There are a lot more Walleye in Willard than many of us think that there are.

WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WALLEYE 500000 .22 04/17/2015
WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WIPER 75000 1.71 07/15/2015

WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WALLEYE 962515 .2 04/18/2014
WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WIPER 49945 1.51 06/19/2014
WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WIPER 207500 1.24 07/01/2014
WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WIPER 114523 1.3 07/07/2014
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[k2muskie]

Well I won't necessarily disagree with you however here's the ponder for thought: Them fish are small and based on our research for another species survival is very low as they become part of the food chain very quickly...may look like a huge number but in fact again per our research on another species...hardly any survival rate and its very, very, very low for the ones that do escape...big stocking numbers don't necessarily mean a lot of fish in the future. You want survival rates again per the data you stock bigger fish...so that being said how come Trout that are stocked are bigger...hmmmm...well gives them a larger chance at survival. Something to think about IMHO...

Now on the other issue of snagging if you see it report it...we've done just that...most folks have a phone take pics as it does provide evidence. We have also approached folks if they want to be butt heads well the phone is right there...I'm here to tell you...folks can bitch or be part of the effort to deter...we'll be part of the deterring effort and will let folks know hey...WE SEE YOU CARL...
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[DKStroutfitter]

Hi Kim.
I agree that mortality is low when fish are stocked that small.
That said, my point is that the DWR is managing Walleye at Willard Bay.
The population of Walleye is probably better than we think.
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[k2muskie]

Hey Dale agreed but don't let big numbers in stocking be all the evidence. DWR folks are doing all they can and its greatly appreciated by us fer sure...just wanted to point out big numbers in stocking doesn't mean well a huge amount for the future...only time and DWR surveys will tell....
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[wiperhunter2]

Dale, he was likely using that info that Pat posted a little over a week ago about the DWR gill net survey from last year, he was correct or very close, with the figures he quoted. Here it is again.


2012 Catch 2013 Catch 2014 Catch 2015 Catch
Walleye 74 (21%) 106 (9%) 55 (6%) 48 (5%)
Wiper 131 (38%) 604 (53%) 585 (60%) 361 (40%)
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