No need to regulate the perch limits in Willard. With all of the shad in that lake they have better food and habitat conditions than in any other lake in Utah. And their population has been growing tremendously every year. As with most perch lakes, angler pressure alone has little effect on the population.
Predation on their young by themselves and other species is a much bigger factor in maintaining their numbers. But with all of the shad in the lake the predators pattern on young perch for only a short time each spring until the newly hatched shad reach edible size. And the shad are present in such great numbers that predators do not have to search out the less prevalent baby perch.
There are more anglers pursuing perch each year but the perch numbers are growing faster than fisherman can catch them out. In short, perch contribute to the available food base for a short time in the early part of the year because they are the first species to spawn. But after that they become an increasingly common catch by anglers fishing for other species...as well as a popular target species in the fall when the other species are less cooperative.
Predation on their young by themselves and other species is a much bigger factor in maintaining their numbers. But with all of the shad in the lake the predators pattern on young perch for only a short time each spring until the newly hatched shad reach edible size. And the shad are present in such great numbers that predators do not have to search out the less prevalent baby perch.
There are more anglers pursuing perch each year but the perch numbers are growing faster than fisherman can catch them out. In short, perch contribute to the available food base for a short time in the early part of the year because they are the first species to spawn. But after that they become an increasingly common catch by anglers fishing for other species...as well as a popular target species in the fall when the other species are less cooperative.