05-31-2009, 11:18 AM
If you can identify a rainbow trout, you shouldn't have a challenge with new fishing regulations at two of Utah's best trout-fishing waters.
The trout limit at Scofield Reservoir and Panguitch Lake will change on Jan. 1. Starting Jan. 1, the following will be in effect:
* The trout limit will be four trout.
* Your four-trout limit can include rainbow trout of any size.<br />
* Within your four-trout limit, you can have two cutthroat or tiger trout under 15 inches in length. You can also have one cutthroat or tiger trout over 22 inches long. All cutthroat and tiger trout between 15 and 22 inches long must be released immediately.
Identifying rainbows
"Surveys have confirmed that rainbow trout are the easiest of the three trout for anglers to identify," says Roger Wilson, cold water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
"If you know what a rainbow trout looks like and then you catch a fish that doesn't look like a rainbow you'll know the fish you've caught is covered by the special regulations."
The DWR has put a new brochure together to help you identify rainbow trout. The brochure is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trout.pdf.
Changes
The limit change at Panguitch Lake will allow you to keep more rainbows. At Scofield Reservoir, the change will help ensure fishing remains good at the reservoir for years to come.
Scofield Reservoir
DWR biologists say the Utah chub population in Scofield Reservoir has increased dramatically over the past two years. To try and keep the population in check, biologists will stock Bear Lake cutthroat trout into the reservoir starting in spring 2009.
Putting Bear Lake cutthroats in the reservoir will give it two "chub eaters" the Bear Lake cutthroat trout, and tiger trout that are in the reservoir now.
Putting special regulations on Bear Lake cutthroats and tiger trout will help ensure plenty of the large predatory fish stay in the reservoir.
"We put Bear Lake cutthroats in Strawberry Reservoir after we treated the reservoir in 1990. The cutthroats in Strawberry have been protected by a limit that's the same as the limit that will be in place at Scofield starting Jan. 1," Wilson says.
"The cutthroats have kept the chub populations in Strawberry in check. We hope they'll do the same at Scofield."
Scofield Reservoir is just north of the town of Scofield.
Panguitch Lake
A four trout limit, which includes restrictions on the size of the fish you can keep, was in place at Panguitch Lake since 2006. That was the year the lake reopened to fishing after being closed to remove Utah chubs.
Just like at Scofield, the regulations at Panguitch Lake will help ensure plenty of Bear Lake cutthroats and tiger trout stay in the lake to control any chubs that might return. The difference between the past regulation and the new regulation is that your four trout limit can include rainbow trout of any size.
"In the past, anglers had to release all trout that were between 15 and 22 inches long," Wilson says. "This change will allow anglers to keep more rainbows."
Panguitch Lake is about 15 miles southwest of Panguitch.
2009 fishing guidebook
All of Utah's fishing changes for 2009 are found in the 2009 Utah Fishing Guidebook.
The guidebook is available at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks. Printed copies are available at DWR offices and from fishing license agents across Utah.
The trout limit at Scofield Reservoir and Panguitch Lake will change on Jan. 1. Starting Jan. 1, the following will be in effect:
* The trout limit will be four trout.
* Your four-trout limit can include rainbow trout of any size.<br />
* Within your four-trout limit, you can have two cutthroat or tiger trout under 15 inches in length. You can also have one cutthroat or tiger trout over 22 inches long. All cutthroat and tiger trout between 15 and 22 inches long must be released immediately.
Identifying rainbows
"Surveys have confirmed that rainbow trout are the easiest of the three trout for anglers to identify," says Roger Wilson, cold water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
"If you know what a rainbow trout looks like and then you catch a fish that doesn't look like a rainbow you'll know the fish you've caught is covered by the special regulations."
The DWR has put a new brochure together to help you identify rainbow trout. The brochure is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trout.pdf.
Changes
The limit change at Panguitch Lake will allow you to keep more rainbows. At Scofield Reservoir, the change will help ensure fishing remains good at the reservoir for years to come.
Scofield Reservoir
DWR biologists say the Utah chub population in Scofield Reservoir has increased dramatically over the past two years. To try and keep the population in check, biologists will stock Bear Lake cutthroat trout into the reservoir starting in spring 2009.
Putting Bear Lake cutthroats in the reservoir will give it two "chub eaters" the Bear Lake cutthroat trout, and tiger trout that are in the reservoir now.
Putting special regulations on Bear Lake cutthroats and tiger trout will help ensure plenty of the large predatory fish stay in the reservoir.
"We put Bear Lake cutthroats in Strawberry Reservoir after we treated the reservoir in 1990. The cutthroats in Strawberry have been protected by a limit that's the same as the limit that will be in place at Scofield starting Jan. 1," Wilson says.
"The cutthroats have kept the chub populations in Strawberry in check. We hope they'll do the same at Scofield."
Scofield Reservoir is just north of the town of Scofield.
Panguitch Lake
A four trout limit, which includes restrictions on the size of the fish you can keep, was in place at Panguitch Lake since 2006. That was the year the lake reopened to fishing after being closed to remove Utah chubs.
Just like at Scofield, the regulations at Panguitch Lake will help ensure plenty of Bear Lake cutthroats and tiger trout stay in the lake to control any chubs that might return. The difference between the past regulation and the new regulation is that your four trout limit can include rainbow trout of any size.
"In the past, anglers had to release all trout that were between 15 and 22 inches long," Wilson says. "This change will allow anglers to keep more rainbows."
Panguitch Lake is about 15 miles southwest of Panguitch.
2009 fishing guidebook
All of Utah's fishing changes for 2009 are found in the 2009 Utah Fishing Guidebook.
The guidebook is available at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks. Printed copies are available at DWR offices and from fishing license agents across Utah.