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Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that nobody seems to know the 1 fish over 20" walleye limit at utah lake. Every time I go down there and fish for the walley I see a lot of people with either way over their limits on walleye or more than one fish over 20". I don't mind people taking their limits of fish home. Especially if they are going to eat them, but this taking way over the limit stuff has got to stop or fishing for everyone else will be ruined.
jed
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I guess since there is never anyone there checking for violators they can do whatever they want.I think even if they showed up a couple of times a week differnt times a day it would make some of the violators nervous.I have been fishing to utah lake now for the last 3 years and never seen a dwr officer there.Seen more police and have been checked by the police but never a dwr officer.Actually he was just curious to know what i caught and how big they were.But still he checked how hard was that to do?
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I have observed the same thing. I have only once been checked by a fish cop. All the rest of the times I think the only reason they stopped was because it was late at night and they were checking for drugs and such,
jed
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Sometimes I wonder where their priorities are. You hear about and see check points all the time at strawberry. And In my experience I have never been checked for a license at a warm water fishery. Even though there have been some changes to make the warm water fisherys better I think It is still a trout thinking state. It is a waste of time to make an print special regulations if they don't plan to enforce them.
Cableguy
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I agree. I'll bet if they looked at dollars brought in though I think they would find the warm water fish bring in just as much as the trout do. I hope things change, but I think you are right as long as this remains a trout only mentality state, the warm water fisheries will continue to be abused,
jed
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[cool]I agree with everything in this thread, and call me prejudice if you want, but I think they need to print the regulations in some foreign languages also. At least for the Utah Lake part anyway. In my opinion they need to print them in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Laos, and maybe even Chinese, among others. They also should make some no littering type signs in English, and also the afore mentioned languages! Utah Lake can look like a garbage dump on some days!
Hope that doesn't offend anyone on this site, 'cause that wasn't my intentions at all. I know that there is good outdoorsman of all races, nationalities, etc., and also bad ones at the same time. Believe me, I've seen plenty of white trash people breaking the same rules!
We need the State to quit taking so damn much of our fishing license revenues and sticking it in their general fund. What do they think this place is, California or something? We need more DWR Officers!
More importantly then that though is people need to teach their kids to respect the great outdoors, and also fellow outdoorsmen!
O.k., I'll get off my soapbox now!
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I don't have much more to add to this conversation. Majority of the info here is true and its  to see others not playing by the rules. If I see someone over the limit, I usually relay to them the limit and leave it up to them. Sometimes you just have to plant a seed and it will grow and eventually they will wake up to the laws.
Utah Lake needs to be patrolled more often, I have never seen a Wildlife Conservation Officer there checking licenses and many times I have seen the ol' tin can and a string trick being done by many, and I hate to say it, 99% of those using this trick don't even have a valid license.
What can ya do.
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One glaring problem here is simply the lack of enough officers. The DWR would love to have more visible patrolling, but it is just not possible with what the legislature and our "DWR-loving" former governor has given them. Utah County has two officers, meaning each one has to cover half the county (plus some of Tooele County). This includes all wildlife concerns (very big this time of year). The best resource that they have in controlling fishing violations is observant and honest anglers. If you see a violation, report it. We add a lot more eyes for patrolling our waters and we ought to use them for good.
And just so you all know, every year the officers hand out plenty of tickets on the Provo River and Utah Lake for walleye violations.
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Very well said Pat.. I agree!
Its not that they dont understand english, its that they choose to act ignorant to English and the rules/regs because of their somewhat lacking in English. They use it as an excuse to take what they want without regards to others or the feature of the fishery and many of us have been witness to this sense the 70's...
That being said I'll also add that poachers come in all races. But if the rules are posted in plan view and in several languages they have no exuses to fall back on..
Whats more I think its time to stop merely writing tickets for wildlife offenses witch are probably ignored anyway. Its time a few of them see the backside of iron bars for a first offense where fish and wildlife are concerned. Maybe then they'll understand the writing on the wall and what they face.. I'll assure you word will spread like wildfire among them at that point..
I was once told by an officer that "Ignorance is no excuse to break the law". Well I have to wonder if thats truly the case for everyone....
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I'm guessing many of you have cellphones. The poaching hotline # is on the back of your license.
Hopper
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IVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE OVER HARVEST AND IGNORE THE LIMMITS. I SEE THE FISH COPS ABOUT NEVER! I HAVE NEVER BEEN CHECK AT UTAH LAKE. IVE HAVE FISHED THERE MAYBEE 500 TIMES IN TEN OR SO YRS. THAT SAYS ALOT FOR THIS STATES ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. THE WHITE BASS NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED OUT THERE SO MUTCH IN THE PAST THREE YRS AND NO REG CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE. THERE ARE THREE VEITNAMEISE GUY EVERY NOVEBER WHEN THE WHITES COME IN TO THE SPRINGS THAT FILL A TOYOTA PICKUP BED FULL. SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY. AND THEY TOLL UTWALLEYE THAT THEY ARE SELLING THE FISH TO OTHER FAMILYS FOR BIG DALLORS. 25 DOLLORS PER FIVE GALLON BUCKETT UN CLEANED. I FIGURE ABOUT FIFTY BUCKETTS PER TRUCK LOAD. THATS ABOUT 1250.00 DALLORS TWICE A DAY. WHERE ARE THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS? OR INVESTIGATORS? WHY DOESNT THE DWR HIRE SOME OF THERE PEOPLE TO WORK AND SERV THE GREATER GOOD. HUGH JUST A THOUGHT. BUT WHAT DO I KNOW IM JUST THEY WHO CAME UP WITH SLOTING STRAWBERRY 7 YRS BEFORE THEY GOT WISE AND FIGURED IT OUT. BUT IM JUST A DUMB FISHERMAN. I DONT KNOW HOW TOM PETTINGEL LETS THIS STUFF GO ON. OR MAYBEE HE JUST DOES NOT CARE... I APPOLLOGIZE FOR VENTING GUYS THIS IS VERRY HARD FOR ME TO WITNESSING ACTS OF OTHERS WHO DONT CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF A GREAT SPORT AND PASSTIME. SOLID SETS TO ALL CROSSINEYE...
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If there is such insufficient funds then why dont they just go out there and start ticketing the people who break the law whether it be overfishing or polluting!Theres where some revenue will be made for sure.If 2 officers go there and just observe with binoculars they can make a killing and they can use the police to help them too.Police fish too you know![sly]
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This post may "stir the pot" a little but I have been wondering about this for some time. First let me preface this by saying that personally, I am mainly a C&R fisherman (except for an occasional perch or a rare trout dinner), second, I don't believe harvesting over the legal limit is appropriate under ANY circumstances, and 3rd, the trash throwing, boozing,drugging and mayheming seen out at Utah Lake is unacceptable. BUT, in regards to Utah lake, on page 30 of the 2004 fishing proclamation, the DWR is begging fishermen to harvest walleye and WB from Utah lake. There is no limit on WB at all! The 20 inch limit protects the large female eyes some but the DWR seems to want us to harvest more eyes out of there, if you read the accompanying article that goes with it.
Two alternative conclusions can be made from this;
1) The DWR has bad regulations, (and guidelines) there and/or is out of touch with the current situation.
2) OR the heavy harvest of WB and walleyes commented about on this thread is no big deal and could even be a good thing.
I am not sure what the right conclusion is personally. The WB I caught this year at Lincoln were less numerous than they used to be but much bigger. I would predict that the lower water levels will leave protective structure high and dry and will result in fewer small WB and eyes surviving the predators to live into adulthood. I do hope that the biologists are closely monitoring these populations so our regs will match reality. I do fear that the "no limit" on WB is currently too liberal. I am interested to know what others think about this.
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can the DWR do anything on just license plate #s or pics. Or do they have to catch them in the act? also do you happen to have the # to call handy?
jed
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I think as far as that goes, the Dwr for the most part, would rather see the june sucker fill the lake and the white bass and walleye dissapear,
jed burton
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I believe you may have a valid point in regards to my question, and your reply may have also answered your own original question about why enforcement out there is as lax as it is.
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![[Image: bearpoach.gif]](http://www.outdoorsgonewild.com/bearpoach.gif)
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Of course if you're out there on your cell phone, and snapping digital pictures left and right of the perpetrators, they're going to think twice about doing it again. If your pictures are conclusive enough to prove a violation, that should do it too.
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good points all,
thanks
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