Good fishing, close to home
DWR biologists share best close-to-home waters to fish this spring
If you’re like many adults, some days feel like a whirlwind, and you need a break. Or, you’re simply looking for something fun to do with your family after the soccer games on Saturday. You want to go fishing, but you know you can’t devote an entire day to being outside.
Fortunately, in Utah, an entire day isn’t required to have a great time. Even if you have just a few hours, there are plenty of places you can go and enjoy good fishing.
So, if you’ve decided to break free for a few hours, where should you go? Which close-to-home waters will likely produce the best fishing in Utah this spring?
Randy Oplinger, sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, stays in close contact with DWR fisheries biologists across Utah. The following are his picks as the best close-to-home waters to fish in Utah in spring 2018:
Northern Utah
If you live in northern Utah, you’re in luck: the northern part of the state has several waters that should provide excellent fishing this spring. Here are Oplinger’s picks, grouped together by the fish he recommends targeting at each water:
East Canyon, Echo, Hyrum and Rockport reservoirs (trout)
Pineview Reservoir (crappie)
Willard Bay Reservoir (wiper, crappie and walleye)
North-central Utah
Great trout fishing is waiting for you at two waters in north-central Utah. The third water should provide fast fishing for white bass:
Jordanelle and Settlement Canyon reservoirs (trout)
Utah Lake (white bass)
Northeastern Utah
Two waters in northeastern Utah should provide fast fishing for bluegill. The remaining waters should provide good fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye respectively:
Big Sandwash Reservoir (smallmouth bass)
Little Montes and Steinaker reservoirs (bluegill)
Starvation Reservoir (walleye)
Southeastern Utah
Huntington North Reservoir is Oplinger’s pick in southeastern Utah. Wipers in the reservoir are getting big. Hook a wiper—a cross between a striped bass and a white bass—and you’ll have a fight on your hands.
South-central and Southwestern Utah
You’ll likely have to travel a ways to reach Oplinger’s pick in the south-central/southwestern part of the state, but Otter Creek Reservoir should reward you with great rainbow trout fishing.
“Rainbow trout are doing really well in Otter Creek Reservoir,” he says, “with plenty of fat rainbows in the 15-inch range available to catch. Fishing through April should be really good. Fishing will likely slow a bit as the water temperature warms in May, but fishing should still be good.”
Watch fishing reports
To get the most out of the time you have, get online and check out the fishing reports available on the web. In addition to learning how fast the fishing has been, you’ll learn about the tackle and techniques anglers are using to catch fish.
A great place to start is www.wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots. In addition to fishing reports, this DWR-managed site provides information about the waters themselves, including how to reach them, the type of facilities you’ll find and the fish you’ll likely catch. If the fishing report is the only item you’re interested in, you don’t even have to visit the website to get it: you can subscribe to the report at www.wildlife.utah.gov/about-us/subscribe-to-updates.html. It will arrive in your email inbox each week.
Two additional websites—bigfishtackle.com and utahwildlife.net—also provide current fishing information for waters across the state. Utah fishing-related Facebook pages are also good places to check.
Learn-how-to-fish websites
If you’re new to fishing, or you’d simply like to brush up on your skills, lots of online websites and videos cover the basics. A great place to start is Take Me Fishing.org. The learn-how-to-fish portion of the site is available at www.takemefishing.org/how-to-fish/how-to-catch-fish.
Learn how and where to fish for wipers in Northern Utah
Free seminar on April 26
Salt Lake City – Wipers—a hard-fighting cross between a female striped bass and a male white bass—are fast becoming a favorite fish to catch in Utah.
If you’d like to get in on the action—but you’re not sure what tackle to use or where and when to catch the fish—you won’t want to miss a free seminar on April 26.
The seminar will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Department of Natural Resources auditorium, 1594 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City.
If you can’t attend the event, you can watch it live at https://youtu.be/9gyMiEnMrIQ. You can also visit https://youtu.be/9gyMiEnMrIQ anytime after the event and watch the seminar whenever you like.
The event is free, but you must register to attend. You can register at http://bit.ly/wiper_seminar.
The Division of Wildlife Resources, Smith & Edwards and Utah’s Blue Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council have teamed up to offer the free event.
What you’ll learn
Wiper fishing experts will cover tackle and equipment, trolling tactics and various methods to catch fish from the shore. The seminar will focus on fishing opportunities at Willard Bay and East Canyon reservoirs and the DWR’s approach to managing wipers at both waters.
Even though the seminar will focus on Willard Bay and East Canyon reservoirs, Phil Douglass, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, says the tips shared can help you catch wipers at any water in Utah where the fish are found.
Douglass says introducing wipers to the two reservoirs, and other waters across the state, has created a new and exciting option for anglers.
“Many anglers, including myself, have really enjoyed the chance to catch this hard fighting and great tasting fish,” he says. “From the first time I caught a wiper, I knew I’d found a new favorite fish to catch and cook for my friends and family.”
DWR seminars
The April 26 seminar is part of the DWR’s new Wildlife Recreation program. “These seminars are just perfect for helping people expand their fishing knowledge and explore new fishing opportunities,” Douglass says.
The wiper seminar is one in a growing lineup of events. Douglass says Wildlife Recreation seminars are planned for a rich variety of wildlife recreation, ranging from dog training to waterfowl and upland game bird hunting to fly fishing the Uintas.
You can learn where and when the events are being held at www.facebook.com/UtahDWR. The events are also included in a calendar at the agency’s website (www.wildlife.utah.gov/calendar.html).
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Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day in Moab
See a diversity of birds at the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve on May 12
Moab -- Spring is here, and wildlife migrations are in full swing. It’s a season of opportunity for wildlife enthusiasts, especially for those who enjoy observing migratory birds as they pass through southeastern Utah.
The Nature Conservancy and the Division of Wildlife Resources are hosting a celebration of World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday, May 12, at the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve in Moab. Participants will have opportunities to join wildlife biologists as they tour the wetlands and encounter a diversity of birds.
“Wetlands are rare along Utah’s portion of the Colorado River, and that makes Moab’s wetlands vital habitat for wildlife,” said Linda Whitham, central canyonlands program manager at The Nature Conservancy’s Moab Project Office. “Migratory Bird Day is an opportunity to learn about and celebrate the diverse wildlife and habitat that southeastern Utah has to offer.”
In addition to a guided birding tour, Migratory Bird Day at the preserve will include stations where you can learn about mammals, native fish and aquatic insects. Other fun activities for families will also be offered. All events are free and open to participants of all ages.
The event will begin at the Kane Creek Entrance to the preserve, 934 W. Kane Creek Boulevard, in Moab. The birding tour will begin at 8 a.m., and all other activities will begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon. Dogs and other pets are not permitted on the preserve.
Almost 900 acres in size, the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve is co-owned by The Nature Conservancy and the Division of Wildlife Resources. The organizations manage the preserve to benefit both resident and migratory wildlife that rely on wetland habitat. The preserve is open to the public and provides a diversity of recreation opportunities that involve wildlife.
You don’t have to register for the free event, but you’re encouraged to complete an online form. Completing the form will help the DWR make future events even better. You can complete the online form at https://goo.gl/zJqiL5.
For more information on Migratory Bird Day at the Matheson Preserve, call Whitham at 435-259-4214, or Morgan Jacobsen, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, at 435-613-3707.
More chances to take a turkey
DWR biologists recommend changes for 2018 – 2019 turkey hunt
Starting this fall, there might be more chances to take wild turkeys during Utah’s fall hunting season. And you might have more firearm and shot shell options to choose from.
Biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources are recommending three major changes. Two apply only to Utah’s fall hunting season. A third applies to both the fall and the spring hunts:
· Allow hunters to buy up to three fall turkey hunting permits. Currently, those hunting in the fall may have only one fall hunting permit.
· During both the fall and spring seasons, allow hunters to use any shotgun firing BB or smaller diameter shot. Currently, hunters are required to use shotguns that range from 10 gauge to 28 gauge. And only shot sizes BB through 8 may be used.
· During the fall season only, allow hunters to hunt turkeys with rim fire firearms.
Learn more, share your ideas
You can see all of the DWR’s turkey and upland game bird recommendations at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings. After you’ve reviewed the ideas, you can let your Regional Advisory Council members know your thoughts by attending your upcoming RAC meeting or by sending an email to them.
RAC chairmen will share the input they receive with members of the Utah Wildlife Board. The board will meet in Salt Lake City on May 31 to approve turkey and upland game hunting rules and permits for Utah’s 2018 - 2019 season.
Dates, times and locations for the RAC meetings are as follows:
Central Region
May 1
6:30 p.m.
Springville Civic Center
110 S. Main St.
Springville
Northern Region
May 2
6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City
Southern Region
May 8
7 p.m.
Beaver High School
195 E. Center St.
Beaver
Southeastern Region
May 9
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
1765 E. Main St.
Green River
Northeastern Region
May 10
6:30 p.m.
DWR Northeastern Region Office
318 N. Vernal Ave.
Vernal
You can also provide your comments to your RAC via email. Email addresses for your RAC members are available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/rac-members.html.
The group each RAC member represents (sportsman, non-consumptive, etc.) is listed under each person’s email address. You should direct your email to the people on the RAC who represent your interest.
Fall hunt recommendations
Turkey populations, especially in parts of Cache County, have gotten large enough that the birds are coming into conflict with people. DWR biologists trapped and moved a record number of birds—548—from the county this past winter. Increased fall hunting is another tool that should reduce the number of birds.
“Hunting is still the best tool biologists have to manage wildlife populations, including turkeys,” Robinson says.
Biologists are recommending two changes that should increase the opportunity to take a turkey: allow hunters to have up to three fall permits and allow the use of rim fire firearms. Rim fire firearms are small caliber firearms, including the popular .22 long rifle and the .17.
“Allowing hunters to buy up to three fall turkey permits will give avid turkey hunters more chances to get into the field and hunt,” Robinson says. “And allowing hunters to use rim fire firearms might really appeal to young hunters who don’t want to shoot a shotgun.”
Gauge, shot size change
A change that would allow turkey hunters to use any shotgun, including a .410, would benefit both spring and fall hunters.
“.410 shotguns are a good option for many young, beginning hunters,” Robinson says. “We’d like to change the requirement and allow hunters to use these smaller guns.”
In addition, biologists want to allow the use of smaller shot sizes. Robinson says advances in shotgun shell design have made sizes as small as No. 9 effective for turkeys.
“Shells loaded with smaller shot sizes put out dense patterns that can be very effective in bringing a turkey down,” he says. “We’d like to give hunters the option to choose the gun and ammunition combination that works best for them and their hunting situation.”
Fishing reports - available at http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots .
See migrating loons at Steinaker Reservoir
What: Loons are large, aquatic fish-eating birds with a unique, wailing call. Every year, they migrate through Utah as they head north for the summer. Tomorrow morning, the DWR will host a free, public loon-viewing event at Steinaker Reservoir.
Electrofishing in the Green River
What: It sounds painful, but electrofishing is actually a safe, effective way to survey fish populations. Later this month, DWR biologists will use this technique to stun fish in the Green River. Hundreds of temporarily immobilized fish will float to the surface after a strong electric jolt. Then, more than 20 DWR employees and volunteers will quickly net the fish, weigh and measure them, record data, insert tracking tags and clip the fishes’ fins. Then, they’ll release the unharmed fish back into the river.
tocking thousands of trout in community ponds
What: Local fishing ponds give many young Utahns their first opportunity to catch a fish. The DWR stocks these ponds on a weekly basis throughout much of the spring, and most of the ponds along the Wasatch Front are filled with trout from the Springville Fish Hatchery.
