Anglers to the rescue: saving fish at Steinaker Reservoir
‘Salvage’ event includes free fishing tournament on June 9
Vernal -- This summer and fall, Steinaker Reservoir north of Vernal will be reduced to a ‘mud puddle’ as important repairs are made to its dam. Any fish not caught and removed from the reservoir will likely be lost.
To try to save as many bluegill as possible, the Division of Wildlife Resources needs your help. On June 7, 8 and 10, a bluegill ‘salvage’ event will be held. Anglers are asked to turn out those days, catch bluegill and then give the live fish to DWR biologists who will also be catching bluegill at the reservoir during the event. The biologists will transport the fish to holding ponds where the fish will remain until the reservoir refills. After it refills, biologists will place the bluegill back into the reservoir to help jumpstart the fishery.
To learn more about the three-day event—including the time of day when biologists need the bluegill in order to transport the fish—visit http://bit.ly/steinaker_bluegill.
To add some extra fun to the salvage effort, on June 9, the DWR, Utah State Parks and the Bureau of Reclamation will hold a free bluegill fishing tournament at Steinaker. June 9 is Free Fishing Day, so you won’t need a fishing license to participate. You can learn more about the tournament, and register to participate, at http://bit.ly/bluegill_tourney.
“The four-day event, including the tournament, is a chance for the public to join with us to save fish that will be lost if we don’t remove them from the reservoir,” says Tonya Kieffer, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR.
One event already held
To try to save as many fish as possible, the DWR held a largemouth bass ‘salvage’ event in May. Natalie Boren, regional aquatics biologist for the DWR, says more than 50 volunteer anglers—from all over Utah—showed up to help.
“They caught bass from their own personal boats and from the shore,” she says, “Unfortunately, with the water temperature hovering in the mid 50s, catching fish proved difficult. That’s why we’re asking for the public’s help again in June.”
The June 7 – 10 event will mostly focus on collecting bluegill, but biologists will also take any largemouth bass anglers catch. “We’re looking for volunteers—both boat anglers and shore anglers—to help us out,” Kieffer says.
In addition to helping jumpstart the fishery when Steinaker refills, those who participate will help anglers who enjoy fishing in community ponds along the Wasatch Front.
“DWR biologists from the Wasatch Front are coming out to assist us,” Kieffer says. “In return, they’ll receive up to 4,000 bluegill that they’ll transplant in the community ponds.”
Free tournament on June 9
Chante Lundskog, regional wildlife recreation specialist for the DWR, says the June 9 tournament will be a fun way for families, no matter their skill level, to get out and have fun while helping the fishery. “Prizes will be awarded to those who catch the most bluegill and the largest bluegill that day,” she says.
Up to 150 anglers can participate. Registration will close June 6 at midnight or whenever all of the spots are filled, whichever comes first. You can see official rules for the tournament when you register at http://bit.ly/bluegill_tourney.
“The tournament is free,” Lundskog says, “but if you want to enter Steinaker State Park, you’ll need to pay the entrance fee.”
Recovering the fishery
Kieffer says the drawdown will take Steinaker Reservoir past dead pool, and a complete fish kill is expected. “After repairs are completed and the reservoir fills back up,” she says, “we’ll restock it with bluegill, rainbow trout and brown trout. Largemouth bass will be added a year after refilling begins.”
Kieffer reminds anglers that it’s illegal to move live fish from one body of water to another. Only DWR biologists can do that.
If you have questions about the June 7 – 10 event, call Boren at 435-219-2644 or Lundskog at 385-225-4322.
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PHOTOS - eight photos to accompany this story are available at http://udwrnewsphotos.zenfolio.com/p624967696 .
Contact: Tonya Kieffer, DWR Northeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager, 801-995-2972
Fish for free on June 9
Fishing license not required on Free Fishing Day
If you’d like to introduce someone to fishing—or you’d like to give fishing a try, but you don’t have a fishing license—mark June 9 on your calendar.
June 9 is Free Fishing Day in Utah. You don’t need a fishing license to fish in the state that day.
Randy Oplinger says Free Fishing Day is a great day not only for beginning anglers but for experienced anglers too.
“Because you don’t need a license to fish that day,” says Oplinger, sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, “it’s the perfect time to take someone fishing with you and introduce them to the sport. And, if you don’t have a license, it’s the perfect time to pick up a fishing pole and give fishing a try.”
Another great thing is Free Fishing Day is held at the start of June. “Early June is one of the best times to fish in Utah,” Oplinger says. “All of the fish in the state, both warmwater fish and coldwater fish, are active and willing to bite this time of the year.”
Special events
If you don’t have any fishing equipment—or you do, but you’d like some help fishing—special events are the place to be.
“At most of the events,” Oplinger says, “equipment will be available for you to use. And volunteers will be on hand, to help you and your kids fish. Also, many of these waters will be stocked with fish before the event, so there should be plenty of fish to catch.”
Northern Utah
Two fun fishing events will be held in Logan and Bountiful:
· Bear River Celebration and Free Fishing Day at Willow West Park, 500 W. 700 S. in Logan. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The park includes Skylar’s Pond.
Kids can catch fish at Skylar’s Pond using rods and reels that will be available that day. This free community event is full of hands-on educational activities for youth and their families. Each year, hundreds of youth participate and learn more about water quality, wildlife, plants, recreation and fishing in the Bear River watershed. Visit https://bit.ly/2LtEJvD for more information.
· Cops and Kids Fishing Day at Bountiful Pond. The pond is just west of Legacy Highway in Bountiful. The event runs from 9 – 11 a.m.
DWR conservation officers and officers from local police departments will be available to help beginning anglers catch fish. If you have your own fishing rod and reel, please bring it. If you don’t have one, no problem—rods and reels will be available to use.
Visit www.facebook.com/UtahDWR for details about the events.
North-central Utah
Free fishing events will be held at two locations in north-central Utah:
· The fishing pond at Wasatch Mountain State Park. The park is in Midway. Fishing rods will be available to rent, and worms will be available for purchase. Volunteers will also be on hand, to help you fish. Fishing runs from dawn to dusk.
· Pole Canyon fishing pond, 9 a.m. to noon. The pond is near Santaquin. If you’re 16 years of age or younger, you can participate in a Youth Fishing Derby that day. The first boy and the first girl who catch a fish will win a prize. Prizes will also be awarded for the biggest fish caught in each age division. A raffle for prizes will also be held, and hotdogs will be served for lunch. The Santaquin City Recreation Department is sponsoring the event.
Visit www.facebook.com/UtahDWR for more details about the events.
Northeastern Utah
Free fishing events will be held at three locations. At one of the locations—Steinaker Reservoir—prizes will be awarded for catching the most bluegill and the largest bluegill. If you have your own fishing rod, please bring it to the events. If you don’t have your own rod and reel, no problem: a limited number will be available to use. Personnel from the sponsoring agencies will also be available to help you fish and answer your questions about local fishing hot spots:
· Moose Pond, 9 a.m. to noon. The lake is in Daggett County.
· Lower Stillwater Ponds, 9 a.m. to noon. The ponds are in Duchesne County.
· Steinaker Reservoir, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The reservoir is in Uintah County.
Visit www.facebook.com/UtahDWR for details about the events.
Southeastern Utah
Wildlife & Wardens event at the Carbon County Community Fishing Pond, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pond is in Price at 450 S. Fairgrounds Road. Division of Wildlife Resources’ conservation officers and Carbon County Sheriff’s deputies will be available to help young anglers catch fish. Youngsters can also shoot bows and arrows and learn about wildlife at several learning stations. Lunch will be provided.
Visit www.facebook.com/UtahDWR for more details about the event.
Southwestern Utah
Free food, prizes and fun are waiting for you at two events in southwestern Utah. Fishing equipment will be available to check out and use. DWR personnel and volunteers will be available to help young anglers fish and to help them keep their hooks baited:
· Little Reservoir, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The reservoir is east of Beaver.
· Bristlecone Pond, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pond is at the Brian Head Ski Resort east of Parowan.
In addition to food and prizes, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife will host a free fishing workshop at Bristlecone Pond.
Visit www.facebook.com/UtahDWR for more details about the events.
Fishing basics
If you’re going to pick up a rod and reel and fish on your own on June 9, hop on the Internet before June 9 and check out the many instructional websites and videos that teach the basics of fishing. A good place to start is www.takemefishing.org/how-to-fish/how-to-catch-fish.
Community fishing ponds
You’ll likely have company on June 9, but waters in communities across Utah—called community fishing ponds—are great places for beginning anglers to fish. The ponds are close to home, most have restrooms and other facilities, and many of them will be stocked with channel catfish—averaging 14 inches long—before June 9.
You can learn more about the ponds at www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing-in-utah/community-fisheries.html.
Other good waters
In addition to the community fishing ponds, several additional waters should also be good places to fish on June 9. Oplinger divides the best fisheries to visit on Free Fishing Day into two categories: ‘best family fishing waters’ and ‘places to fish and get away from it all.’
“Waters in the second category will offer good fishing on June 9 without the crowds,” he says.
Best family fishing waters
· Mantua and Willard Bay reservoirs (Northern Utah)
· Lakes on the Manti Mountains (North-central Utah)
· Brown’s Draw, Cottonwood, Currant Creek, East Park and Steinaker reservoirs (Northeastern Utah)
Places to fish and get away from it all
· Lost Creek Reservoir and lakes on the Uinta Mountains (Northern Utah)
· Long Park Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Spirit Lake (Northeastern Utah)
· Navajo Lake and lakes on the Boulder Mountains (Southwestern Utah)
Fishing reports
You can stay updated on fishing at these waters, and other waters in Utah, by reading the DWR’s fishing reports at www.wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots.
Two additional websites—bigfishtackle.com and utahwildlife.net—also provide up-to-date fishing information.
Learn the rules
You don’t need a license to fish on June 9, but the remaining fishing rules in Utah will be in effect. The rules are available in the 2018 Utah Fishing Guidebook. You can get the free guidebook at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
“If you have questions about a rule or about fishing in Utah,” Oplinger says, “please give our offices a call. We’d be happy to help you.”
A list of DWR offices is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/about-us/contact-us.html.
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Have fun, catch fish at Wildlife & Wardens event
Free family recreation event on Free Fishing Day
Price -- Fishing is hot at southeastern Utah’s community fisheries. If you’re a young angler, and you want to get in on the action, don’t miss a free Wildlife & Wardens event on June 9.
The event will be held at the Carbon County Community Fishing Pond, 450 S. Fairgrounds Road in Price. Conservation officers with the Division of Wildlife Resources and Carbon County Sheriff’s deputies will be available to help young anglers fish. The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
June 9 is Free Fishing Day in Utah, so you won’t need a fishing license to fish that day. Youth of all ages are invited to participate.
“Wildlife & Wardens is an opportunity to learn and have fun at one of Utah’s spectacular community fisheries,” says DWR Lt. Ben Wolford. “We’ll have some fishing poles on hand for those who need them. Another highlight is an archery range that’s part of the event. We’ll provide bows, arrows and a variety of targets, including moving targets, to shoot at.”
In addition to fishing and archery, young outdoor enthusiasts can handle a collection of pelts, antlers and skulls while learning about the animals that live in Utah’s wild places. Lunch will be provided.
“There’s something here for everyone who enjoys being outside,” Wolford says.
To register for the free event, visit https://goo.gl/YpUmNU. If you have questions, call the DWR’s Southeastern Region office at 435-613-3700.
Free Fishing Day is the only day of the year when anglers can fish without a fishing license in Utah. All other fishing laws and rules, including daily limits, still apply.
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Apply for an antlerless big game permit
Applications accepted starting May 31
If you’d like to provide your family with fresh, delicious, healthy meat—that you took yourself, while enjoying time in Utah’s backcountry—mark May 31 on your calendar. That’s the day you can start applying for a permit to hunt cow elk, cow moose, doe deer and doe pronghorn in Utah.
Applications for Utah antlerless permits will be accepted through www.wildlife.utah.gov. You must submit your application no later than 11 p.m. on June 21 to be included in the draw for permits.
(The permits are called antlerless permits because the animals you’ll hunt don’t have antlers.)
Everything you need to apply for a permit is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/plan-your-antlerless-hunt.html.
“Once you arrive at the web page,” says Lindy Varney, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, “you’ll find detailed maps, boundary descriptions for the various hunting units, a list of the hunts you can apply for and a link to the application itself.”
If you have questions about applying for an antlerless permit, call the Utah Hunt Application Office at 1-800-221-0659, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.
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See cutthroat trout at Strawberry
Free viewing event happens June 9
Heber City -- You don’t have to be an angler to get a close look at cutthroat trout at Strawberry Reservoir.
Right now, many of the reservoir’s cutthroat trout are migrating out of the reservoir and up the Strawberry River to spawn.
The river runs past the visitor center at Strawberry and into a fish trap and egg-taking facility the Division of Wildlife Resources operates behind the visitor center.
Even though the water can be a little murky this time of the year, biologists from the DWR will host a free cutthroat trout viewing event on June 9.
The event will happen from 9 a.m. to noon at the fish trap and egg-taking facility.
During the event, biologists will net cutthroat trout. Then, they’ll hold them up so you can photograph and touch the fish. The biologists will also answer any questions you have. And they’ll explain the important role Bear Lake cutthroat trout play in managing one of the country’s best trout fishing waters.
Strawberry Reservoir is just off U.S. Highway 40, about 25 miles southeast of Heber City.
A preview of what you’ll see at the event is available in a DWR video at http://bit.ly/1AU62CA. You can also access the video by logging onto www.youtube.com/UDWR and then scanning through the video choices until you find the video titled ‘Cutthroat Trout Viewing Day at Strawberry Reservoir.’
“Even though the Strawberry River and the other tributaries to the reservoir are currently closed to fishing,” says Scott Root, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, “you can still try your luck catching one of these big cutthroats in the reservoir itself.”
Root says all cutthroat trout in Strawberry between 15 and 22 inches long must be released immediately.
More information about the fishing regulations at Strawberry Reservoir is available on pages 41 and 42 of the 2018 Utah Fishing Guidebook. The free guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
For more information, call the DWR’s Central Region office at 801-491-5678.
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Fishing reports - available at http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots .
