08-16-2008, 07:56 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I lived in Arizona and fished Havasu too. It is probably more contaminated than Utah Lake. It is downstream from lots of municipal and agricultural pollution. And, you know what all those wild and crazy kids do in the water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The PCB thing has everybody whacked out. Very few people really know anything about it...or that the agency that raised the alarm has standards three times more stringent than FDA requirements. In fact, Utah Lake is probably safer overall than a high percentage of other large lakes in the US. Just because it is shallow and gets muddy when the wind blows makes everybody think it is terribly polluted. Heck, Willard Bay gets muddy these days but it has a better reputation so nobody worries about it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Jordanelle is worse than Utah Lake for potential food hazards. It has high concentrations of mercury in perch and brown trout. But, because it is clear, nobody worries about it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most of our lakes have something in them that we might not like to ingest. But, some families in Utah County have been eating fish from Utah Lake for generations...several times a week...and nobody has ever had any identifiable illnesses attributable to eating the fish. No extra appendages or eyes in the middle of the forehead either.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can't believe how often people roll their eyes and groan when I tell them I fish in Utah Lake...and eat the fish. Just last week my grown stepson almost started foaming at the mouth when I told him I ate catfish from Utah Lake. "What about all that mercury?" he asked. Like most other people, he does not even know the facts...just heresay and rumors. There is not a mercury problem in Utah Lake. He had never even heard of PCB...much less having any idea what it is or what it does...or doesn't do.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The cats are big and lots of fun. I do not know any other place in the west where you can consistently catch so many cats with such a large average size. The "cookie cutters" are 24" long and on a good day you can count on hanging at least one ten pounder. You DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THEM. There is such a thing as catch and release. I don't keep the biggest ones either.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Go ahead and let some of those bigguns abuse you. Just pretend that it is mandatory catch and release and then you can feel good about it.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The PCB thing has everybody whacked out. Very few people really know anything about it...or that the agency that raised the alarm has standards three times more stringent than FDA requirements. In fact, Utah Lake is probably safer overall than a high percentage of other large lakes in the US. Just because it is shallow and gets muddy when the wind blows makes everybody think it is terribly polluted. Heck, Willard Bay gets muddy these days but it has a better reputation so nobody worries about it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Jordanelle is worse than Utah Lake for potential food hazards. It has high concentrations of mercury in perch and brown trout. But, because it is clear, nobody worries about it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most of our lakes have something in them that we might not like to ingest. But, some families in Utah County have been eating fish from Utah Lake for generations...several times a week...and nobody has ever had any identifiable illnesses attributable to eating the fish. No extra appendages or eyes in the middle of the forehead either.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can't believe how often people roll their eyes and groan when I tell them I fish in Utah Lake...and eat the fish. Just last week my grown stepson almost started foaming at the mouth when I told him I ate catfish from Utah Lake. "What about all that mercury?" he asked. Like most other people, he does not even know the facts...just heresay and rumors. There is not a mercury problem in Utah Lake. He had never even heard of PCB...much less having any idea what it is or what it does...or doesn't do.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The cats are big and lots of fun. I do not know any other place in the west where you can consistently catch so many cats with such a large average size. The "cookie cutters" are 24" long and on a good day you can count on hanging at least one ten pounder. You DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THEM. There is such a thing as catch and release. I don't keep the biggest ones either.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Go ahead and let some of those bigguns abuse you. Just pretend that it is mandatory catch and release and then you can feel good about it.[/#0000ff]
[signature]