09-30-2014, 06:11 AM
In answer to your questions:
1. DNR allowed spear fisherman a series of lakes based:
a. A need to reduce some invasive species. For example, there is no limit on walleye on Lake Powell because of the negative effect that species is having on trout fishing in the Green River.
b. There is soon to be a proposal to allow spearfishing on Utah Lake for Northern Pike. Why? DNR gill netting are noticing the Pike are reproducing more than expected and might negatively effect the endangered Utah Lake chub population.
DNR stopped spearfishing on Jordanelle because the biologist cannot figure out why the fishery isn't doing very well. Frankly, it is really irrelevant. The water is not clear enough to spearfish anyway.
c. As you probably read, spearfishing isn't allowed during spawning season for bass in most Utah Lakes.
I never told you spearfisherman don't make mistakes. I know of two spearfisherman who have been turned in to DNR this last year by other spearfisherman for violating the law.
The touroments that I was in were at Lake Mead and lakes in Arizona. Frankly, we ended up taking the fish home because we didn't the ability to keep them alive as they do in national BASS tournoments. That was in the 70s and 80s.
Personally, I saw a larger small mouth at Starvation this Spring. Did I shoot him? No! However, I will tell you where he and several of his friends were. It was late April right next the dam. They were in the shade of the concrete wall. The largest was easily 6-8 pounds.
Spearfishman are not asking for the opening up of all the lakes. Frankly, some of your prized lakes are simply too murky to see in front of my face. DNR has proposed opening several other lakes/streams with the intent of spearfisherman being able to go after invasive species.
When spearfisherman hold a tournament, it is typically for carp or some other invasive species. I understand your frustration, but I will be candid and tell you that I regularly see large small mouth and large mouth on a variety of lakes over the last summer. Do you fish Deer Creek?
Lastly, I don't like the taste of bass, so I rarely shoot one and I know that guys like you are concerned about it.
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1. DNR allowed spear fisherman a series of lakes based:
a. A need to reduce some invasive species. For example, there is no limit on walleye on Lake Powell because of the negative effect that species is having on trout fishing in the Green River.
b. There is soon to be a proposal to allow spearfishing on Utah Lake for Northern Pike. Why? DNR gill netting are noticing the Pike are reproducing more than expected and might negatively effect the endangered Utah Lake chub population.
DNR stopped spearfishing on Jordanelle because the biologist cannot figure out why the fishery isn't doing very well. Frankly, it is really irrelevant. The water is not clear enough to spearfish anyway.
c. As you probably read, spearfishing isn't allowed during spawning season for bass in most Utah Lakes.
I never told you spearfisherman don't make mistakes. I know of two spearfisherman who have been turned in to DNR this last year by other spearfisherman for violating the law.
The touroments that I was in were at Lake Mead and lakes in Arizona. Frankly, we ended up taking the fish home because we didn't the ability to keep them alive as they do in national BASS tournoments. That was in the 70s and 80s.
Personally, I saw a larger small mouth at Starvation this Spring. Did I shoot him? No! However, I will tell you where he and several of his friends were. It was late April right next the dam. They were in the shade of the concrete wall. The largest was easily 6-8 pounds.
Spearfishman are not asking for the opening up of all the lakes. Frankly, some of your prized lakes are simply too murky to see in front of my face. DNR has proposed opening several other lakes/streams with the intent of spearfisherman being able to go after invasive species.
When spearfisherman hold a tournament, it is typically for carp or some other invasive species. I understand your frustration, but I will be candid and tell you that I regularly see large small mouth and large mouth on a variety of lakes over the last summer. Do you fish Deer Creek?
Lastly, I don't like the taste of bass, so I rarely shoot one and I know that guys like you are concerned about it.
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