In today’s Outdoor section of the Salt Lake Tribune, Brett Prettyman posted some of the new rule changes that have been approved for the 2009 fishing year. Here is a copy and paste rather than a link.
New fishing rules approved
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 10/11/2008 09:11:18 AM MDT
The Utah Wildlife Board approved a number of fishing regulation changes for 2009 at a meeting Oct. 2 at the Department of Natural Resources building in Salt Lake City.
On Jan. 1, 2009, anglers will be able to use up to six rods when fishing through the ice at Flaming Gorge Reservoir and don’t need to buy a second pole permit to do so. A second pole permit will still be required at other Utah waters when using two rods and when fishing open water at the Gorge. Anglers can also use artificial lights at Flaming Gorge, but only when fishing for burbot. All burbot, which were illegally introduced to the Green River drainage, must be killed at Flaming Gorge after they are caught.
Underwater spearfishing will be allowed 24 hours a day throughout the year, also starting Jan. 1.
The Wildlife Board also approved changes proposed by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists to help knock down the Utah chub population at Scofield Reservoir. Bear Lake cutthroat, the fish being used successfully at Strawberry Reservoir to control chub, will be planted at Scofield in the spring of 2009.
To help the cutthroat and existing tiger trout populations, the trout limit at Scofield will drop back to the statewide limit of four on Jan. 1 and all cutthroat and tiger trout between 15 and 22 inches long must be released. There will be no special regulations for rainbow trout. A four-trout limit at Scofield can include rainbow trout of any size and length.
Biologists also proposed, and the Wildlife Board approved, a change in the regulation at Panguitch Lake. Anglers can still keep four trout at Panguitch, and there will be no size limit on rainbow trout, but all cutthroat or tiger trout between 15 and 22 inches must be released.
The last major regulation change requires all anglers who catch a walleye at Red Fleet Reservoir to keep the fish. These highly predatory fish are also believed to have been illegally introduced.
Tiger muskie anglers will now have to release all fish they catch at Newton and Pineview reservoirs. The state closed possession of tiger muskie in Pineview in the summer of 2008.
- Brett Prettyman
AWESOME changes, especially the slot regs at Scofield and mandatory CandR of Tiger Muskie. Is anyone else predicting the tiger trout record to be broken at Scofield in the near future??
Do you think the next proclamation will have the new trespass laws detailed, similar to how they are spelled out in the Idaho fishing regs? Or do you think they will be silent on the subject?
There are no “new trespass laws”. The courts merely reaffirmed the existing laws…nothing new. And, Utah DNR cautions everybody to not challenge any landowners claims…to the extent that it provokes a confrontation. They are being very careful about taking a hard stand or in advising anglers to GO FOR IT.
Not likely there will be much in the new FISHING GUIDE…but there might be.
I like to see the tiger musky c&r only - now we just need them in a few more lakes.
I know we all have our “chosen” fish…so I know people will argue this but how about some protection on “trophy” pike. Let’s consider a slot atleast so can not keep any fish from 28"-42"…we need to take some lessons from Canada - where they truly do protect their fisheries and protect their fish during the spawn.
I just get frustrated that SO much is done to protect a “non-fighting fish” like the cutts.
In all honestly (I am asking this sincerely) how many people would rather catch cutts than rainbows or browns? I ask this because I am truly curious as I think most people would prefer rainbows/browns over cutts but I may be wrong so I would like to get better data - the reason I ask is it seems the state is very concerned with the cutts and I am trying to understand why. Please do feel free to educate me on this (In true sincerety - I do not say the previous with sarcasm).
I share your non-enthusiasm for cutts. But, as a native species, and as a proven piscivorous (chub muncher) species, it is more highly favored in a trout state than are pike.
There are too many horror stories in the west about pike being introduced…legally or otherwise…and quickly exploding to take over former trout habitats. That scares the heck out of Utah DWR, who are still mostly controlled by troutaholics.
Unfortunately it is not just about the voraciousness, the savage strike, fierce battle, the large sizes, etc. If it were, then we would not plant cutts anywhere that pike could make a living.
I also agree with your implied assessment that rainbows and browns (and tiger trout) are much better on the end of the line than are cutts. So are carp and almost any other species.
The only reason that they are protecting the cutts is because the cutts control the chubs. If the chubs get out of control then the fishery goes downhill for trout fishing, especially for rainbows. In the past they controlled the chubs by periodically poisoning the reservoirs, but that rarely worked because either the bucket biologists would reintroduce the fish that they were trying to remove, or in some cases, the streams flowing into the reservoir contained the non-game fish.
In today’s Outdoor section of the Salt Lake Tribune, Brett Prettyman posted some of the new rule changes that have been approved for the 2009 fishing year. Here is a copy and paste rather than a link.