I wouldn’t wanna use the phone at the lake to look at the proclamation anyway. LOL. But I’ve seen the new proclamation at the DWR, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and at WallMart. Maybe the Pony Express hasn’t delivered them to Sanpete county yet. Maybe they’ll have some at Yuba on Tuesday. You can catch some perch, maybe a pike, bend the ear of a biologist or two, and pick up a proclamation all in one stop. Besides, I like to read the regulations for the water I’m going to fish, before I get there, not after. Still, it’s nice to have a printed version with you. If only to straighten out the doubters.
Having lived in two neighboring Western states in the past 20 years, I am of the opinion that Utahs fisheries management is far more progressive (and better) than their peers. I agree with Brookieguy that it is hard to keep everyone happy. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t things they do that I may be critical of,(such as the desire to simplify the fishing regs for only simplicity sake and not for biologic reasons) but overall, they do a good job IMO.
A couple other points along the same line.
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As any of you that hunt deer have just found out, the DWR doesn’t even have the authority to make its own laws! The Wildlife board does. And the WB can and does do anything it d%*@ well pleases. Our DWR as a policymaking entity is rather impotent.
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The whining that is constantly heard about that the DWR hates warmwater fish is BS. They do far more now with warmwater species than they did in 1989, when I initially left the state for 15 years. And they do a good job IMO. My personal best for smallie, LMB and walleye have been caught since I got back here.
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As for carp removal, my limited participation in the forums and meetings involving the Utah lake cleanup/June sucker project taught me in no uncertain terms that carp removal is a Beeotch to do and that they have looked at ideas from both Nationally and Worldwide to come up with a solution. The June sucker project is well funded by the Feds and the water users, and is still a difficult undertaking that may or may not ultimately work. How in the H#@* is the DWR going to scrounge up the resources to do a similar undertaking in a place like Yuba, where there are no endangered species to pull in Federal resources and the stakes are so much lower?
Correct me if I’m wrong but…the money from the hunting and fishing licenses, etc used to go directly to the wildlife department, then the governor Matheson or Leavitt, changed the system and that money went straight into the general fund, then money is allocated to the department, needless to say, they screwed the wildlife dept over.
Correct me if I’m wrong but…the money from the hunting and fishing licenses, etc used to go directly to the wildlife department, then the governor Matheson or Leavitt, changed the system and that money went straight into the general fund, then money is allocated to the department, needless to say, they screwed the wildlife dept over.
This is incorrect. All license sales go directly to wildlife.
I believe that there are only 2 State run agencies that are self-sufficient: DWR, State Liquor Store.
While license sales go to wildlife it doesnt cover the entire budget of the DWR. Projects such as rebuilding an old hatchery still has to have legislative approval and funds are allocated by the legislature. I am pretty sure the DWR is not self sufficient. I might be wrong but pretty sure they get a budget approval through our elected officials.
is every body done with this subject if so lets go fishing its a nice day out there.see ya on the ice!
what putting words in my post that i did not wright?
i did not say the biologists were stupid! or not as good as one’s in other states… i said the the utah DWR as a whole have done a piss poor job keep invasive spice out of utah’s water.. and even done a more piss poor job keeping carp out of Utah’s waters.. and have not done a whole lot the even try and control there in any form!
as gump say’s stupid is as stupid does!! or in this case dont does..
you want to make them into saint’s good for you.. they will get NO such praise from me tell they do there job.. and that is protect utahs waters from ALL invasive spices. and incase you have not been watching whats going on with the carp back east. even them states are comeing to realise that carp are even more invasive then the quaggas are.. and destroying meny more fishery’s then the quaggas are.. something for thought.. i know your going to say difrent kind of carp but really carp don’t belong in any water in the USA in the first place and all of them are invasive..
what putting words in my post that i did not wright?
Touchy, touchy. I didn’t ever say that you said those things. but they were all mentioned in this thread – the original poster pretty much said our biologists were stupid. I said that they don’t fish. You said they only care about quagga, and haven’t done anything with carp.
… even them states(back east) are comeing to realise that carp are even more invasive then the quaggas are.. and destroying meny more fishery’s then the quaggas are.. something for thought..
Thanks for the clarrification. So, again, what are they doing that Utah’s stupid, non-fishing, quagga loving biologists aren’t doing?
You can complain all you want – but it would sure be nice for you to come up with some legitimate potential solutions or suggestions. It seems like you do nothing but complain.
Do you hold UDOT, or the Dept. of Agriculture, or Dept. of Water Quality equally responsible for invasive species introductions into Utah – or just the DWR? (not accusing, just curious who you mean be “the State” and/or biologists.)
we have invasive spice now??? NOOOOOOOO!!! ha ha ha anyways why dont you go all renegade and try to stop all the bucket biologists and share your results… blame the jerks that are causing the problem not the people trying to stop it… thats like gettin pissed at the cops because your house got robbed. get real man
you know if it was my job and i was getting paid to do it i would come up with some kind of plain of giting rid of the carp in Utah.. you want to pay me 100,000 a year to try?
if not then i say the guy who’s job it is should come up with that plan!! is that not his job?? if not then who’s job is it and why are we paying them if they can’t do that job???
Ron – your replies crack me up.
You think it’s as simple as waving a magic wand. You simply wan to “come up with some kind of plan…”. Hmmmm, sounds simple enough. I wonder why the biologists haven’t thought of that? A plan. Amazing.
You want a species eradicated. From the entire state. That includes waters like Utah Lake, Lake Powell, Yuba, the Sevier River, Yuba, and Fish Lake. Just to name a few.
Some of these waters have endangered, or threatened species that are regulated by the Federal Government.
Some of these waters are owned by irrigation companies.
Some of these waters contain a lot of water.
But, it sounds like all that is needed to undertake this project is a “plan”.
Well, I guess I’m convinced. Not only are our biologists stupid, non-fishing, quagga loving invalids, but they are also lazy. I can’t believe they’ve never thought about coming up with a “plan”. Idiots.
oh well. At least I can rest easy knowing full well that it’s not just our biologists here in Utah. It’s all of them from the West to the East. We have carp issues across the whole country. Bunch of no-good, lazy, stupid biologists…
As for paying you 100,000 per year – do you belive that we pay our State employed biologists that much??
RE “and incase you have not been watching whats going on with the carp back east. even them states are comeing to realise that carp are even more invasive then the quaggas are.. and destroying meny more fishery’s then the quaggas are..”
From what I have read, the agencies in charge of controlling those invasive carp species back East are having even worse luck in doing so that the DWR is in dealing with carp here. They are only 7 miles from spilling into the Great lakes now.
Maybe some of the DWR June sucker/ Utah lake biologists could give those guys some suggestions on how to deal with it.[;)]
even them states (back east – I dont’ know where back east is, but them states anyway…) are comeing to realise that carp are even more invasive then the quaggas are.. and destroying meny more fishery’s then the quaggas are.. something for thought..
Let’s just clear the air here while we’re at it:
Quagga Mussels are most likely a larger threat to fisheries than Asian Carp. Claiming otherwise is ignorant:
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/09/29/tiny-invaders-ruin-great-lakes-for-asian-carp-aquatic-life-in-g/
“According to Fahnestiel, the mussels are actually a much bigger threat to the Great Lakes’ ecosystem than the more photogenic Asian carp.”
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/ab7b031b-8a55-5456-af8c-498019d2c4eb.html
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/09/29/scientists-mussels-may-leave-carp-nothing-eat/
Maybe the UDWR isn’t doing such a bad thing after all by worrying about the quaggas?
Ron – your replies crack me up.
As for paying you 100,000 per year – do you belive that we pay our State employed biologists that much??
glad you find my posts amusing..
the 100,000 is what i can make doing my job in a year.. i’m not going to leve it for less.. [crazy]..
a plan would be a start. would it not? and i never said it would be easy! but a start wound be nice..
you got old info.. the carp have made there way into the the great lakes already.. [:/]..
Interesting reading, so I am going to add my 2cents !!
I moved here from Missouri in 1972 to attend school. I became involved in several projects associated with fishing, specifically helping DWR collect walleye eggs for restocking in Utah Lake. I did some electro shocking with DWR as a volunteer and eventually became involved with starting the Utah State BASS Federation. With the federation, I worked on projects all over the state, catching bass at Powell and helping DWR to stock them in various lakes around the state, Smallmouth catching at the Gorge for restocking around the state, etc, etc.
In 1978 or 79, I sat in the regs meeting in SLC and listened to Don Andriano, then head of fisheries, give a song and dance about stripers at Powell. His bluff was called by members of the Board, he retired, and the bigwigs started to listen to the boys in the field. Charlie Thompson, Wayne Gustaveson, and many others have been some of the best people to work with over the last 30 years. They take a lot of heat from the public, but are consummate professionals.
The politics that go on are insane, as evidenced by the actions of the Wildlife Board on deer regs and other things. Overall, things are much better today than they were 30+ years ago. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, sometimes it’s a wash. We have today more fishing opportunities than before. 30 years ago it was put and take, with the bulk of the budget being spent on Strawberry, Schofield, and other cold water fisheries. Today we have a Warm Water Biologist, a warm water hatchery, a diverse population of sports fish, and the two of the best fisheries in the Country in Powell and Flaming Gorge.
Do I agree with everything that has happened, no, but I don’t agree with everything that my wife does, that my boss does, that I do !! But overall, I feel that people like Dale, Chris, Drew, Wayne, and all the others at DWR are doing the very best job they can and the more we get involved, quit bitching about everything, and dig in and help, the better things will be for everyone.
Currently the biggest issues that I see before the state deal with bucket biology and invasive species. Quagga mussels pose a huge threat to all the waters in the state and DWR, Parks, etc need to be applauded for the effort they have put forth. Finding a new species in a water because some clown knew better than DWR is frustrating. Carp, not the same problem here as in the Mid West, different species, different problems. Again, the politics of wildlife management has to be dealt with, politics of water rights, politics of public access vs private land owners rights , the list goes on and on. Our wildlife managers have to be better politicians than biologists.
So I have rambled long enough. Complain, but get involved !! Get to know the people that you are vilifying, walk in their waders for a time, be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
Hats off to all of you a DWR, keep doing the great job that you do !!!
this looks like another useless post, another 35 reply arguement…
Very good quote. but unfortunately not many people read the proc any more.
Me thinks yer speakin’ of yerself, and not fer all the others.
I’m sorry - but to complain that they don’t communicate with the public, and then confess that YOU don’t read the proc, and don’t think others do?
Did you know they have a website too! Couple little tidbits of info out there. Oh, things like fishing reports, stocking reports, regulations (those are kinda good to keep updated on - especially as they change), maps and details of various fishing locations. I’ve been impressed myself!
I know some folks even know what regs are changing before it comes out in the proclamation (discussions here about the change in Bass slot limits for example).
Sorry - I know I’m sounding condescending, and yeah - I know. Not meaning to fling more carp on this dogpile, but . . . ya can’t make everyone happy everywhere all the time. Or most times!
Why else would someone go planting Burbot in Pineview!
- 1 on this i think the dwr is doing a great job!
There is a few things that can be done to improve the Utah situation. 1) Stop buying new trucks every year, 2) Work on Fridays and catch a few poachers,3) When you call the poacher hotline reporting that someone at Strawberry has 25 undersized fish respond to the call. All these things will put money in the DNR budget.