Southeastern Utah fishing report

By Sun Advocate

Best fishing of the year! Aquatics manager, Louis Berg reports that “just about everywhere, the best fishing of the year is in progress as hungry fish feed in preparation for winter. Hunters should bring a fishing rod along to fish the lake or stream nearest their hunting spot. This is a good way to kill time during the middle of the day, and will help ensure they bring some meat home.”
Regulation change ot Joes Valley reservoir will go into effect at 6 a.m. on Nov. 1, Joes Valley Reservoir will be closed to fishing until Dec. 14. Once the reservoir reopens to fishing, the trout limit will be two, of which only one can be over 22 inches. All trout 15 to 22 inches must be immediately released. This amendment to the 2002 fishing proclamation was made to protect the large adult splake, which come into shallow water during the new closed period. We need protection for those large splake as well as those between 15 to 22 inches to help control the Utah chub population. The growth and survivability of trout at Joes Valley Reservoir has decreased as chub numbers have increased.
Where have bag limits been liberalized?
•An eight fish limit is currently in effect at Electric Lake. Tackle restrictions, requiring anglers to use artificial flies or lures only, have been suspended. These changes will remain in effect until the end of the year.
•The daily bag and possession limits have been doubled at Cleveland and Miller Flat reservoirs, Ken’s Lake, Lloyd’s Lake, Monticello Lake, and Recapture Reservoir. These regulations are in effect until Nov. 1.
•Abajo Mountains. Foy Reservoir continues to provide good fishing with baits and lures. Lures in the morning and evening are recommended. There is very little fishing opportunity at Monticello Reservoir now that the dam, outlet and spillway are under construction. Repair work will be completed this month. The lake will not be restocked until 2003. Fishing is improving at Blanding number three. There has been very little angler pressure at Recapture Reservoir, where the daily bag and possession limits have been doubled for all game fish until Nov. 1. The daily bag and possession limits for all game fish have also been doubled at Lloyds Lake until Nov. 1, due to low water conditions and expected loss of fish.
•Benches Pond. Good fishing is expected.
•Cleveland Reservoir. The daily bag limit is eight fish until Nov. 1. Fly fishermen have had good luck from float tubes using size eight black beadhead leech patterns. The water level continues to drop.
•Duck Fork Reservoir. The rotenone treatment project took place one week ago. All fish have been removed.
•Electric Lake. Due to drought, anglers may now take a limit of eight fish using any legal bait. Fishing remains excellent with bait.
•Ferron Reservoir. Anglers are encouraged to harvest brook trout, which were illegally planted. The brookies have multiplied rapidly, stunting their own growth and depriving the other trout species of forage and space.
•Gigliotti Pond. There may soon be fish to catch! A decision regarding fish stocking was scheduled to be made on Oct. 4, based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of repairs made to stop water leakage from the pond.
•Huntington Reservoir (near the top of Huntington Canyon). The water level continues to drop. Fly-fishing has been good for tiger trout up to 18 inches, using a size eight black beadhead leech pattern. Release of tiger trout is encouraged so that fish can grow larger. Any brown trout caught should be harvested. The reservoir is closed to the possession of cutthroat trout and trout with cutthroat markings.
•Joes Valley Reservoir. Beginning on Nov. 1, fishing regulations will change at Joes Valley Reservoir. The reservoir will be closed to fishing from 6 a.m. on Nov. 1 until Dec. 14. When the reservoir reopens to fishing, the trout limit will be two. No more than one trout may be over 22 inches. All trout 15 to 22 inches must be immediately released. This regulation change will protect the large spawning splake, which are very vulnerable in November and early December. In addition, splake from 15 to 22 inches are needed to help reduce the chubs, which were illegally used as live bait.
•Lake Powell. The Lake Powell fishing report home page is: http://www.wayneswords.com. DWR biologist and project leader, Wayne Gustaveson, updates fishing conditions at this website weekly. He provides detailed information on locations, tackle and techniques for each species in the lake. In 2002, an unlimited number of striped bass may be kept. The smallmouth bass limit is 20, and the largemouth bass limit is five.
•LaSal Mountains. Ken’s Lake is very low. The daily bag limit has been doubled for all game fish until Nov. 1. Fishing is expected to be good at most LaSal mountain lakes.
•Lower Fish Creek. Flows are low. From the railroad bridge approximately one mile below the Scofield Reservoir dam downstream to the confluence with the White River, only artificial flies and lures may be used.
•Millsite Reservoir. Some splake stocked approximately two years ago survived and are now presenting anglers with an opportunity to catch them. Most of the splake appear to be 13 to 16 inches in length.
•Petes Hole. Fishing has been good with baits, olive wooly buggers and Jake’s Spin-a-Lures. The daily bag and possession limit is four trout.
•Potter’s Ponds. Good fishing is expected for both ponds.
•Price River. Flows are low. Recommended fly patterns include the Hare’s Ear or Double Ugly.
•Scofield Reservoir. Fishing success has apparently picked up, evidenced by the number of anglers out there on the weekend.