Southeastern Utah fishing report

By Sun Advocate

Please pack out all litter. DWR conservation officers will be closely monitoring the litter situation.
Have you reviewed this year’s fishing proclamation? General regulations have changed a little as well as provisions for some waters. Remember that the statewide trout limit has been reduced from eight to four trout for licensed anglers and from four trout to two for unlicensed anglers under the age of 14.
Tributaries to many waters are closed to fishing until July 13. Check the proclamation for Provisions for specific waters.
Have you purchased your new 2002 fishing license? Please do so before going fishing.
•Abajo Mountains. This week, DWR Conservation Officer Randall Scheetz reports slow fishing at Recapture Reservoir which has not completely frozen. Light angler pressure and slow conditions were found at other Blanding reservoirs. A new daily bag limit is in place at Blanding number four reservoir. The daily bag and possession limits of trout have been raised to 16 fish, because Blanding City plans to drain the reservoir. This change will remain in effect until March 15.
•Electric Lake. No report. Bait is not allowed at this lake, where the trout limit is two.
•Huntington Creek. A few of the larger holes are opening up below the Forks of Huntington. Trout are biting on nymph patterns. Try a number 12 Montana nymph. Trout average11-12 inches. Harvest of brown trout on the left fork is encouraged, where the limit is four fish. These must be taken with artificial flies or lures. On the Right Fork, from Flood and Engineer’s Canyon upstream to Electric Lake dam, only two trout may be taken and artificial flies must be used. No bait or lures are allowed in this section.
•Huntington North Reservoir (near the city of Huntington). No recent report. Try a silver or gold Kastmaster tipped with green PowerBait.
•Huntington Reservoir. (near the top of Huntington Canyon). DWR Sergeant Carl Gramlich and his friends reported that they fished the reservoir last weekend and didn’t get a bite in three hours. 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. DWR aquatics biologist Mike Slater reports ice to be 10-12 inches thick. The south end of the reservoir and the area around the dam are still open. Slater reported good fishing with a white-tail jig or Swedish pimple, each tipped with a piece of chub, sucker or shiner meat. In one and a half hours Slater caught seven splake. Two were over 15 inches. The rest were about 14 inches. Morning and midday fishing seems to be better than evening. Conservation Officer Torrey Christopherson favors morning fishing. He says fishing success drops around 2 p.m. The splake limit is two fish. All splake between 15-20 inches must be immediately released. Release of all splake is encouraged to help with chub control.
•Lasal Mountains. Mountain lakes, with the possible exception of Hidden and Dons are inaccessible, according to Conservation Officer Edward Meyers.
Ken’s Lake is almost completely frozen with only a small patch of open water near the southern end. Anglers are urged to check ice conditions before venturing out. The water level is a bit low. The deepest water (35 feet) is near the dam. No recent report on fishing success.
•Lower Fish Creek. Access to the middle portion of the stream on DWR property has been closed until late spring. Only artificial flies or lures can be used below the railroad bridge, which is about one mile below the dam.
•Millsite Reservoir. Conservation Officer Torrey Christopherson reports good fishing conditions. He recommends that anglers fish near the dam. E-Z cheese has been working well.
•Scofield Reservoir. Sergeant Carl Gramlich fished the reservoir recently and reported good fishing in 13 feet of water with a white jig, tipped with a worm. Release of all trout is encouraged.
•Straight Canyon/Cottonwood Creek. The creek is ice-free on the upper end below the dam.