Southeastern Utah Fishing report for early April

By Sun Advocate

Further ice fishing is discouraged. Conditions are becoming increasingly hazardous, even at high elevation lakes.
•Abajo Mountains. Conservation officer Randall Scheetz reports that Blanding number three and number four are completely ice-free. Scheetz indicates that fishing is fair to good at these reservoirs with silver spinners and PowerBait. Fish stocking will occur at Blanding number three in late April or early May. Fishing is expected to be very good at number three, since it will receive the fish quota for number four. Foy and Monticello lakes remain frozen with several inches of snow on the ice. Trout fishing at Recapture Reservoir has been fair to good along the dam, using green and orange PowerBait. Louis Berg, aquatics manager says, “Early spring is one of the best times for northern pike fishing, and northern pike are becoming more common in Recapture Reservoir. Shoreline anglers can expect good results if they use appropriate lures, attach them to a wire leader, and use heavy (at least 10-lb. test) line. Good lure types include spoons, stickbaits, and crankbaits.”
•Electric Lake. No report. Bait is not allowed at this lake, where the trout limit is two.
•Huntington Creek. The water is still clear. Fly anglers are encouraged to visit this stream before mid-April, when runoff is likely to start and the water becomes muddy. Angler Tom Ogden has had very good success using a number 14 beadhead ugly at this time of year. Harvest of brown trout on the left fork is encouraged, where the limit is four fish. On the left fork, fish 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 Game Farm Pond. This pond will be stocked with rainbow trout and albino rainbow trout by April 10.
•Huntington North Reservoir (near the city of Huntington). The reservoir is ice-free. Huntington North will be planted with albino rainbow trout and brown trout by March 29.
•Huntington Reservoir (near the top of Huntington Canyon). No report. 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. “Conditions for ice fishing are no longer safe,” warns Louis Berg, aquatics manager. “Good fishing for splake is expected as ice recedes from the shoreline. Fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout will be poor this year as these species are no longer stocked.” Most splake are 13-15 inches in length. Anglers are encouraged to release all larger splake for control of the abundant Utah chub population. The splake limit is two fish. All splake between 15-20 inches must be immediately released.
•Lasal Mountains. Excellent fishing for rainbow trout has been reported at Ken’s Lake, using flies, lures, and traditional baits. A few large brown trout (up to 10 pounds) are usually caught this time of year.
•Lower Fish Creek. Access to the middle portion of the stream on DWR property is 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. Shoreline fishing for rainbow trout has been fair to good with worms and cheese baits.
•Scofield Reservoir. “Ice fishing is becoming unsafe, particularly for anglers on snow machines and ATV’s,” states Louis Berg. “Ice is becoming slushy. Excellent fishing for rainbow trout will occur as ice recedes from the shoreline, then success will decline to fair or good.” Release of all cutthroat trout is encouraged, because that species will not be available for stocking for a few years. Please remember that all tributaries will be closed to fishing until July 13.