The Sports View

By Sun Advocate

It was an interesting group. There I sat among men who had vast experience in all kinds of endeavors. There were blue collar workers and college graduates. There were teachers, cops and ranchers. There were men who were close to retiring from their lifelong work and others just starting the career. But they all had one thing in common; they love sports and they love working with high school and junior high kids. Those 15 men like officiating football games.
They are the officials that will handle the high school and junior high football games in eastern and southeastern Utah this season.
But where I was was not so important as why I was. I wanted to see what these guys go through to get ready to officiate the pigskin rivalries they face each week beginning in mid-August. I wanted to know what makes them tick; why they want to do a job in which they often face angry coaches and parents on the field and ribbing and threats off the field.
What I found out may surprise most of the people who read this.
Many people think that most high school sports officials just walk on the fields on Friday afternoon and make decisions arbitrarily about a game. Some think the only training they have is probably a workshop or two, maybe some experience playing in high school or college and that is it.
They are wrong. The sports officials in this area belong to an association to which they pay dues. They must also attend a meeting every Monday night to discuss officiating issues, to discuss problems and most importantly to continue their knowledge of running games smoothly and fairly.
Some of the hour and half meeting was spent getting organized, because this was their first one of the season. Most of it was spent training.
The officiating game has gone high tech, just like everything else. They use a computer generated screen to train the group. This year every 3A football game they work will have a five man crew; 2A games will have four men.
The group went over the responsibilities of all the positions on the field; the referee, the umpire, the linesman, the line judge and the back judge.
It’s often easy for those in the stands to see what they want to see or to just see something they thought they saw. For an official, thinking you saw something, and then calling it is the kiss of death.
The consensus among this group was; Never guess; if you don’t see it, don’t call it.
“When one guy on the crew guesses, it makes everyone on the crew look like idiots,” was one comment from the group.
Towards the end of the meeting a new type of computer program was introduced that tests the true knowledge of any official. It gives a game scenario and then asks the person using the program to denote the infraction of the rules, what the penalty would be, and what sign should be given on the field, along with some other questions. I always thought I knew football pretty well until we started going through that program with the group. I then found out how little I know. It was a real eye opener.
Officials make mistakes; but let Joe Blow from the stands who is always complaining come down on the field for a few minutes to do his thing and the crowd would be booing before you know it.
There is an old adage that says you can’t know a mans predicament until you walk a mile in his shoes. For sports we need to change that from shoes to the stripped shirt officials wear.
For how little money these guys make for officiating games they put their whole being into what they love to do.
That has to be the only reason they keep doing it year after year.
Early August fishing report for SE Utah
Sergeant Carl Gramlich highly recommends that anglers use artificial flies this time of year. Trout are rising in the morning and evening to take advantage of insect hatches and are most readily caught with artificial flies which match the hatch. In general, Gramlich suggests that fly fishermen try the mosquito, gnat, royal coachman and humpy patterns.
Tributaries to many reservoirs opened to fishing on July 14, providing excellent stream fishing opportunities. These streams will continue to be a good place to fish during the heat of the summer. Anglers should check the fishing proclamation for bait and limit restrictions on some streams.
Littering problems continue at some reservoirs. True sportsmen never litter! Take a garbage bag with you and fill it up.
The daily bag limit of eight trout at Miller Flat and Cleveland reservoirs has been doubled to allow for greater harvest of trout before the reservoirs drain. Unlicensed kids under 14 may catch eight trout. Licensed adults may take home 16 fish. The normal limit of eight trout will be reinstated on November 1st.
•Academy Mill. This hike-in lake is stocked with brook trout. No recent report
•Benches Pond. Conservation Officer Alan Green reports good fishing with Zeke’s Gold or PowerBait. The pond will be restocked two more times before fall. Benches Pond tributaries opened on July 14. The trout limit on the tributaries is four.
•Blue Lake. Vehicle access to Blue Lake remains closed about a quarter mile from the lake. Fishing is poor because there is no access for stocking. The U.S. Forest Service intends to fix the bridge in August. Fish stocking will be resumed after those repairs.
•Boulger Reservoir. Fishing has been fair with a worm and marshmallow rig or PowerBait. The reservoir will be stocked twice in August. Tributaries opened on July 14. The trout limit on the tributaries is two.
•Cove Lake. Fishing was slow to fair over the weekend.
•Cleveland Reservoir. The trout limit has been doubled at Cleveland Reservoir to encourage harvest of most trout before the reservoir drains. Fishing success has ranged from fair to good for eight to nine inch rainbow trout with a worm/marshmallow combination or orange or rainbow PowerBait. Fish are biting lightly. Keep the line tight. Mornings and evenings are best.
•Colorado River.Catfishing has been good with worms.
•Duck Fork Reservoir. Fly fishermen report success with damsels, black ants and para Adams. Black colored flies seem most effective. Anglers in pontoon boats or float tubes have been most successful. Anglers are reminded to use only artificial flies or lures at Duck Fork reservoir and its accompanying tributaries. Tributaries
opened on Saturday, July 14th. The trout limit is two at the reservoir and its tributaries.
•Electric Lake. Artificial flies in the mornings and evenings are most highly recommended. Some lures have performed well. These include a red and white Triple Teaser, silver minnow and a gold Mepp’s. Anglers are urged to remember that bait is not allowed at this lake or its tributaries. The fishery is maintained by natural production rather than by stocking. Tributaries opened on July 14. The trout limit in the lake and its tributaries is two.
•Emerald Lake. Fishing was fair over the weekend. The lake was stocked in early July.
•Ferron Reservoir. Fishing has been good in the evening with a fly and bubble combination. Aquatics Manager, Louis Berg recommends a royal coachman or Joes hopper pattern. This water will be stocked with 3,200 trout by fall. Boats must be hand launched. Tributaries opened on July 14. Anglers catching any brook trout are strongly encouraged to keep them, regardless of size. “Brook trout were illegally stocked and could be detrimental to the fishery,” says Louis Berg.
•Gooseberry Reservoir. Fishing has been sporadic for rainbow trout averaging 12 inches. Try artificial flies in the mornings and evenings for best results. Tributaries, as well as the stream below the lake, opened on July 14.
•Grassy Lake. The lake is now full and has been stocked. Fishing has been fair to good. One more restocking scheduled.
•Green River Golf Course Pond. No recent report. Fishing regulations are: bluegill limit 10, bass limit four with only one larger than 15 inches. Limits are the same for anglers of all ages.
•Huntington Creek. Fly fishermen had pretty good luck over the weekend with a small gray mohair or “ugly” fly pattern. The left fork has been fair for trout up to 15 inches long, using dry flies or a yellow and black Panther Martin. The harvest of brown trout is strongly encouraged on the left fork. The limit on the left fork is four trout which must be taken with artificial flies and lures only. 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. Trout fishing has been poor. Release of bass and bluegill is strongly encouraged. The trout limit is four. The bluegill limit is 10. The bass limit is four with only 1 larger than 15 inches. Limits are the same for anglers of all ages.
•Huntington North Reservoir (near the city of Huntington). Crawdad fishing is excellent from the dam area or fishing dock with raw chicken scraps. The reservoir will be planted in the fall with 3,200 additional trout. The largemouth bass limit is two; all bass over 12 inches must be immediately released.
•Huntington Reservoir (near the top of Huntington Canyon). Fishing has generally been slow for tiger trout, which are mostly 10-15 inches. Try a small black and yellow Roostertail in the evening. The reservoir and its tributaries are closed to the possession of cutthroat trout and trout with cutthroat markings. The trout limit is four. Tributaries opened on July 14. Removal of tiger trout from the tributaries is encouraged. Any brown trout caught in the reservoir or its tributaries should also be harvested.
•Indian Creek (below Ferron Reservoir) Fishing has been good for nice-sized rainbow and cutthroat trout with spinners.
•Joes Valley Reservoir. Fishing has been slow from shore. Trollers are having better luck with pop gear and a worm. The trout limit is eight. No more than two trout may be splake. All splake between 15 and 20 inches must be immediately released. Release of all splake is encouraged to help control the chub population, which is dominating the reservoir.
•Ken’s Lake. Ken’s Lake will be replanted with trout when it cools in the fall.
•Lasal Mountains. Fishing has been slow at Dons and Hidden lakes. Fishermen had good luck at Oowah over the weekend with baits, lures and artificial flies. Anglers are encouraged to fish in the mornings and evenings, when fish are feeding. Oowah is scheduled to receive another 2,800 trout before the end of the fishing season. Artificial flies are highly recommended this time of year. South Mesa Lake is closed to fishing this year.
•Lower Fish Creek. Fishing has been excellent in Lower Fish Creek for 12-15 inch brown trout with midge patterns. The road to DWR’s lower Fish Creek property is open and provides access to another good fishing location. Flows are suitable for fishing along the stream’s entire length.
•Lowry Water. Fishing has been good for small troutwith common baits.
•Mary’s Lake. Access is bumpy. Fishing is good in the evening with flies or spinners for 10-inch rainbow trout.
•Miller Flat Reservoir. The trout limit has been doubled. Fishermen are encouraged to take home a limit of fish (16 for licensed adults and eight for kids under 14) before draining occurs. Fishing was slow over the weekend for rainbow trout up to 12 inches.
•Millsite Reservoir. Fishing has been good with traditional baits.
•Petes Hole. Restocking occurred two weeks ago. An additional 2,400 trout will be stocked by fall. Fishing has been slow to fair with baits.
•Potters Ponds. Fishing has been good with artificial flies, but slow with baits. Both ponds will be restocked several times before fall.
•Price River. The Price River, from the Helper Parkway upstream to the confluence with Willow Creek, was stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout in June.
•San Juan County. Fishing has been fair to good at Monticello and Foy lakes for anglers using a dry fly and bobber. At Blanding number four, fishing has been slow to fair. Try green marshmallows or green PowerBait. Anglers are catching a few sunfish at Blanding number three.
•Scofield Reservoir. Shoreline fishing continues to be slow. Successful anglers are still- fishing from a boat around the island. They have been using PowerBait, lures and worms. Fly fishermen may want to try a small brown fly, caddis, humpy, or Scofield Special. Most rainbow trout are 14-18 inches and cutthroats range from 14-21 inches. All tributaries opened on July 14. Release of trout is encouraged. A four trout limit is in place at the reservoir and tributaries.
•Snow Lake. The first stocking of the year occurred two weeks ago. Fishing has been fair to good with common baits, a Jake’s Spin-a-Lure or a silver spoon.
•Soup Bowl. One more restocking will take place before the end of the fishing season.
•Spinners Reservoir. The water level is still low. No report on fishing success.
•Straight Canyon. Flows are usually too high this time of year for good fishing. Better conditions will occur beginning in October.
•Willow Lake. Restocking occurred two weeks ago. One more restocking will take place before the end of the fishing season. Try nightcrawlers or PowerBait. The stream below the lake has lots of fish in and above a pool near the road crossing. Grayling were stocked in the lake a few years ago, but none have been reported caught. Anglers who catch a grayling here or at any other lake on the Manti are encouraged to report it to the DWR Price office.
•Wrigley Springs Reservoir. Restocking occurred two weeks ago. The reservoir is slated to receive 800 trout in the next month. Fishing has been slow to fair with multi-color PowerBait.