Early Jan. fishing report

By Sun Advocate

Ice thickness at most mountain lakes is suitable for ice fishing. Nevertheless, the DWR strongly encourages anglers to be safety-minded. Don’t fish alone. Each group of fishermen should carry rope and a floatation device. Each angler should have ice picks on his person.Please keep in mind that there have been some regulation changes for the new year. These are identified in the 2002 Fishing Proclamation. One significant change is a four trout daily limit statewide with only a few exceptions. Tributaries to many waters have been closed to fishing until July 13. Be sure to purchase a 2002 combination or fishing license.
•Abajo Mountains. Conservation Officer Randall Scheetz reports that the three lakes in Blanding have frozen, but only number three and four would be safe for ice fishing. Recapture Reservoir remains unfrozen. Fishing has been slow at all locations. Access to Monticello and Foy reservoirs would be by snow machine only.
•Electric Lake. No recent report on fishing success or ice conditions. Bait is not allowed at this lake, where the trout limit is two.
•Huntington Creek. Anglers should be prepared for snow and ice along the length of the creek, except for a short stretch below Electric Lake Dam. 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). The reservoir has iced over, except for a small portion kept open by ducks and geese. This area should be avoided. Park Superintendent Ron Taylor reports good fishing. Aquatics Manager Louis Berg recommends an ice fly tipped with a meal worm or piece of night crawler.
•Huntington Reservoir. (near the top of Huntington Canyon). Tube jigs and meal worms have worked well for tiger trout. 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. The reservoir has frozen, except for around the dam and on the south end of the reservoir. The ice near the marina at the Seely Creek inlet is dangerous! Springs in the bay keep the ice thin. Avoid all areas in the vicinity of open water. Lures or jigs, tipped with sucker or chub meat are generally effective for splake, indicates Aquatics Manager Louis Berg. Officer Torrey Christopherson suggests one and a half to two inch tube jigs tipped with a meal worm. The daily bag and possession limit for splake is two fish. All splake between 15-20 inches must be immediately released. Release of all splake is encouraged to help with chub control.
•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.
•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. Meyers reports that fishing has been fair to good for eight-14 inch rainbows, especially near the inlet on the northeast corner in 15-20 feet of water. Fish have been taking eggs, worms and PowerBait. Most trout are near the bottom, but a few can be seen cruising at mid-level with a fish finder.
•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. Ice fishing has been good at Millsite with live night crawlers. Other baits and lures have not been as effective, reports Conservation Officer Torrey Christopherson. The ice is about eight inches thick.
•Scofield Reservoir. A variety of reports have come in describing fishing as good, fair and poor. It appears that best fishing occurs early in the morning and tapers off during the day. Sergeant Carl Gramlich recommends any type of grub or ice fly tipped with a worm or meal worm. One angler reported good luck with a “Rat Finky” tipped with a wax worm or PowerBait. About one third of the fish being pulled through the ice range from 14-17 inches and weigh up to three pounds. About two thirds are small eight to 11 inch trout. Release of trout is encouraged.
•Straight Canyon/Cottonwood Creek. The creek is ice-free on the upper end below the dam.