Utah Anglers Coalition Meeting cancelled
The July 12 meeting of the Utah Anglers Coalition has been cancelled. Sorry for any inconvenience. We will choose a date for the August meeting and let
everyone know.
Thanks, Ray
272-0145
Note: Angling or aquatics oriented organizations or businesses are welcome to become a UAC member. Any interested persons are invited to participate in any
of the meetings. Please let me know if you would like further information. For more information visit http://www.utahanglerscoalition.org .
FISHING REPORT FOR SOUTHEASTERN UTAH
GENERAL During the heat of summer, fishing success will almost always be best very early in the morning or very late in the day. Since trout retreat to deep water, boaters will often have the advantage over shoreline anglers. Baitcasters will have better luck using natural foods, such as grasshoppers or cicadas. Fly fishermen will be most successful by "matching the hatch."
ABAJO MOUNTAINS At Blanding #3, try spinners such as the Jake's Spin-A-Lure, Panther Martin, or Dare Devil. At Blanding # 4 Reservoir, the best spinners have been the Jake's Spin-A-Lure and Panther Martin. At Foy Lake, most kinds of baits or spinners will be effective as long as the moss can be avoided. At Recapture Reservoir, silver spinners trolled from a boat can be effective for pike. Shoreline angling remains slow. Spincasters at Lloyds Lake have had success with Panther Martin lures. Try marshmallows at Monticello Lake.
BENCHES RESERVOIR Yellow PowerBait has been effective. Fly fishermen should try a #12 black wooly worm or small Adam's. Tributaries opened to fishing on July 8th.
BOULGER RESERVOIR For best results, fish from a tube and slow troll an olive or brown leech pattern on sinking line. Shoreline fishermen should try a full bubble, three feet of leader and a straight nightcrawler. Spincasters might try a gold Panther Martin spinner. Tributaries opened to fishing on July 8th.
CLEVELAND RESERVOIR Try bait fishing with a nightcrawler. Good fly fishing can be had with a #16 elk hair caddis from a float tube. Rainbow trout average a pound or better.
DUCK FORK RESERVOIR Angler Tom Ogden fished on July 7th and caught a good number of fish. He used dark leech and wooly bugger patterns. Tiger trout ranged from 12-16 inches. Special regulations apply. Artificial lures and flies only. Closed to the possession of cutthroat trout. Tributaries opened on July 8th.
ELECTRIC LAKE Try minnow imitations, spinners, crankbaits, spoons or dead shiners. Trout range from 12-14 inches. Tributaries opened to fishing on Saturday, July 8th.
FERRON RESERVOIR Anglers have done well with worms or green PowerBait. Green Roostertails have also been effective. Float tubers might try prince nymphs or hares ears. Tributaries opened to fishing on July 8th. Four brook trout may be taken in addition to the normal limit of four trout. The U.S. Forest Service will implement a prescribed burn in the area on July 25th.
GIGLIOTTI POND Conservation Officer Chris Rhea reported slow fishing for mostly small fish. Try using live grasshoppers, which can be caught around the pond. This year, anglers don't have to release bass or bluegill, which may be harvested along with trout. A total of 4 fish may be taken in aggregate.
GOOSEBERRY RESERVOIR Fishing success continues to be widely sporadic, varying from poor to good. Fly fishermen should fish from a tube or pontoon boat with a dark leech or damsel nymph pattern. Trout range up to 17-inches.
GRASSY LAKE Try worms or PowerBait in chartreuse or rainbow colors. Green garlic cheese can be effective as well.
HUNTINGTON CREEK Left fork fishing has been good with beadhead nymphs on sinking line. Bait fishing below the forks has been slow. Due to the occurrence of whirling disease, anglers are urged to prevent its spread to other drainages by removing all mud and aquatic plants from waders, boots or shoes before departing from the fishing location. Whirling disease does not affect the edibility or flavor of a trout and cannot be transmitted to humans.
HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR (also known as MAMMOTH RESERVOIR at the top of Fairview Canyon) Fishing success has varied widely. Bait dunkers might try a straight nightcrawler just off the bottom. Spincasters should take along a Jake's Spin-A-Lure. Fly fishermen should consider dark leeches or wooly buggers. Closed to the possession of cutthroat trout or trout with cutthroat markings. Tributaries opened to fishing on July 8th.
JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR Fishing success has been slow. Big splake have gone deep. Whole dead chubs or chub meat are still the best bait for large splake, which can weigh up to 14 lbs. The trout limit is two. Only one may be over 22 inches. All trout between 15-22 inches must be immediately released.
LAKE POWELL Please notice that the weekly fishing report website has changed. The Lake Powell fishing report home page is now: http://www.wayneswords.com . At this new website address, Aquatics Biologist and Lake Powell Project Leader, Wayne Gustaveson provides all the information you could possibly need for a successful fishing trip.
July 13, 2006
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3609
Water Temp: 77-84 F
Shad are steadily moving from the backs of canyons to open bays to feed on abundant plankton in the open
water. Shad are still tiny in most bays so the only attention comes from the smaller game fish. Yearling stripers
are schooled and ready to feed on top. But shad numbers are not strong enough to allow unlimited feeding. The
result is quick surface bursts usually lasting less than a minute.
With such short duration it is difficult to get to the feeding fish before they go down. Luckily they come back
up numerous times. With patience and good guessing on where to position the boat a good number of the
12-15 inch fish can be caught. The most consistent spot is buoy 113 in the main channel near Sevenmile
Canyon. The San Juan
is good one day and off the next.
Stripers are feeding on small shad so small lures are required to get a strike. Most lures cast into the small boil will get hit the first time the fish see it. The
second cast may be ignored entirely. It is more productive to seek new schools of fish often than to chase one school as long as possible. A better approach is to
work a broad section of lake casting to many different schools. Return to the first school after half an hour and retrace the path finding each school once more.
Good lure choices are clear top water baits with a feather on the rear hook. Sammies, Jumpin Minnows, Superspook Jrs, or small poppers fill the bill. Shallow
runners like X-raps and Bevy Shad are excellent choices since fish are usually going down as the boat gets in casting range. Kastmasters and small Wallylure
spoons are also effective. It is wise to have 3 rods rigged with these baits in case a striper school stays up for more than a minute. Put the first fish
in the boat and cast another rod before unhooking the first fish to efficiently work the boil.
On July 12, boils were scattered in Wahweap Bay from the south marina breakwater to Lone Rock. Best time of day was 7-9 AM and 6-8 PM. This same
pattern will hold lakewide. Under full moon, early morning fishing is not as good as evening. Fish get more active as the day progresses and continue to feed in
the moonlight. Night fishing is good under fish attracting lights.
Bass are found in pockets of brush that contain shad or sunfish. Topwater baits work great when one of these hot pockets is discovered. Look for shad in the
brush uplake and sunfish in the brush downlake to find a bass honey hole. Bass tend to be in brushy pockets close to the main channel rather than in the back of
the canyon on the shallow floodplain. The brushy floodplains look better but fishing is better in the isolated pockets.
Catfishing is excellent at dusk near your camp.
LASAL MOUNTAINS Dedicated hunter Travis Clark once again surveyed anglers last weekend. He and Conservation Officer Joe Nicholson provided this report. Fishing was excellent at Medicine Lake. Try orange PowerBait tipped with a salmon egg just off the bottom. Officer Nicholson recommends worms, Jakes Spin-A-Lures or artificial flies. Dark Canyon offered good fishing with orange, pink or red PowerBait just off the bottom. Officer Nicholson reported rainbows up to 14 inches being caught with Jakes Spin-A-Lures or salmon eggs. Blue Lake was one of the best fisheries on the mountain for anglers using flies, worms, salmon eggs, or Panther Martin spinners. Fishing was good at Oowah with orange or red PowerBait or worms fished just off the bottom. A few fish have come out of Oowah in the 16-17 inch range, although the majority fall within the 8-12 inch size class. Fishing at Warner was slow to fair. Most fish are caught on lime green PowerBait just off the bottom. Fishing conditions were good at Hidden Lake, where worms or orange or red PowerBait was fished just off the bottom. Don's Lake offered good fishing with pink PowerBait or worms fished just off the bottom. Fish were small there, ranging from 6-10 inches. Officer Nicholson says the pond at the Miner's Basin trailhead is one of the best places to take a kid fishing for brook trout. Worms, flies, Jakes Spin-A-Lures and rainbow Rapalas will put fish on the stringer there. Kens Lake has slowed down, but some anglers are still catching rainbows on worms, marshmallows, and spoons. Persistent anglers are catching a few bass, including one 5-lb. bass which was caught over the weekend. Anglers fishing the Colorado River have had mixed success with chicken liver, shrimp, or squid.
LOWER FISH CREEK Fly fishermen should try a small Adams, beadhead hares ear, beadhead prince nymph, wooly bugger or elk hair caddis. Most trout are between 15-18 inches.
MARYS LAKE Try nightcrawlers or a Krocodile lure for the rainbow trout.
MILLER FLAT RESERVOIR Bait fishermen should try orange or green PowerBait, floated just off the bottom. Fly fishermen might try a # 8 black leech with gold rib.
MILLSITE STATE PARK Fishing can be good with Roostertails or Jake's Spin-A-Lures. Top baits have been worms, PowerBait and salmon eggs. Float tubers have used prince nymphs or wooly buggers on sinking line.
PETES HOLE Nightcrawlers have been the most popular bait. Dark leech or wooly buggers have been good artificial fly patterns. Rainbow trout go up to 14 inches.
POTTERS PONDS Fishing has been best from a float tube with spinners or artificial flies.
SCOFIELD RESERVOIR Tom Ogden fished on Sunday from a pontoon boat and had good success with green/black or purple/red wooly buggers or an olive mohair leech. Tom fished the southwest portion of the reservoir in 10-17 feet of water. He caught cutts, tigers and rainbows. A few rainbows went up to 19 inches. Tom suggests casting the fly, letting it sink for a short time, then stripping it in with short, quick strips. Lieutenant Carl Gramlich trolled from a boat last weekend. He reported generally slow fishing with spinners. Carl suggests that anglers fish early or late in the day for best results. He also recommends that anglers avoid beds of aquatic vegetation for better fishing. Conservation Officer Chris Rhea checked anglers over the weekend and reported very slow fishing conditions. No bait or spinner seemed to work very well. All tributaries opened to fishing on Saturday, July 8th.
SOUP BOWL We recommend using whatever works at Petes Hole.
WILLOW LAKE Fishing success is sporadic, ranging from poor to good. Some bait fishermen reported luck with PowerBait, fished just off the bottom. Better lures included Roostertails and red/white lures with spinner blades. Fly fishermen did better with beadhead prince nymphs or dark beadhead wooly buggers. Tigers go up to 14 inches. The U.S. Forest Service will implement a prescribed burn in the area on July 25th.
WRIGLEY SPRINGS Fishing ranges from slow to good. Worms and PowerBait can be effective.. Spincasters should pack along a green Roostertail. Fly anglers should bring along damsel nymph and hares ear patterns. Trout range up to16 inches.
75th ANNIVERSARY HISTORICAL RETROSPECTIVE OPENS AT HOGLE ZOO
Shasta the Liger, returns for special limited engagement
Take a step back in time and revisit the past. Hogle Zoo is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a look back over the years. The"75th Anniversary Historical Retrospective" highlights the Zoo's history from the 1930s through the early 21st Century. The retrospective will run daily through Sunday, August 6 in the Zoo's Auditorium from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
As guests enter the retrospective, oversized photos of the Zoo's old entrance immediately draw them in. Flash back to the days of Princess Alice, the Zoo's first Asian elephant and her offspring Prince Utah. Guests can check out the replica of the lion head drinking fountain, see photos of old exhibits such as Monkey Island and the petting zoo, or look upon the "Museum of Human Stupidity" display.
Beloved Zoo animals are highlighted in one area of the display. Guests can remember Princess Alice, Dan and Elaine the gorillas and Chinook, the polar bear. Guests will also relish the chance to see one of the most popular and famous Hogle Zoo animal, Shasta the Liger.
Shasta was born at Hogle Zoo in 1948. She was the offspring of a lion father and Bengal tiger mother, and one of the first known Ligers. After she passed away in 1972, her taxidermy mount was put on display in the old feline building. She was moved from Hogle Zoo to the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum at BYU in 1999. This will be a rare opportunity to see one of the Zoo's best-loved animals in its history.
Visitors to the exhibit will be able to view the contents of the 60th Anniversary time capsule that was buried back in 1991. They can also learn more about the past and current Zoo directors, including Gerald deBary who was fatally bitten by a puff adder. His unfortunate death inspired researchers to find ways to make deadly snakes safer to handle.
The winners from the "75 Years of Memories" photo contest are also on display in the Historical Retrospective. The Grand Prize winner is David Scholl's "This is How You Kiss." See this winning photo, along with many other submissions of photos from years past.
Zoo visitors are also encouraged to sign the "Memory Book" at the exhibit. Guests are invited to share their favorite memory of the Zoo.
For more information about the Historical Retrospective, 75th Anniversary or other information about Hogle Zoo, please call (801) 582-1631 or visit http://www.hoglezoo.org
Rocky Mountain Huntin' Show returns
The Trail of the Sportsman Rocky Mountain Huntin' Show returns August 4-6 at the South Towne Expo Center. Who will become this year's "King of the Rockies" in the National Archery Shoot-out? Grand Prize; limited Elk permit in Manti. Archers from all over the Country come to compete in the interactive Archery Range simulating wild- life obstacles that hunters face in the real outdoors. Category's are; Men's and Women's open and amateur, Youth open and amateur. Top prizes in all category's receive a Polaris ATV.
SHOW OUTLINE:
Who: Trail of the Sportsman
What: Rocky Mountain Huntin' Show
When: August 4th-August 6th
Where: South Towne Expo Center - 9575 South State Street in Sandy
Enter to win a Mud Buddy Boat package, donations will be accepted to benefit Duck's Unlimited. Hundred's of Exhibitors with the latest in ATV and recreation gear and the world's best products for hunting and the outdoors will be on sale at pre-hunt pricing. Seminars all weekend long from experts like Darrell Holland, demonstrating how to shoot safely and accurately at 500 yards and more. Dutch Oven cooking from the Dutch Oven Society. Display of the Elk Horn record holder. Demonstrations from the experts in game calling like Don Whitmus State Elk Calling record holder, Al Morris, Predator Calling and Jess Romrell demo's his skill in Waterfowl Calling. See the spectacular 200 feet of Trophy wall Mounts and Shed Horn display. Youth Safety Fair promoting Bike safety and Seat Belt safety with the Crash and Roller Machine from the Utah Highway Patrol. Hands on instruction in the kids Archery Range. Thousands of dollars worth in door prizes given away each hour. One dollar of all products sold in the Trail of the Sportsman Booth will go to benefit Conservation.
Hours: Friday, August 4th 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 5th 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 6th 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission: Adults: $8.00, Seniors: $6.00, Children under 12 free! Discount coupons available at Sportsman's Warehouse. Free overflow parking and Shuttle service!
For more information log onto: http://www.trailtv.com or http://www.rockymountainhuntinshow.com
Avoiding Crowds on the Green River
Dutch John -- The Green River below Flaming Gorge dam can get crowded this time of the year. Between
recreational rafters, numerous boat anglers and a multitude of shore fishermen, fishing the river can be
almost unbearable for anglers who value the solitude and quiet of fishing as much as catching fish.
While the insect hatches are usually enough to keep diehard anglers from pulling their hair out as the tenth
water fight-of-the-day breaks out among rafts floating past them, most would prefer a bit more silence while
wetting their line.
Lowell Marthe, Flaming Gorge project leader for the Division of Wildlife Resources, provides the following
ideas to help you avoid the crowds and have a great experience fishing the Green this year:
- As with most locations, use on the Green River drops on the weekdays. If you can swing it, try and make it
out during the week, or at least come on a Friday or stay over until Monday. If you can avoid Saturdays and Sundays, the Green will seem like a different river.
- If you can make it out during a full moon, or during the nights that surround a full moon, try fishing at night. You may have several miles of the river all to
yourself, and the fishing can be terrific.
Brown trout, especially large browns, feed a lot at night. The full moon seems to stimulate this nightly feeding activity even more. The full moon will also
provide you with enough light that you'll be able to see what you're doing fairly well, but be sure to bring a headlamp so you can remove fish hooks and tie knots.
Fly anglers should concentrate on streamers, mouse imitation flies or large insect surface patterns. Glow strike indicators are available for purchase, but the
strikes are usually hard enough that keeping your fishing rod in your hands will beyour biggest worry!
Spin anglers should concentrate on shallow-running minnow imitation plugs or mouse imitation lures. Look for deep areas adjacent to riffles, as fish often
move from these pools into shallow water to feed at night. However, slow moving water can also be good, especially if you're having problems hanging up in
shallow water.
Once you get comfortable with it, fishing at night can be a blast!
- The crowds on the Green River are always much smaller in the B and C sections below Little Hole and in Browns Park. Because these areas are tougher to get
to, fewer anglers and rafters use them, even on the weekends. While these sections of the river have fewer fish, the fish are also less pressured and may be more
willing to bite. If you're willing to drive a few more miles on a gravel road to get to Browns Park, or to walk a couple of miles downstream from Little Hole,
you'll cut down on the number of people you see.
- Late in the afternoon, fishing below the dam can be fairly quiet. The rafters and boat anglers have long since launched, so shore anglers are about the only
people you'll see. Use on the first few miles of the river below the dam drops off quite a bit each day of the week.
- If none of these options will work for you, and you'd really like to fish the Green when the crowds aren't around, the upcoming fall season is a great option.
After Labor Day, use on the river drops off on the weekends. As the hunting seasons start, more sportsmen trade their fishing rods for a gun or a bow, and the
use drops off even more. If you add in the fact that fall is one of the best times of the year to catch big fish, and the weather in the fall can be just about perfect,
making a trip to the Green in the fall can be one of the best fishing experiences you'll have all year.
So don't give up on the Green River. If you're tired of fighting the crowds, try changing your fishing tactics. If you do, you may be glad that everyone else is
trying to crowd into the river on the weekends.
DWR Seeks Input About Proposed Fee Changes
People are encouraged to attend a series of upcoming public meetings and provide the Division of Wildlife Resources with their ideas about some license and
fee changes the division is considering.
The changes would change the way hunters apply for a permit in the state's big game drawings. They would also
provide the agency with some much-needed funding.
The DWR will present its ideas at a series of public meetings that begin at the end of July.
Those who attend the meetings can learn more about the DWR's ideas and can provide their own ideas and
suggestions. The DWR will consider the input it receives as it forms recommendations that it will take to the
public again at a series of meetings in September.
The DWR will also present a proposal at the upcoming meetings to establish a separate goose-hunting zone in
northern Utah this fall. Recommendations that would probably result in hunters taking about the same number
of cougars in Utah this season as they took last
season also will be presented.
Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:
Southern Region
July 25
7 p.m.
Delta High School
50 W. 300 N.
Delta
Southeastern Region
July 26
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River
Northeastern Region
July 27
6:30 p.m.
Western Park, # 2
302 E. 200 S.
Vernal
Central Region
Aug. 1
6:30 p.m.
Springville High School
1205 E. 900 S.
Springville
Northern Region
Aug. 2
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City
Fee Change Ideas
The DWR is considering some fee change ideas that would provide the agency with some much-needed funding. These ideas are being presented at the
upcoming meetings as informational items only and will not be acted on. After receiving input from the public, the DWR will bring the recommendations back
to the public for action at meetings in September.
One of the changes the DWR is currently considering would affect how the state's big game drawing is conducted. This
idea would likely result in fewer people applying for a Utah limited entry or once-in-a-lifetime big game permit. Reducing
the number of applicants would provide the remaining applicants with a better chance at drawing a permit.
"Right now, it costs $5 to apply for a big game permit in Utah," says Greg Sheehan, Administrative Services Section chief
for the DWR. "That's among the lowest fees in the western states, and we believe it's one of the main reasons the number of
people applying for big game permits in Utah has been climbing for years."
While the number of applicants continues to climb, the number of permits for which to apply hasn't changed much. For
example, in 1998, more than 50,000 people applied for about 4,000 permits. In 2006, more than 144,000 people applied for
about 4,400 permits.
In 1998, an average of about 13 applications were submitted for every permit that was available. By 2006, that number
had climbed to an average of 32
applications per permit.
Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR, says limited entry and once-in-a-lifetime permits have become very difficult to draw in Utah and that the agency would
like to make the few permits that it does have available to people who are willing to partner with the agency to manage the state's wildlife.
"All of our new ideas provide a reasonable and equitable way to distribute the costs of wildlife management to all hunters, as well as to those who participate in
the drawing but don't hunt the rest of the year," Karpowitz said.
The DWR is considering three ideas. The agency is asking members of the public to help it choose ONE of them or to provide the agency with some ideas of
their own (each idea would generate about $3.7 million in new revenue):
Option 1 (DWR's preferred option):
Before applying in any draw or buying any hunting permit, all hunters, including big game hunters, would be required to buy a hunting license. In addition to
allowing the holder to apply for a permit or buy a permit, a hunting license would also allow the holder to hunt small game.
The license would cost $17. Instead of buying a hunting license, hunters could choose to buy a $34 combination license that would also allow them to fish.
This option has two advantages:
- A portion of the $3.7 million raised by this option would come to Utah from the federal government as new funds allocated to the state because of increased
license sales.
- Hunters who already buy small game and combination licenses would not be affected by this change.
Option 2:
In addition to paying the $5 application fee, big game applicants who wanted a bonus point or a preference point would be required to purchase one for $24.
Unsuccessful applicants would no longer receive bonus points and preference points for free. Hunters would not have to pay for points that they had accrued in
past years.
Option 3:
Hunters could apply in all five of the once-in-a-lifetime draws, and purchase one bonus point for each of the once-in-a-lifetime draws and one bonus point for
the limited entry draw. The cost for each bonus point would be $12 per bonus point. Hunters would not have to pay for points that they had accrued in past
years. The application fee would remain at $5 per species.
In addition to the ideas about big game fee changes, the DWR is seeking input about some additional fee changes. One of those changes would require that
those who don't have a hunting or fishing license pay a fee to visit the state's wildlife and waterfowl management areas (WMAs).
A Watchable Wildlife pass would be available for $10 and would allow the purchaser access to the state's WMAs for 365 days from the day the pass was
purchased. The pass would also provide the holder access to all of the Watchable Wildlife events and festivals in Utah for which a fee is charged to attend.
The DWR is also suggesting that a new $5 fishing license be required for 12- and 13-year-old anglers. "For every license sold to these young anglers, the
division would collect $14 in federal aid. That money would then be invested in fish hatcheries and other programs that would make fishing better in the state,"
Karpowitz said.
"To continue managing Utah's wildlife effectively, we have to raise more revenue," Karpowitz said. "If we don't, Utah's wildlife will suffer and so will everyone
who enjoys wildlife in the state."
Other Agenda Items
In addition to input about the fee ideas, the DWR is also seeking input about some additional items. The Utah Wildlife Board is expected to act on the
following items when it meets in Salt Lake City on Aug. 17:
Cougar Hunting Recommendations
Cougar hunting proposals the DWR is recommending would probably result in about 325 cougars being taken in Utah during the state's 2006 - 2007 season.
That's similar to the 332 cougars taken during the 2005 - 2006 season and the 321 taken during the 2004 - 2005 season.
"An effort has been underway in Utah for years to reduce the number of cougars in the state, and it appears those efforts have worked," says Kevin Bunnell,
mammals program coordinator for the DWR. "Now we're shifting the emphasis from trying to reduce the number of cougars to maintaining a balance between
cougars and the deer, bighorn sheep and other animals cougars prey on."
Goose Hunting Zone in Northern Utah
A separate Canada goose hunting zone in northern Utah is the major waterfowl hunting change the DWR is proposing for the upcoming season.
The zone would include all of Cache and Rich counties, and the northeast portion of Box Elder County. The goose hunt in the zone would begin at the start of
the waterfowl season in October and would run until mid-January.
The goose-hunting season in the remainder of the state would be a split season, but it would be a bit different from last year. The season would begin in early
October, and then it would close during the last week in October. The season would then reopen and run until the end of January.
"Federal law only allows the goose hunting season to be a certain number of days," said Tom Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the DWR. "Last year
we wanted to allow hunters to hunt geese in late January. That's the time of year when geese begin leaving urban areas along the Wasatch Front and start
visiting the marshes again to begin the breeding and nesting season."
The season had to be closed for two weeks last year to allow hunters to hunt geese at the beginning of the season and still have some days available to hunt in
late January. Because the general waterfowl season will open one week later this year (on Oct. 7) closing the goose season for only one week will still leave
hunters with enough days to hunt into late January.
Aldrich says some of the hunters in northern Utah, and some of the state and federal agency waterfowl managers in the area, have indicated they'd like to go
back to a straight season. "That's why we're recommending a zone with an early, straight season for that area this year," he said.
For more information, contact the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.
Hunters May Learn Antlerless Draw Results a Variety of Ways
Results of Utah's 2006 Antlerless Big Game Draw, and a list of hunting permits not taken in the draw, will be available soon.
Hunters may learn the results, and obtain a list of remaining permits, the following ways:
Results Mailed by July 27
Successful applicants should receive their permit in the mail by July 27. Everyone who applied should receive a list of permits that were not taken in the draw.
This list should arrive in the mail or via e-mail.
Permits not taken in the draw will be available for purchase Aug. 3, beginning at 8 a.m.
Beginning July 27
Beginning at 8 a.m. on July 27, results of the draw, and a list of permits not taken in the draw, also will be available:
* at the DWR Web site (wildlife.utah.gov).
* by calling the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659.
Those with questions may call the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services Office, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City
office at (801) 538-4700.
GOURD CRAFTING WORKSHOP AT IRON MISSION STATE PARK MUSEUM
Cedar City - Iron Mission State Park Museum staff sponsors a two-day gourd craft workshop Saturday, July 22 and Saturday, July 29 beginning at 9 a.m. The
cost is $50 per person and covers all supplies and museum entrance.
Conducted in three sessions, the workshop combines visual instruction with practical hands-on experience. Participants will receive an introductory lecture
regarding gourd history, learn the fundamentals of growing and drying gourds, learn the basic use of tools, and be directly involved in all stages of gourd
crafting. Class participants will select, design, and finish a gourd piece they will take home.
The number of workshop participants is limited to six. Early registration is encouraged, please call (435) 586-9290.
UTAH STATE PARKS BOATING TIP OF THE WEEK
Salt Lake City -- Remember three basic navigation rules to keep you safe on the water - proper lookout, safe speed, and safe distance. All three principles will
help avoid a collision with another vessel, person in the water, or potential water hazard.
The boat operator is required to keep a proper lookout, by sight and hearing, at all times while on the water. Be aware of where you are going and pay attention
to the actions of other boaters. Be sure to look over your shoulder before making a turn.
Boats should be operated at safe speeds to safely react to potentially hazardous situations. Sometimes the best speed may be a wakeless speed. Never operate a
boat faster than you feel comfortable or that your skills allow.
Operate boats at safe distances to have adequate time and distance to react to prevailing circumstances. Utah's Speed in Proximity Law requires boat operators
to operate the vessel at a wakeless speed when within 150 feet of another boat, person in or floating on the water, water skiers towed by another vessel, shore
fishermen, launch ramps and docks, designated swimming areas, or whenever in a wakeless speed zone.
For more information, visit http://www.stateparks.utah.gov or call (801) 538-2628 within the Salt Lake calling area or 1-800-743-3792 from outside the Salt
Lake calling area.
Boat Smart from the Start! Wear your Life Jacket! Live by the Rules!
IRON MISSION STATE PARK MUSEUM HOSTS HISTORY CAMP
Cedar City - Iron Mission State Park Museum staff host We Must Have Iron, a three-day interactive history camp for children ages nine to 11 Thursday, August
3 through Saturday, August 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participation is limited to 20 children.
During the course of the camp, participants will attend pioneer school to learn valuable pioneer skills, intern in various trades such as printing, carpentry, and
blacksmithing. They will load a handcart and trek to a new homestead. The new settlers will construct a log cabin and build basic pioneer furniture. They will
learn the basics of early mining and help create the new Iron County of 1851. The history campers will celebrate their successful migration and settlement of
Iron County with a festival and dinner on the evening of the final day.
The cost is $75 per child. The cost covers the many items each child will make and get to take home, and includes two tickets for the celebration dinner held
Saturday, August 5. For more information call Iron Mission State Park Museum at (435) 586-9290.
UPCOMING UTAH STATE PARKS EVENTS
July 21 Wasatch Mountain State Park - Midway
Campfire Program: Predators of the Mountains: Cougars- Join Park Ranger Dawn Larsen for a discussion about cougars. Learn about where they live, what
they do, and what to do if you come in contact with one. Program begins at 7 p.m. at the campground amphitheater. For more information call (435) 654-1791.
July 21 Otter Creek State Park - Antimony
Cindy Micheli from Capitol Reef presents Another Day in Paradise: The historic Orchards of Fruita. This interpretive presentation begins at 9 p.m. This
program has received funding from the Utah Humanities Council, which promotes history and heritage, literature and literacy, and public discussion of issues
important to our communities. For more information, please call (435) 624-3268.
July 22-24 Antelope Island State Park - Syracuse
Pioneer Day Weekend Events: Learn to make pioneer handkerchief dolls, pick up a needle and quilt, dip candles, and make a pioneer lantern. Learn pioneer
games such as farm ball and race your family in a sack race. These activities are available all day. Join us Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. for an informative lecture
on Ordering the Wilderness: Mormon Settlement as a Cultural Process given by Steven Olsen, assistant director, Museum of Church History and Art, and
Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Brigham Young University. This program is funded and provided by the Road Scholar Program from the Utah
Humanities Council. For more information, please call (801) 649-5742.
July 22 Antelope Island State Park-Syracuse
Hike with a Ranger: Join park staff on a hike to the top of Elephant Head. This is an 8.5-mile moderate hike. Once on top, participants will have a nice view of
Great Salt Lake, Split Rock Bay, and Frary Peak. Please bring plenty of water, sturdy shoes, snacks, sunscreen, and meet at White Rock Bay backcountry
trailhead at 2 p.m. For more information, please call (801) 773-2941.
July 22 Antelope Island State Park - Syracuse
Star Party: Join Ogden Astronomical Society and Weber State University at dusk for an evening under the stars. Participants can expect to enjoy beautiful
celestial views (weather permitting), and stellar conversation with our local astronomers. If you bring a flashlight, make it a red-colored lens, please. For more
information please call (801) 773-2941.
July 22 Rock Cliff Nature Center/ Jordanelle State Park Francis
Junior Ranger program: Earth is Our Home. Children age six to 10 are invited to the program from 11 a.m. to noon at the Nature Center to learn about making
Earth a better home. Children will earn a badge and certificate. For more information, please call (435) 782 3030.
July 22 Wasatch Mountain State Park - Midway
Junior Ranger Program: The Life of a Tree- If you are between the age of six and 12 you can become a Junior Ranger by joining the naturalist in this one-hour
program designed to get kids excited about nature! Program begins at 1 p.m. at the Huber Grove. For more information call (435) 654-1791.
July 22 Hailstone Recreation Area - Jordanelle State Park - Heber
Campfire program: Lawn Chair Astronomy. Join Park Naturalist Wendy Wilson for a look at the stars (weather permitting). Program begins at 9:30 p.m. at the
amphitheater near the Visitor Center. For more information, please call (435) 782-3030.
July 22 Scofield State Park - Price
Scofield Triathlon: Experience the highest elevation races in the country at beautiful Scofield Reservoir. Olympic distance, Olympic duathon, sprint distance,
sprint duathon, kids splash, pedal, and dash, and kids duathon. For more information, visit http://www.scofieldtriathlon.com
July 23 Hailstone Recreation Area/ Jordanelle State Park - Heber
Campfire Program: Hawks up Close. Have you ever seen a hawk, eagle or falcon up close? If not, here's your chance. Join park staff and volunteers from
HawkWatch, Intl. for a program about birds of prey and come see some up close. Program begins at 7 p.m. at the amphitheater near the Visitors Center. For
more information, please call (435) 782-3030.
July 24 - 28 Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum - Blanding
Traditional Navajo coiled basket-weaving workshop: Cost of the workshop is $350 and includes all materials. Students will complete baskets approximately six
inches in diameter. Christopher Black of Mexican Hat, Utah, teaches the course. To register or for more information, please call (435) 678-2238.
Anglers rallied as guardians of sport
The gift of fishing is something special that those who don't fish might never get, or even know what they have missed, unless those who fish decide to share it.
Of today's 50 million anglers in the United States, 99 percent say they fish because someone once took the time to introduce them to the sport. But the changing
American lifestyle seems to be changing the face of who that someone is, and is also being blamed for much of the angler fallout that has occurred over recent
decades.
That is why the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), a non-profit organization charged by congressional action to address declining
participation, is rallying the country's most avid anglers, the sport's strongest guardians, to become part of a new program called Anglers' Legacy and take
someone fishing.
"Anglers' Legacy is about bringing like-minded anglers together as a national community of the sport's greatest ambassadors to help ensure fishing stays
America's favorite pastime," said Bruce Matthews, RBFF president. "There are no meetings or costs to join. Anglers' Legacy is simply a group of anglers and
organizations united in a common commitment to passing on the gift of fishing." Although just recently introduced, Anglers' Legacy is already snowballing
throughout fishing circles everywhere and the Who's Who of fishing are lining up in support, including well-known TV anglers like Bill Dance and George
Poveromo, all wanting to help lead the effort.
Recent research indicates there is the need for such a leadership role in the changing America. Among the 67 percent of respondents who said "dad" took them
on their first fishing trip, 87.8 percent were 35 years of age or older, compared to only 12.2% for those under 35. If dad has a diminishing role in introducing
new anglers today, and others don't step in, how will fishing be passed to future generations? And how will those who miss out even know what they've
missed?
Today in the United States, kids spend an average of 44 hours a week experiencing life through a glass - watching TV, playing video games and on the
computer. Forty-four hours a week equates to a full-time job and leaves little time for anything else. So how will today's younger generations garner an
appreciation of the natural world and its resources if they don't have the opportunity to experience them first-hand?
RBFF officials are confident, based on the avid angler research, that Anglers' Legacy is an outstanding place to start. Targeting the country's estimated 7.5
million most avid anglers, the program urges its participants to introduce at least one new person to fishing per year. It is not about asking strangers to go, but
people they know. And the effort focuses more on adults than kids, knowing that adults can involve their own families and friends after being armed with the
appropriate fishing knowledge and confidence through quality introductory experiences.
Anglers are asked to take "The Pledge" at http://AnglersLegacy.org , the primary communication vehicle for the ambassador community. The Pledge is a simple
promise to take at least one person each year on a first-time fishing outing. Names and addresses of those who sign up will not be distributed, sold or otherwise
shared by RBFF. Participants do have the option of subscribing to receive special offers and discounts from the program's partners, and can also unsubscribe at
any time.
Pledging is important to the program because it provides a process where anglers, clubs, organizations and communities can find each other for mutually
beneficial relationships regarding fishing-program expertise, education and new-angler outreach. The Anglers' Legacy Web site is also a great resource for
anglers looking for tips and information on how to introduce others to fishing.
"It is amazing to realize the lifetime impact one can have by teaching someone to fish," said Matthews. "My dad was that someone who took me, and its been a
gift that's never stopped giving. Being an Anglers' Legacy ambassador isn't a task but a pleasure. It's sharing skills, knowledge and equipment with someone
that you believe will really appreciate what fishing is all about. And there is no substitute for a test drive. Who we take can be any acquaintance - friend,
neighbor, coworker - we all know somebody who would like to go," he said.
Fishing provides lots of wonderful memories and that is the theme behind the Anglers' Legacy public service announcements now running in more than 35 of
the country's top boating and fishing magazines. They show snapshots and carry the headline, "Picture a life without fishing," and encourage the readers to join
the Anglers' Legacy community by taking the Pledge.
Bill Dance said he couldn't picture a life without fishing. "I was very blessed to have a daddy and granddaddy who loved to boat and fish," said the host of the
long-running "Bill Dance Outdoors" TV fishing show. "They took me along on their outings many, many times... teaching and sharing. They were doctors, and
fishing was their escape. To me, it was more than that. Fishing was my life, and became my career. I've passed my love for fishing on to my kids, my grandkids,
and countless numbers of acquaintances. And I'm not through yet. Believe me, I'm one of Anglers' Legacy's biggest advocates," he said.
George Poveromo, a noted saltwater angling authority and host of "George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing" on ESPN2, has a similar story. "I was
lucky to have a dad and grandfather who took me fishing," he said. "I'll always remember those times, and I like to think it made me a better person. It seems
once someone gives fishing a try, they can't shake the fever - and that's a good thing! It's important to me that sport fishing remains in the hands of those who
respect and protect our fish stocks and the marine environment - and that's the anglers themselves. I'm all for sharing the sport with those who I think get the
whole picture of what fishing is all about," Poveromo added.
While Anglers' Legacy is about giving the gift of fishing, the giver also receives something special. "I can feel that special moment when it all begins to connect
for the person I'm taking." said Matthews. "When that first perfect cast is made, or a first fish landed, the big grin and the look in the eyes say it all. I'm a better
person because I fish. Other anglers know what I'm talking about. Fishing is an experience to be shared ... let's share it," he added.
Learn more about Anglers' Legacy, Take Me Fishing and RBFF at http://RBFF.org .
About the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF)
RBFF ( http://www.RBFF.org ) is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby increasing
public awareness and appreciation of the need for protecting, conserving and restoring America's aquatic natural resources. Recreational boating and fishing are
America's favorite sporting activities, with more than 50 million people participating every year -- that's more than play golf and tennis combined.