Utah Fishery Regulations Update

1. 2012 Recommendations Private Fish Ponds, Fishing Contests and Fishing Rule and Guidebook RAC Meetings September 2011 Drew Cushing Sport Fish Program Coordinator

2. 2011 Public Process Changes • The Spring Informational RAC has been discontinued • Public solicitation for input in printed news, radio and television. • Online survey publicized and open for 6 weeks received over 1200 responses. • Hosted at least 5 open houses to solicit public feedback

3. RecommendationsPrivate Fish Ponds Rule R657-59 RAC Meetings September 2011 Drew Cushing Sport Fish Program Coordinator

4. Private Fish Ponds Rule R657-59Additions to Section 4 (prohibits stocking of fertile rainbow trout without a Certificate of Registration) • Northern Region: • Rich County • Otter Creek/Tribs. HUC 16010101 • Little Creek from Little Creek Reservoir upstream and tribs. HUC 16010101 • Birch Creek from Birch Creek Reservoir upstream and tribs. HUC 16010101

5. Statewide RecommendationsPrivate Fish Ponds R657-59Additions to Section 4 (prohibits stocking of fertile rainbow trout without a Certificate of Registration) • Southern Region: • Garfield County, Center Creek, HUC 160300020412 • Piute County • Tenmile Creek, HUC 160300030204 • Birch Creek, HUC 160300010603 • Clear Creek, HUC 1603000301 • Sevier County • Clear Creek, HUC 1603000301 • Clear Creek HUC includes the smaller Pole Creek HUC. Pole Creek HUC will be deleted from the rule.

6. Share your ideas with the DWR by June 15 • Share ideas at RAC meetings • E-mail ideas to: dwrcomment@utah.gov • Mail ideas to: • Sport Fisheries Program Coordinator • Division of Wildlife Resources • PO Box 146301 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 • Web based survey to seek public input on line http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/

7. RecommendationsFishing Contests and Clinics R657-58 RAC Meetings September 2011 Drew Cushing Sport Fish Program Coordinator

8. Tagged Fish Contests • Remove the deadline for application • 45 day COR waiting period will remain • Remove the list of waters • Remove the species of fish Approve or deny based on biological/social considerations on a case by case basis and have the same deadline as the other types of contests.

9. Share your ideas with the DWR by June 15 • Share ideas at RAC meetings • E-mail ideas to: dwrcomment@utah.gov • Mail ideas to: • Sport Fisheries Program Coordinator • Division of Wildlife Resources • PO Box 146301 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 • Web based survey to seek public input on line http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/

10. Recommendations 2012 Fishing Rule and Guider657-13 RAC Meetings September 2011 Drew Cushing Sport Fish Program Coordinator

11. Possession and Transportation of Dead Fish and CrayfishR657-13-16 At Lake Powell, fish may be filleted at any time and anglers may possess filleted fish at any time.

12. Recommendations Northern Region • Willard Bay (Box Elder County) • Limit 3 wiper (reduction from 6) • East Fork Smiths Fork River (Summit County) • Closed to the possession of kokanee with any red color Aug. 15 through 6 a.m. on the 2nd Saturday of September. (Currently closed Aug. 15 through 6 a.m. on the last Saturday of September)

13. Recommendations Northern Region • Lost Creek Reservoir (Morgan County) (Experimental Limit: Five-year trial period) • Limit 4 trout in the aggregate • No more than 3 trout may be under 15 inches • No more than 1 trout may be over 22 inches • All trout between 15 and 22 inches must be immediately released

14. RecommendationsNorthern Region • Garden City Community Fishery (Rich County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit) • Goode Ski Lake (21st Street Pond) (Weber County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit) • Adams Reservoir (Davis County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit)

15. RecommendationsNorthern Region • Hobbs Reservoir (Davis County) is a new fishery in the Northern Region (Experimental Limit: Five-year trial period) • Limit 2 trout under 15 inches • All trout 15 inches and over must be immediately released • Artificial flies and lures only

16. RecommendationsSouthern Region • Virgin River Drainage in Washington County • Woundfin and Virgin River chub are listed as endangered under ESA. • UDWR and Virgin River Recovery Program invests millions of dollars each year to protect native species in the drainage • Smallmouth bass have been identified as a threat to the survival of the native species in the Virgin River drainage and are identified as prohibited in the drainage in the Virgin River Conservation Agreement • Smallmouth bass have been confirmed in several reservoirs and in both the Santa Clara and the Virgin Rivers within the past year

17. RecommendationsSouthern Region • Quail Creek Reservoir • Sand Hollow • Gunlock Reservoir • Virgin River • Santa Clara River • No limit on smallmouth bass

18. Lake Powell (Garfield, Kane and San Juan Counties) • Fish may be filleted at any time • Anglers may possess filleted fish • No limit on walleye at Lake Powell

19. RecommendationsSouthern Region • Monroe Pond (Sevier County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit) • Sullivan Virgin River Park Pond (Washington County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit)

20. RecommendationsSoutheastern Region • Wellington Pond (Carbon County) • Limit 2 fish of any species (Standard Community Fishery Limit) • Ferron Reservoir and Ferron Reservoir Tributaries (Sanpete County) • Remove from the water specific section

21. RecommendationsCentral Region • Manila Creek Pond (Utah County) • CLOSED to fishing Dec. 1 through Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on the last Saturday of February. • Deer Creek Reservoir (Wasatch County) • No limit on black bullhead catfish • Anglers must not release any black bullhead catfish they catch • All black bullhead catfish must be immediately killed.

22. RecommendationsCentral Region • Utah Lake (Utah County) • No limit on northern pike • Anglers must not release any northern pike they catch • All northern pike must be immediately killed  • Spring Creek (Utah County) • You may fish throughout the year from SR 75 upstream to the Mill Pond, including the stream adjacent the UDWR’s Central Region office.

23. RecommendationsNortheastern Region • Red Fleet Reservoir (Uintah County) • No limit on Walleye

24. Southern RegionNative Cutthroat Trout Restoration • North Fork Corn Creek (Millard County) • Fishless tributary of Corn Creek near Kanosh • Proposed introduction of Bonneville cutthroat trout • Two goals • 1. Replicate small remnant population • 2. Provide additional sport fish opportunity • Support by Millard County Commission • Fish barriers will be built fall 2011 or spring 2012

25. Panguitch Lake Southern Region Panguitch Lake • $300,000 rotenone treatment in 2006 • Widespread public opinion and input concerning current and future management • Harvest oriented vs. trophy oriented anglers • Current Management Plan • Predatory Fish Management • Family Oriented Fishery • Evaluation and revision of current management plan • Formation of Panguitch Lake Advisory Committee • Angler Opinion Survey

26. Share your ideas with the DWR by June 15 • Share ideas at RAC meetings • E-mail ideas to: dwrcomment@utah.gov • Mail ideas to: • Sport Fisheries Program Coordinator • Division of Wildlife Resources • PO Box 146301 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 • Web based survey to seek public input on line http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/