Utah Division of Wildlife Resources • Turn in a poacher: 1-800-662-3337 • wildlife.utah.gov GUIDEBOOK FISHING 2010 UTAH 1 2010 • Fishing Utah For decades, CONTENTS Fishing a Utah fishing 2010 trip meant that 3 Contact information in Utah you would 3 Highlights bring home a stringer full of fat 5 General rules: licenses and rainbow trout. permits Today, you can still catch tasty 7 Fishing license fees rainbows, but you can also come 8 General rules: fishing methods 14 General rules: possession and Utah Fishing • Utah Fishing home with native cutthroats, walleye, striped bass, catfish, wipers and many transportation other species of fish. To learn more 16 Bag and possession limits 17 Fish consumption advisories about these fish, see the articles on 17 How to measure a fish pages 39–41. 18 Rules for specific waters Over the past year, there have 21 Community fishing waters been some exciting developments 33 Watercraft restrictions in the Division’s efforts to raise tiger 33 Utah’s boating laws and rules muskie here in Utah. You can read 35 Battling invasive species and about the past and future of this disease program in the article on page 41. 36 Did it get wet? Decontaminate it! You should also be aware of an 37 Catch-and-release fishing tips important regulation change that will 38 Restoring Utah’s rivers improve opportunity for all anglers at 39 Fish for something different Utah’s community fishing ponds. You’ll 40 A closer look at cutthroats find details in the article on page 46. 41 More tiger muskie for Utah Anglers of all ages and ability 42 Report illegal stocking levels find adventure in Utah’s diverse 43 Fishing facts fisheries. 44 Warmwater hatcheries offer To preview some of these great diversity fishing spots—and to plan future 45 State Parks annual passes trips—visit the Division’s YouTube 46 Changes at community fisheries site at www.youtube.com/UDWR. 47 Suggest fishing changes There, you’ll find videos about native 47 Definitions cutthroats at Strawberry, splake in 50 Identifying Utah’s native and Fish Lake, tiger muskie at Pineview nonnative fish and more. This guidebook is a proclamation of the Utah Wildlife Board. Please be aware that it’s only a summary of the rules and laws that govern Utah fishing. On the cover: Keith Kimball from Richfield, Utah For an in-depth look at the state’s fish- with the four-pound largemouth bass he caught ing regulations, visit wildlife.utah.gov/ at Warm Creek in Lake Powell. Photo courtesy of rules or the nearest Division office. Mike McNabb. 2 Utah Fishing • Utah Fishing CONTACT US HOW TO USE THIS Offices are open 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., GuIDEBOOK Monday through Thursday. 1. Review the general rules (licenses, fishing methods and transportation) on pages 5–16. Division offices 2. Check general season dates and bag and pos- Salt Lake Office session limits on pages 15–16. 2010 1594 W North Temple 3. Look up a specific water on pages 18–32. (If Box 146301 the water you’re looking for is not listed here, it is Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 subject to the general rules.) (801) 538-4700 HIGHLIGHTS Southeastern Region 319 N Carbonville Road, Ste A What’s new this season? Price, UT 84501 (435) 613-3700 Free Fishing Day: This year, Free Fishing Day will be held on June 5. It’s a great opportunity to Southern Region share your favorite fishing spot with a friend or 1470 N Airport Road family member. For more information, see page 5. Cedar City, UT 84721 (435) 865-6100 Lower limit at community fisheries: The daily limit has been lowered to two fish at Utah’s Central Region community fisheries. This change will give anglers 1115 N Main Street a better chance to catch fish at these popular lakes Springville, UT 84663 and ponds. For more information on the regula- (801) 491-5678 tion change, see the article on page 46. New community fisheries: Four new com- Northeastern Region munity fisheries are now open to the public. They 152 E 100 N include Black Ridge Reservoir, Leigh Hill Reservoir, Vernal, UT 84078 Millrace Park Pond and Sandy Urban Fishery. For (435) 781-9453 a complete list of Utah’s community fisheries, see the information box on page 21. Northern Region 515 E 5300 S More tiger muskie: Last year, the Division Ogden, UT 84405 stocked 15,000 tiger muskie in Utah reservoirs (801) 476-2740 and launched Utah’s first tiger muskie breeding program. For more information about the new breeding program and where to fish for tiger muskie, see the article on page 41. Wildlife Board members Increased yellow perch limit: The statewide Jake Albrecht Rick Woodard, Chair daily limit for yellow perch has increased to 50 fish. Del Brady Ernie Perkins, Vice Chair Bill Fenimore James F. Karpowitz, Invasive mussel larvae found in two wa- Tom Hatch Division Director ters: In 2008, the Division identified zebra mussel Keele Johnson Executive Secretary larvae in Electric Lake and quagga mussel larvae 3 in Red Fleet Reservoir. To learn how you can help Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilita- combat these mussels and other aquatic invasive tion Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with 2010 species, see page 35. Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments Underwater spearfishing changes at of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior and Fish Lake: Beginning in 2010, the underwater its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the basis of spearfishing season at Fish Lake will close earlier race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. than it did in 2009. The season now begins at 6 If you believe that you have been discriminated a.m. on June 5 and ends on Sept. 15. against in any program, activity or facility, or if Utah Fishing • Utah Fishing you desire further information, please write to: Regulation changes at Kolob Reservoir: For The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service many years, Kolob Reservoir could only be fished Office for Diversity and Civil Rights by anglers who used artificial flies and lures. This Programs—External Programs year, the reservoir will be open to bait fishing in 4040 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 130 the summer months. For a detailed look at this Arlington, VA 22203 regulation—and the other rules specific to Kolob Private lands: The Division cannot guarantee Reservoir—please see page 25. access to any private land. You may only access Accessing public waters: If you plan to fish cultivated or properly posted private land if you public water (a natural lake, river or stream) that’s obtain WRITTEN permission from the landowner on private land, you must enter and exit the water or the landowner’s authorized representative. For from a public access point. To learn more, see the more information, see Trespassing on page 11. information box on page 11. Division funding: The Division is mostly funded by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and And remember through federal aid made possible by an excise tax on the sale of firearms and other hunting- and Buy your license on the phone: You can now fishing-related equipment. buy a Utah fishing license over the telephone. Just call 1-800-221-0659. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition to the fee for Take a closer look at the the license, you’ll also be charged a $2 transaction rules fee for each item you buy. This guidebook summarizes Utah’s Community fisheries: You can learn more fishing laws and rules. Although it is a about Utah’s 41 community fisheries by picking convenient quick-reference document for up a copy of the Division’s Utah Community Utah fishing regulations, it is not an all- Fishing booklet. The free booklet is available at encompassing resource. wildlife.utah.gov/cf or at any Division office. For an in-depth look at the state’s fishing laws and rules, visit wildlife.utah.gov/rules. Corrections: If errors are found in the printed You can use the references in the guidebook, the Division will correct them in the guidebook—such as Utah Administrative online version. Visit wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks Rule R657-13-6 and Utah Code § 23-20- to view all of the Division’s guidebooks and 3—to search the Division’s Web site for the proclamations. detailed statute or rule that underpins the Protection from discrimination: The Division guidebook summary. receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. If you have questions about a particular Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the Civil rule, call or visit the nearest Division office. 4 Utah Fishing • Utah Fishing GENERAL RuLES: LICENSES AND PERMITS Utah Code §§ 23-19-1 and 23-20-3 Obtaining a fishing license is the first step to fishing in Utah. If you’re under the age of 12, you don’t need a license to fish unless you want to fish with two poles or use a setline. If you’re 12 years of age or older, you must buy a license before you can fish. This section provides information about the different licenses that are available. 2010 Free Fishing Day ond pole or a setline, you must purchase a Utah Utah Code § 23-19-1 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-13-3 fishing or combination license and a second-pole The one day you don’t need a license to fish or setline permit.