It’s Time to Get Outside and Fish
DWR lists best waters to fish with your family this spring
If you’re looking for a fun, close-to-home activity to do with your family this spring, a fishing trip might be the ticket. Fishing can also add lots of fun to the spring camping trip you’ve planned.
But what if you don’t know a lot about fishing, or you do, but you’re not sure which waters to visit? Division of Wildlife Resources Sport Fisheries Coordinator Randy Oplinger has the answer. He lists four tips that should put any family or individual on the path to fun fishing adventures in Utah this spring:
Tip 1 – Identify the best family fishing waters
Good access to the shore, fish that are fairly easy to catch, and restrooms and picnic areas are important ingredients to a fun family fishing trip. The following waters have all of those things, but that’s not all: the species Oplinger lists with each water are doing really well. “That’s why these waters are my top picks as the best places to take your family fishing in Utah this spring,” he says.
Statewide
Community fishing waters (trout, bluegill)
Community fishing waters are located in towns across Utah. To find the ponds nearest you, visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing-in-utah/community-fisheries.html.
“We stock the ponds with trout throughout the spring,” Oplinger says, “so spring is a great time to visit a pond and catch fish with your kids. Good numbers of bluegill and other game fish are also available to catch.”
Northern Utah
East Canyon Reservoir (trout)
Hyrum Reservoir (trout)
Rockport Reservoir (trout)
Willard Bay Reservoir (wipers)
North-central Utah
Jordanelle Reservoir (trout)
Settlement Canyon Reservoir (trout)
Utah Lake (white bass)
Northeastern Utah
Little Montes Reservoir (bluegill)
Starvation Reservoir (walleye)
Steinaker Reservoir (bluegill)
South-central Utah
Otter Creek Reservoir (trout)
Tip 2 – Watch fishing reports, catch fish
Watching online fishing reports is a great way to learn the latest about fishing at the waters Oplinger listed. And you’ll also learn about the tackle and techniques anglers are using to catch fish.
A must-visit website is www.wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots. In addition to fishing reports, this DWR-managed site provides information about the waters themselves, including how to reach them, the type of facilities you’ll find and the fish you’ll likely catch. If the fishing report is the only item you’re interested in, you don’t even have to visit the website: you can subscribe to the report at www.wildlife.utah.gov/about-us/subscribe-to-updates.html and get it in your email inbox.
Two additional websites—bigfishtackle.com and utahwildlife.net—also provide current fishing information for waters across the state. Utah fishing-related Facebook pages are also good places to check.
Tip 3 – Basic techniques can land lots of fish
The following techniques Oplinger provides are easy to use and can put plenty of fish on the end of your line:
Tactic 1 – Bait
You can catch plenty of fish using bait, such as night crawlers and PowerBait. One of the best and most exciting ways to fish bait is under a bobber.
To fish your bait under a bobber, simply thread the bait on a hook, crimp one or two split shot sinkers about 12 inches above the hook, and then attach a bobber about 12 to 18 inches above the spilt shot. Cast the bait out, let it settle, and then watch the bobber closely. If it starts to bob, move sideways or go under the water, set the hook by pulling up on your fishing rod. Then, reel your fish in.
You can read more about bobber fishing, and see an instructional video that will teach you how to do it, at https://bit.ly/2GDipwA.
Another effective way to fish bait is to fish it on or near the bottom of the water you’re fishing. To do this, place a large sinker on your line, a foot or two above your hook, and then cast your bait and let it sink to the bottom. Another strategy is to float your bait one or two feet off the bottom. PowerBait comes in a floating variety that will float at whatever distance you place the hook from the sinker.
Tactic 2 – Lures
Using artificial lures is another fun way to catch fish. A large variety of lures are available at tackle shops, and most are effective at catching fish. And some are fairly easy to use. Spinners and spoons, for example, are easy to use: simply cast the lure out and retrieve it back.
You can learn how to fish with lures at https://bit.ly/2q6Yzn9.
Tactic 3 – Flies
Fly fishing can also be a great way to catch lots of fish.
“I wouldn’t recommend this technique for those who are new to fishing, though,” Oplinger says. “However, I wanted to mention it because the waters I’ve shared are great places for both beginning and experienced anglers to fish. If your family includes a mix of bait anglers, lures anglers and fly anglers, you can visit any of the waters I’ve mentioned and have a great time fishing together.”
Tip 4 – Learn-how-to-fish websites
Lots of online websites and videos are available to teach you how to fish. One of the best websites to visit is Take Me Fishing.org. To learn how to fish, or to brush up on your skills, visit www.takemefishing.org/how-to-fish/how-to-catch-fish.
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See Mountain Goats at Free Event
Sandy -- Colorful flowers and warmer weather aren’t the only signs spring is here: So are mountain goats at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
You can see and learn more about the goats at a free wildlife-viewing event. The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the event on April 14.
Scott Root, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, says April is a great month to see goats. “This event will be a great opportunity to watch a few goats and their sure-footed antics while enjoying the spring weather,” he says.
Free event
The April 14 event will be held at the Park-and-Ride lot at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake County. DWR biologists and volunteers will be at the lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To reach the canyon, travel east from Sandy on 9400 South.
“We’ll have spotting scopes and binoculars ready for you to use,” Root says. “The optics will allow you to get a close look at these agile rock climbers. We’ll also be available to answer any questions you have.”
Mountain goat horns and fur will also be available for you and your kids to see and touch.
You don’t have to register for the free event, but Root encourages you to complete an online form. Completing the form will help the DWR make future events even better. The form is available at http://bit.ly/mntGoatsRule.
For more information, call Root at 801-491-5656.
Viewing goats on your own
If you’d like to see the goats before April 14, swing by the parking lot any time during the day. Fixed-point telescopes are available in the lot. The telescopes allow you to zoom in on the goats. You can also learn more about the goats by reading an interpretive panel in the parking lot.
Root says goats are usually visible at the mouth of the canyon from November through mid-April. After mid-April, the goats travel to higher elevations to spend the summer.
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DWR Hosts Annual Loon Watch
Vernal -- An almost mythical bird—built for diving and with a haunting voice—stops in northeastern Utah every spring. You can learn more about this unique bird on April 21 at the Division of Wildlife Resources’ annual Loon Watch.
The free wildlife viewing event runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Steinaker State Park. The park, which includes Steinaker Reservoir, is just off U.S. Highway 191, about five miles north of Vernal.
Five loon species are found in the world. The second largest, the common loon, migrates through Utah on its way north in the spring and on its way back to coastal destinations in the fall.
"Common loon calls are often what you think of while watching a movie set in the northern territories of Canada,” says Tonya Kieffer, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR. “They have a wailing, yodel-like call that echoes in the wilderness."
Kieffer says the April 21 Loon Watch will happen at one of the US-191 pull-outs on the east side of the reservoir. “We'll have binoculars and spotting scopes available to help you see, learn about and enjoy these unique birds,” she says.
Named for their awkwardness while walking, or for their calls (after an old Norse word meaning "to moan"), loons are at home on or under the water.
"They’re superb swimmers with torpedo-like bodies that are designed to catch fish," Kieffer says. "Due to the placement of their feet, they can’t walk well, so they only use land during their nesting season. They require lakes with enough surface area for their erratic flapping-and-running takeoffs across the water. You’ll likely see birds take off during the event.”
Kieffer says common loons are common visitors in northeastern Utah. “Folks in the Basin don’t have to travel far to watch these birds,” she says. "With their bold black-and-white appearance, they’re a beautiful bird to watch. If we’re extremely lucky, we might even hear the birds call during the event."
You don’t have to register for the free event, but Kieffer encourages you to complete an online form. Completing the form will help the DWR make future events even better. The form is available at http://bit.ly/loon_watch.
For more information about the Loon Watch, call the DWR’s Northeastern Region office at 435-781-9453.
Loons in the Basin
Kieffer says a migratory population of loons passes through the Uinta Basin every spring. “The loons are fairly consistent,” she says. “They usually arrive around April 1, or just after the ice leaves the reservoirs.”
This spring, though, the loons are already here. “We spotted loons on Steinaker and Starvation reservoirs in March,” she says. “We’re hoping a decent number stick around for the event.”
In the past, biologists have reported seeing more than 200 loons on different reservoirs in the Uinta Basin on a single day. "Steinaker Reservoir seems to be one of their hotspots,” Kieffer says. “Single-day counts of around 60 loons have been common.”
Kieffer says loons eat mostly fish and breed on quiet, remote freshwater lakes in the northern U.S. and Canada. They need crystal-clear lakes to see their prey underwater, so their presence indicates excellent water quality at the waters where they’re found.
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Editor’s note: Baby birds are being born and are falling out of their nests. The following news release is the DWR’s annual reminder about what to do if you find a baby bird on the ground.
“I Found a Baby Bird. What Should I Do?”
DWR provides some answers
It’s not unusual to find a baby bird on the ground this time of the year.
Scott Root, regional conservation outreach manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says young birds often leave their nests before they’re able to fly. “They usually spread along the branch of a tree,” he says, “and chirp and call, waiting for their parents to bring food to them.”
While the birds are spread along the branch, it’s not uncommon for a strong wind to blow the birds off the branch and onto the ground.
If you find a baby bird on the ground, what’s the best way to help the bird? Root has some advice:
Tip 1 – Get the bird out of the reach of cats and dogs by placing it on a safe branch. “The baby will squawk,” he says, “and its parents will find it”
Don’t be concerned about leaving your scent on the bird. Root says most birds do not have a good sense of smell. “If you pick a baby bird up,” he says, “and place it on a branch, its parents won’t even know you’ve handled it.”
Tip 2 – While it’s fine for its parents to feed the baby bird, you shouldn’t. Root says birds have a specific diet.
“Feeding them something that’s not part of their diet can kill them,” he says. “For example, many people are surprised to learn that robins are among only a handful of birds that can safely eat worms. Most birds can’t.”
Root says the best thing to do is put the bird back on the branch, and let its parents feed it. “They know what the bird can and cannot eat,” he says.
Tip 3 – If the baby bird is hopping around, you’ve found a bird that almost isn’t a “baby” anymore. These young birds are called fledglings. They have most of their flight feathers and are very close to taking their first flight.
If the bird isn’t in danger, leave it where you found it. This awkward “hopping” stage typically lasts two to five days. It’s part of the natural process a baby bird goes through, before it takes its first flight. Its parents are watching the baby bird and are still feeding it.
If you think the fledgling is in immediate danger, then move it carefully to a safer spot nearby.
Video and more tips
You can learn more about helping baby birds by watching this video: www.facebook.com/Slate/videos/10153975209486438.
Tips and information are also available from Wild Aware Utah. You can get the free information at https://bit.ly/2uTG5LW and https://bit.ly/2Ivo8W4.
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Fishing reports - available at http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots .
Crushing invasive weeds with heavy rollers
What: For years, Utah’s marsh managers have been fighting an invasive weed along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. The weed is a tall, tough reed called phragmites (pronounced “frag-mite-ees”) that grows in dense, impenetrable thickets and reaches heights of up to 13 feet. Phragmites is a problem because it outcompetes native wetland plants that are critical for wildlife. To combat this invader, DWR employees have used many different techniques over the years, including fires, heavy-duty weed killers and various mechanical treatments. Now, they are using a fairly new method, heavy rollers that crush the phragmites and open up space in the marshes.
Planting nearly 5,000 trees to benefit wildlife
What: Songbirds, quail, turkeys and even mule deer will benefit from an upcoming DWR planting project funded by Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative. Scheduled for the second week of April, the project will keep habitat crews busy planting nearly 5,000 trees on the Huntington Game Farm Wildlife Management Area. The trees will include a mix of cottonwoods and willows as well as many types of fruit- and nut-bearing trees and shrubs. DWR biologists have carefully selected plants that will provide maximum benefit to the many species that use the area.
Fish with a living legend at Lake Powell
What: It’s not an exaggeration to say that Wayne Gustaveson knows Lake Powell better than anyone. For more than 40 years, he has managed the Lake Powell fishery, studying the patterns and preferences of its fish species under every possible condition. His wayneswords.com blog is the go-to resource for everyone who plans to fish at Powell, and he’s a popular figure on the lake. People seek him out to share their fish tales and photos, and to bend his ear with questions about techniques and hotspots.
Electrofishing in the Green River
What: It sounds painful, but electrofishing is actually a safe, effective way to survey fish populations. Later this month, DWR biologists will use this technique to stun fish in the Green River. Hundreds of temporarily immobilized fish will float to the surface after a strong electric jolt. Then, more than 20 DWR employees and volunteers will quickly net the fish, weigh and measure them, record data, insert tracking tags and clip the fishes’ fins. Then, they’ll release the unharmed fish back into the river.
Stocking thousands of trout in community ponds
What: Local fishing ponds give many young Utahns their first opportunity to catch a fish. The DWR stocks these ponds on a weekly basis throughout much of the spring, and most of the ponds along the Wasatch Front are filled with trout from the Springville Fish Hatchery.
