This needs to be said, and might further explain the problem at Fish Lake:
UDWR Salt Lake office made a big mistake. Standardization of regulations has caused some waves in the angling community, and hopefully in the SL office as well.
Prior to recent years, spear fishing for lake trout in October has been illegal. A season date ending on September 30 had been in place for many years to prevent the spearfishing of lake trout while spawning. They are sitting ducks. They shouldn't be spearfished while in this vulnerable state. In fact, I don't believe that there is another place in the U.S. that allows spearfishing of lake trout during their spawn. This is the very reason why the recent spearfishing tournament broke not 1 but 2 world records!!
People should not be upset with the spearfishermen. They did their angling legally. Anglers SHOULD be upset with the Salt Lake office for making the regulation change. The whole "standardization" of regulations in Utah is a bunch of garbage! Regulations need to be put in place based on specific needs of individual waters. Fish Lake spearfishing needs to be regulated, and closed this time of year. If divers want to spearfish them in the summer, have at it.
For those anglers that have been upset with this attrocity, please direct it to the propper people. The Southern Region biologists know and understand the problem, but their hands are already tied. Complaints need to be directed to the Salt Lake office. Only then will this issue be corrected.
Now is the time to speak up! The recommendations for the 2009 Fishing Guide need to be brought up now, before it's too late. Let's get this taken care of and protect those fish. With Fish Lake being the only place in the U.S. that allows spearfishing during the spawn, and with 2 world records being broken on the same day, how much publicity do you think the spearfishing community will get at Fish Lake? Now is the time to fix this. Now is the time to let Roger Wilson know that anglers want this regulation put back the way the Southern Region had it for many, many years. Closed from October to June. Contact the RAC and WB members with your thoughts on the subject, and let's see if this can get fixed!
PBH
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"They are sitting ducks. They shouldn't be spearfished while in this vulnerable state"
All the lake trout I saw were fast moving and were in the 30 to 40 foot range. They were not in a weakend state. The only difference is they wernt extremly deep like they are in the summer (80+ feet). That makes them a sitting duck?
There were some very skilled divers there that weekend that never even saw one. Please realize that the average Joe cant just go jump in and have fish swim up to you. Fish are very skittish when your in the water with them and stalking and hunting these great fish is no easy task.
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FYI, here is a response I got from the DWR....
On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 10:38 AM, Mike Ottenbacher <mikeottenbacher@utah.gov> wrote:
Cory:
Thanks for your input. The recent spear fishing tournament and associated pictures posted on the internet of large lake trout taken during the event have generated controversy and emotion. I understand
the concern of anglers who have an interest in Fish Lake and particularly those who pursue lake trout. Although it’s an emotional issue for many, here are a few facts.
The tournament was held on October 4 & 5 and had 15 participants. The harvest included game fish and nongame fish. 13 larger lake trout (11-25 lbs) were taken.
Past studies have estimated the number of lake trout > 20 inches in the lake at 1,100, so the harvest during the tournament probably represented ~1% of that group of fish. Harvest estimates of lake trout by rod and reel at Fish Lake have ranged from 380 to 851 fish per year (this includes all sizes).
Lake trout spawn during the month of October at Fish Lake, so any increased vulnerability to harvest by spear fishing will end by the end of this month.
No additional organized spear-fishing events are scheduled at Fish Lake this year. Although some additional harvest may occur by individual spear fishers this month, they are relatively few in number and travel
required and adverse diving conditions will likely limit further harvest during the remainder of the spawning period and the remainder of the spear-fishing season (through November).
We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate measures. While resource protection and potential biological impacts to the fishery resources at Fish Lake are our primary concern, we recognize
that there are additional issues that warrant review of the spear fishing regulations for Fish Lake. We plan that review and implementation of any subsequent amendments or changes to the fishing rules prior to the lake trout spawning season next year.
I'd be happy to discuss the situation with anyone who has questions or concerns.
Mike Ottenbacher
Regional Aquatics Manager
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
P. O. Box 606
Cedar City, UT 84721
Phone: (435) 865-6109
Fax: (435) 586-2457
mikeottenbacher@utah.gov
P.S. Now's the time to buy that new 365-day Utah fishing license
RE:"People should not be upset with the spearfishermen. They did their angling legally. Anglers SHOULD be upset with the Salt Lake office for making the regulation change. The whole "standardization" of regulations in Utah is a bunch of garbage! Regulations need to be put in place based on specific needs of individual waters."
Thanks for the post. You absolutely nailed it! I am almost as pro DWR as you are but but this silly drive to simplify regulations (for a variety of species) does our fisheries a huge disservice, as seen in this example!
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And November 1st, these same people will be on Flaming Gorge hunting large Lake Trout again. Many people fish a lifetime and never catch a trophy Lake Trout but these spearfishermen can go out and potentially kill several large fish in one day. It is a travesty. You think Fish Lake holds world records? Flaming Gorge makes Fish Lake look like a kid's pond!
I will take PBH's advice and write everyone I can and request that spearfishing for Lake Trout during their spawn should not be allowed.
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Lets not stir the pot again, As fubar as the situation is The Spear Fisherman were within there rights.
As mentioned earlier If you want results contact the DWR offices. Im writing a letter as we speak no point in beating a dead horse If you want change take action and get those letters in. I'm sure the more people who write letters the more attention it will receive.
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Thanks PBH. You summed it up pretty good.
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Aren't there several fishing derbies on Flaming Gorge every year?? Are the fish that are brought in to be weighed dead or alive?? If they are dead shouldn't you write letters to stop this?? I know they are not spawning but once they are dead they stay dead...I think ?
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[quote RILEYFISH]Thanks PBH. You summed it up pretty good.[/quote]
Agreed!
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I'm sure most experienced mack fishermen could care less about those tournaments. The day you see a Big group photo holding big dead fish is when people will uproar. I dont think many big fish get taken though. The biggest in the buck board derby was 30# the next was pretty small I think.
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I already put in my comment to dwr. But thanks for helping others get started. Dam good of ya.
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PBH thanks for the level-headed commentary on all of this and for pointing us in the right direction to let our voices be heard and hopefully make a difference.
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I don't fish the tournaments because I personally believe that it is not worth killing these large fish for money but I do know people that do. They have large coolers with aerators to try and keep the big fish alive. Not everyone does this nor cares if a few big fish get killed. They think this resource is for their benefit. Some of us realize that these big fish take several years to grow to 30+ pounds and preserving this resource makes Flaming Gorge what it is. The best trophy Lake Trout water in the continental 48.
Also these tournaments are not held during the spawn when these fish congregate in one area making them susceptible. With these fish in high concentrations in a small area, they are very susceptible.
I don't agree with allowing anyone who can exploit these big fish at their most vulnerable cycle of life. We are encouraged to harvest small fish but this scenario of allowing spearfisherman into their spawn beds reeks of exploitation. Speared fish don't have the chance of release. This is not fishing but hunting like a deer or elk.
I have no problem with spearfishermen hunting these fish other times of the year. the fish are their normally wary selves. During the spawn, like deer, all cares are thrown to the wind so that they may congregate and reproduce as was intended. Leave them alone!
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there is a big diffrence in flaming gorge and fish lake! there 100 X more big lake trout in FG then FL.. and yes dead is dead.. but the big diffrence with the srearfishing is there is no chance to releas a fish! once speared it's dead.. once hooked it can be relest relitivley unharmed... and spearing them when they are spowning is just wrong! even fishing for then is wrong! the DWR close's Joe's valley during the splake spown becouse fishermen were snaging the big splake when they are all bunched up going through the motion's even tho they dont realy spown.. i think the lake trout in all the lakes in utah that have splake or lake trout should be closed to protect them fish.. let see it's only 4 to 6 week time i think everyone could live with a time frame like that!
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[quote fuzzyfisher]i think the lake trout in all the lakes in utah that have splake or lake trout should be closed to protect them fish.. let see it's only 4 to 6 week time i think everyone could live with a time frame like that![/quote]
I agree wholeheartedly! I say close Linwood Bay to all fishing and spear hunting during the spawn time frame, and do the same with spawning areas in the other lakes.
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PBH...thanks for the additional information. I've already sent numerous e-mails to senior DWR officials including the picture of the Tiger Muskies that were also speared in Fish Lake at some previous time.
I just hope the officials at the DWR seriously look at what this has created.
Everyone has the right to enjoy their hobby be it H&L fishing or spearfishing...but for the DWR to allow a spearfishing tournament during an known spawn...not to mention Utah being the only state that allows this practice is down right insane. What was the DWR thinking in SLC is what I have to ask? Also the DWR needs to make it totally illegal to spearfish any Tiger Musky in any Utah body of water IMHO.
I only hope if anglers put enough "heat" on the current DWR administration that come the 2009 guide book there will be sticter rules-of-engagement on this whole matter of spearfishing.
Again thanks for the level headed approach and I'm sure this whole matter will be resolved...I'm an optimist by nature. [
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They close Jackson Lake in Grand Teton NP for the month of October to protect spawning lake trout. They used to stock the lake every year with lakers but they are reproducing so well they stopped stocking. There are some huge fish in the lake but Game and Fish estimates the fish over 20lbs are less than 1% of the total population. They hold a ridiculus derby here every spring in which many big fish are killed for a few hundred bucks...What a waste. This is the irony, they allow a contest to kill the biggest fish, and then they try to protect them !!
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good post PBH, totally agree and you hit the nail on the head. my email has been sent thanks for the links.
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Thanks for showing the way to chang the injustice on the Lake Trout but what about all of the big game fish that each of us love to catch from time to time...
Like the big Cuts at the berry or Tigers in Pineview or Splake or bass and Northens in Yuba all big game fish and fishery should be managed on a lake to lake bases not one fits all....
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