[#0000FF]I just got this from Chris Crockett of UDWR. Your participation would be appreciated.
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Please make time to take this survey and forward along to other interested parties/groups. The Utah Lake Commission will use this information to help prioritize access improvements on Utah Lake.
Utah Lake Access—Let your voice be heard!
The Utah Lake Commission is leading an effort to identify improvements that would enhance the over-thirty public access points around the lake. Some are used much more than others, but they hope to eventually make them all better to make all sporting and recreational opportunities easier and more enjoyable. Please take a moment to take their survey ([url "http://utahlake.gov/let-your-voice-be-heard-by-taking-the-utah-lake-access-point-surveys/"]click here[/url]) that will give decision makers an idea of where they should focus their improvement efforts over the next several years. You can make a difference! Thanks in advance for your time.
Chris Crockett
Native Aquatics Project Leader
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
1115 North Main Street
Springville, UT 84663
[url "tel:%28801%29%20491-5655"](801) 491-5655[/url]
[url "mailto:chriscrockett@utah.gov"]chriscrockett@utah.gov[/url]
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Thanks Pat. I will get on today and take the survey. I hope this will bring back access to the lake on the west side.
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[#0000FF]Making progress. I am waiting for additional feedback from Chris on this. We have been working aggressively between the land owners and county commissioners to reach an agreement.
There has been some roadwork done down to the water and access to the lake has been allowed with the low water situation. But very shallow in close and soft mud for a long ways out. I made a tube trip in mid September and just about got bogged down trying to launch. I did get a lot of nice cats though.
DWR has several proposals in the works for making improvements on the area in exchange for limited access to the public. But when dealing with multiple entities the wheels move slowly.
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There is another access we lost at the lake not listed on there. I would like to have access again where the London water treaent dumps out.
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Dang, there are a lot of places to access Utah Lake I had no idea existed.
I added quite a few thoughts about AF Harbor (where I frequent frequently) but the rest of it was a good education for me.
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[#0000FF]DWR put out a pamphlet a few years ago and had a web page devoted to access points. I did some copy and paste to put it all into a PDF file for easy access and read...or printout.
The cool thing about their site is that there are GPS coordinates on all their locations.
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[#0000FF]I think you are referring to where Battle Creek enters Utah Lake...after going through the culvert under the railroad tracks. The water treatment inflow is further to the northwest. (see attached map)
I too enjoyed being able to hike up over the tracks and slay the whities at the inflow. Some good walleyes and other species at times too. But I haven't even tried to access it much the past few years. I usually launch my tube at Lindon and come in from the lake. For the past couple of years it has been too shallow anyway.
As I am sure you are aware, the situation is the result of a combination of Rocky Mountain Power building a bunch of new equipment on the formerly vacant property...and the Frontrunner system using the tracks on a frequent basis. They go honking through that area area and restrict access to the rail beds to reduce the potential for accidents. People are stupid and you just can't stop them from doing stupid things...unless you keep them away.
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That's another we lost that would be nice to have back
My typing skills on the phone aren't great but I did mean the Lindon waste water treatment plant by the green waste facility.
Another one we lost was the walkin access at the pump house. That would also be another on id like to see com back.
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[#0000FF]Yeah, the easy access through the pump house caretaker property is something I used to use a lot. It has changed over the years but once they built the new pumps and changed some other things they felt they had to restrict public access.
You can still get there for ice fishing by coming in the back way...parking at the little park and going across the rickety bridge at the control gates. But it is a longer hike and not sled friendly when snowy and icy.
Still another favored angler access point that is potentially on the chopping block is the mouth of the Spanish Fork River. I have heard that there is a new owner for much of that land and he plans to fence it off to the public.
The whole area at Lincoln Point has been on again off again for many years. During low water years they have to open the shoreline below the high water mark to public access. But as soon as the water rises they put the gates back and the sheriffs will cite you for trespassing. That too has been a favorite spot to me for several decades.
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I took the survey, but expected a serious survey not just a couple questions.
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[#0000FF]You need to click on the link to each of the locations for a more detailed survey on each of those spots.
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Duh. I should have read the instructions.
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Thanks TD for letting us know about the survey. Which harbor has the deepest water, is it Lindon? I sure wish at least one harbor could be dredged out deeper, for better boat access when the water level gets low. My vote goes to AF Harbor.
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[#0000FF]I haven't checked the inside of any of the harbors for some time...since some of them dropped to 2' or less. With the gates shut at the pumphouse there should be some rising in the water levels.
Historically, some of the best early winter harbor fishing happens in American Fork...since it has some deeper spots. But it is still shallow in most areas. Both Lindon and Provo can be good in shallow water times too. Protected harbors draw the fish inside from the (also shallow) main lake...and the fish still have to eat. So if you move around inside the harbors you can usually find some active fish. At the end of the last big drought in the winter of 2004 there was hardly more than a foot of water in Lindon. But guys fishing next to the docks were still catching white bass, crappies and bluegills.
One of the oft-overlooked harbors is the Saratoga Springs Marina at Pelican Bay...over on the west side. Some surprisingly good catches even in skinny water at times.
There has been a few attempts to dredge out some of the harbors in the past. But since the depth of the lake surrounding the harbors is virtually the same as that inside the harbors it doesn't gain much. No good to launch inside a dredged harbor if you can't run the boat outside. And has also been found...dredged harbors silt in quickly so it is largely wasted money and effort.
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I went on today. I have been kinda out of the loop. I commented on all areas I use.
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