02-24-2017, 02:49 PM
[#0000ff]There has been plenty of opposition to opening the inlet to fishing/snagging during the walleye spawn. But the attitude of DWR has been "Our minds are made up. Don't confuse the issue with facts or public opinion."
On the plus side, more and more law-abiding anglers are putting pressure on the snaggers to release illegally hooked fish. But not without a lot of nastiness...and even a few physical reactions. DWR has tried putting plain clothes officers down there...and have issued citations. But the violations are a 24/7 thing during the spawn...and it is impossible to maintain "a presence" all the time.
I gave up on RAC meetings a long time ago. Even when a vote goes your way, any changes have to be made at the board meetings later. And the board still votes how the DWR people tell them to vote. It is not a democracy and it is not majority rule.
My favorite analogy of the bureaucracy and politics of the upper end of DWR is that it is like mating elephants. Everything goes on at a high level. There is a lot of noise and commotion. And it takes a long time to see any results.
That being said, Utah DWR is one of the most modern and progressive state fisheries management groups in the country. Most of the folks in the field are dedicated and serious about making our fisheries better and helping anglers get greater enjoyment from their fishing.
But,
ly, there seems to be an "us against them" attitude at the top...management against rank and file. Some of their people hang in there and claw their way to upper level positions. Once there they will do anything to avoid making waves and jeopardizing their kingdoms until they are ready to retire. It sometimes seems like they would rather avoid making ANY decisions rather than risk making a bad one.
But we still got it pretty good. A glitch here and there is better than some of the alternatives.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]
On the plus side, more and more law-abiding anglers are putting pressure on the snaggers to release illegally hooked fish. But not without a lot of nastiness...and even a few physical reactions. DWR has tried putting plain clothes officers down there...and have issued citations. But the violations are a 24/7 thing during the spawn...and it is impossible to maintain "a presence" all the time.
I gave up on RAC meetings a long time ago. Even when a vote goes your way, any changes have to be made at the board meetings later. And the board still votes how the DWR people tell them to vote. It is not a democracy and it is not majority rule.
My favorite analogy of the bureaucracy and politics of the upper end of DWR is that it is like mating elephants. Everything goes on at a high level. There is a lot of noise and commotion. And it takes a long time to see any results.
That being said, Utah DWR is one of the most modern and progressive state fisheries management groups in the country. Most of the folks in the field are dedicated and serious about making our fisheries better and helping anglers get greater enjoyment from their fishing.
But,
ly, there seems to be an "us against them" attitude at the top...management against rank and file. Some of their people hang in there and claw their way to upper level positions. Once there they will do anything to avoid making waves and jeopardizing their kingdoms until they are ready to retire. It sometimes seems like they would rather avoid making ANY decisions rather than risk making a bad one. But we still got it pretty good. A glitch here and there is better than some of the alternatives.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]