02-04-2021, 06:15 PM
Catching fish and catching what most consider big fish is not a big problem for me, but I put a lot of time into it. However, I've lived long enough to see a lot of places drop in what I consider quality due to over fishing, or mismanagement of the resource. It's not like Utah's DNR is impervious to mismanagement of fish and wildlife. Heck, I've read professional periodicals that use Utah as the example of what not to do with mule deer management. I've lived long enough to see Utah go from decent mule deer hunting to what it is now (read terrible!!!) The decline in deer hunting quality is a combination of too much hunting pressure, habitat loss, predators, and weather. Much of the same can be said for the fishing in Utah, and whether it will sustain quality or not. The pressure is through the roof and while it may lessen when people have less restrictions and have to work more, I don't think it will ever be as light of pressure as it was. For the simple fact a lot of new people have been introduced to fishing, and a lot of people who hadn't been in a long time rediscovered the joy it can bring. I expect a year or two from now the lakes will still be shoulder to shoulder during ice fishing and that spring ice out will be as crowded as ever, if not worse. I also expect that the fish stocking numbers won't change much if at all, and there will be very little if anything done by the DNR to adjust to the increase in pressure. I would love to be wrong about that last statement, but with nearly 6 decades of watching how Utah's DNR adapts to change my hopes aren't very high. For the record I was born in Utah, I graduated from both high school and college in Utah. However I spent a good part of my adult life out of state, hence my Big Sky name. I've fished all over the west and I can tell you there is better managed and really, really, really good fishing in other western states. The one thing those other states all have in common is that they adapt quickly and manage for what is best for the fishery rather than what is best for revenue, or even what is publicly popular. Now that I live in Utah again, I will continue to fish out of state, but I sure would love it if Utah would maintain/protect or improve much of what it has.