04-16-2004, 10:00 PM
[cool][blue][size 1]Hey FF, I have to chip in a couple of observations, if I may. I was a Utah resident and fisherman before, during and after the change in seasons. In fact, I was a part of the group that worked for and against the DWR to open Deer Creek Reservoir to year round fishing...about the first trout water to allow ice fishing. Of course, the first couple of years we still had to release the spotted darlings and could only keep the perch, walleye and bass.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]At that time, there was already year round access to the so-called "warm water" fisheries...Utah Lake, Willard, Pineview and Yuba being the most notable. Although there were still only a few folks who fished for the nontrout species.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]That brings up another point. The thrust of your argument seems to be toward improving the trout fishing, rather than fishing as a whole. I respectfully suggest that "catch and keep" trouters are gradually dwindling into the minority, while multispecies anglers are increasing yearly. You and other contributors to this thread keep using the generic term FISH, but the slant is on trout.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Like many Utah anglers, I love all fishies. Like other things in life, some are better than others. It is a matter of opinion which ones you like best. But all species need our respect and our help to maintain a decent population. Only the trout are stocked to appease the limit-minded. Most of the other species manage to maintain populations that allow for at least a limited harvest, without depleting them.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]There will always be those among us who develop their own theories about fisheries management. Sometimes they are good ideas. Usually they amount to measures that have already been tried and found to be ineffective under the local conditions. Sometimes they are downright preposterous.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As several of us have proposed, give the DWR some credit. They work hard to give all species a fair shake and to maximize the returns on our license dollars. They do not have a crystal ball or magic computer program that will identify or make all the problems go away.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have fished most of the USA, and I have witnessed most trout habitat states eliminating the seasons altogether. The few months respite for the fish is quickly undone and overdone by the opening day onslought. Measured pressure and sustained harvest over the entire season proves more beneficial to the trout than opening day "Armageddons" each year.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have long been partial to the admonition "Don't just complain...COMMUNICATE." If someone has a gripe, take it to the place where it needs to be heard. Then present it in a meeting scheduled for the purpose of discussing future potential changes. There are several meetings a year in which the public is invited to attend and contribute to DWR planning. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We have only ourselves to blame if we just sit back and gripe about something, and do not take an active part in making something happen. That's how we got the ice fishing approved on a trial basis for Deer Creek.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]At that time, there was already year round access to the so-called "warm water" fisheries...Utah Lake, Willard, Pineview and Yuba being the most notable. Although there were still only a few folks who fished for the nontrout species.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]That brings up another point. The thrust of your argument seems to be toward improving the trout fishing, rather than fishing as a whole. I respectfully suggest that "catch and keep" trouters are gradually dwindling into the minority, while multispecies anglers are increasing yearly. You and other contributors to this thread keep using the generic term FISH, but the slant is on trout.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Like many Utah anglers, I love all fishies. Like other things in life, some are better than others. It is a matter of opinion which ones you like best. But all species need our respect and our help to maintain a decent population. Only the trout are stocked to appease the limit-minded. Most of the other species manage to maintain populations that allow for at least a limited harvest, without depleting them.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]There will always be those among us who develop their own theories about fisheries management. Sometimes they are good ideas. Usually they amount to measures that have already been tried and found to be ineffective under the local conditions. Sometimes they are downright preposterous.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As several of us have proposed, give the DWR some credit. They work hard to give all species a fair shake and to maximize the returns on our license dollars. They do not have a crystal ball or magic computer program that will identify or make all the problems go away.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have fished most of the USA, and I have witnessed most trout habitat states eliminating the seasons altogether. The few months respite for the fish is quickly undone and overdone by the opening day onslought. Measured pressure and sustained harvest over the entire season proves more beneficial to the trout than opening day "Armageddons" each year.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have long been partial to the admonition "Don't just complain...COMMUNICATE." If someone has a gripe, take it to the place where it needs to be heard. Then present it in a meeting scheduled for the purpose of discussing future potential changes. There are several meetings a year in which the public is invited to attend and contribute to DWR planning. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]We have only ourselves to blame if we just sit back and gripe about something, and do not take an active part in making something happen. That's how we got the ice fishing approved on a trial basis for Deer Creek.[/size][/#0000ff]
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