06-05-2008, 01:22 PM
[cool][#0000ff]In Brett Prettyman's "Tight Lines" column in the Tribune this morning, there was an article on the current chub problem at Scofield. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_9480818"]LINK TO COLUMN[/url][/#0000ff]
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Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir
[url "mailto:brettp@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir"]Brett Prettyman
Tribune columnist[/url]
Article Last Updated: 06/04/2008 06:39:16 PM MDT
Scofield Reservoir ranks in the top three fisheries providing vivid angling memories for my family.
A fish my brother caught from the bank at Scofield back in the early 1980s has fondly become known as "The Shark" in family stories. I'm sure many families have similar stories from Scofield.
Word that state biologists are again considering changes in the regulations at Scofield is troubling - it was only at the start of 2007 that a special 8-fish trout limit was put in place at the popular Carbon County water. But it didn't take long for me realize this is another necessary evil.
An alarming number of Utah chub were found during recent gill-netting surveys at Scofield. Enough that Roger Wilson, cold-water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, even mentioned the possibility of an expensive chemical treatment at the popular fishery if other means are not found to control the chub numbers.
Biologists found several age classes of chub and an average 200 of the nonsport fish in each net during the gillnetting in mid-May. Wilson called that a "dramatic" increase from last year. Biologists immediately began talking about ways to deal with the chub.
One of the options is to establish a slot limit similar to Strawberry Reservoir that would require anglers to release all tiger trout in the 15- to 22-inch range. The tiger trout are in Scofield as an experiment to see if they can control chub numbers by feeding on the nongame fish. The problem is getting the trout to a size large enough to make a dent in the chub population.
Another option is to stock Bear Lake cutthroat in Scofield. The cutthroat have illustrated that they can control chub in Strawberry if given the chance to grow large enough.
Wilson said it would be possible to maintain the 8-fish trout limit - the DWR promised it was for at least three years, after all - but it would only be on rainbow trout, and that has proven to be an issue at Strawberry.
This and other proposed fishing regulation changes are under discussion, and formal proposals will not be presented to the Utah Wildlife Board for approval until the fall.
In other troubling fishing news, DWR director Jim Karpowitz has issued an emergency order requiring anglers to kill all walleye they catch at Red Fleet Reservoir near Vernal.
Several age classes of walleye have shown up in gillnets at the scenic reservoir. Biologists feel the reservoir can't handle walleye, bass, bluegill and trout at the same time.
The walleye were undoubtedly placed into Red Fleet by bucket biologists, anglers who thought their favorite species would do well at the reservoir. Instead, the entire fish population may be removed in a costly treatment that would empty the reservoir of all species.
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_9480818"]LINK TO COLUMN[/url][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir
[url "mailto:brettp@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Tight lines: Getting chub numbers under control at Scofield Reservoir"]Brett Prettyman
Tribune columnist[/url]
Article Last Updated: 06/04/2008 06:39:16 PM MDT
Scofield Reservoir ranks in the top three fisheries providing vivid angling memories for my family.
A fish my brother caught from the bank at Scofield back in the early 1980s has fondly become known as "The Shark" in family stories. I'm sure many families have similar stories from Scofield.
Word that state biologists are again considering changes in the regulations at Scofield is troubling - it was only at the start of 2007 that a special 8-fish trout limit was put in place at the popular Carbon County water. But it didn't take long for me realize this is another necessary evil.
An alarming number of Utah chub were found during recent gill-netting surveys at Scofield. Enough that Roger Wilson, cold-water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, even mentioned the possibility of an expensive chemical treatment at the popular fishery if other means are not found to control the chub numbers.
Biologists found several age classes of chub and an average 200 of the nonsport fish in each net during the gillnetting in mid-May. Wilson called that a "dramatic" increase from last year. Biologists immediately began talking about ways to deal with the chub.
One of the options is to establish a slot limit similar to Strawberry Reservoir that would require anglers to release all tiger trout in the 15- to 22-inch range. The tiger trout are in Scofield as an experiment to see if they can control chub numbers by feeding on the nongame fish. The problem is getting the trout to a size large enough to make a dent in the chub population.
Another option is to stock Bear Lake cutthroat in Scofield. The cutthroat have illustrated that they can control chub in Strawberry if given the chance to grow large enough.
Wilson said it would be possible to maintain the 8-fish trout limit - the DWR promised it was for at least three years, after all - but it would only be on rainbow trout, and that has proven to be an issue at Strawberry.
This and other proposed fishing regulation changes are under discussion, and formal proposals will not be presented to the Utah Wildlife Board for approval until the fall.
In other troubling fishing news, DWR director Jim Karpowitz has issued an emergency order requiring anglers to kill all walleye they catch at Red Fleet Reservoir near Vernal.
Several age classes of walleye have shown up in gillnets at the scenic reservoir. Biologists feel the reservoir can't handle walleye, bass, bluegill and trout at the same time.
The walleye were undoubtedly placed into Red Fleet by bucket biologists, anglers who thought their favorite species would do well at the reservoir. Instead, the entire fish population may be removed in a costly treatment that would empty the reservoir of all species.
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