03-18-2016, 03:04 PM
[#0000FF]Contrary to what you and your brother may believe, I am a friend to DWR and count many of the biologists as personal friends. Even some of the COs. I have fished Utah Lake and the Provo River for many years...going back to the 1960s. In the early days the river was open and it was a snagfest. Wall to wall goobers raping the walleyes. And the walleye population continued to soar.
In later years it seems pointless to keep the tributaries closed...at least as a protection to the resource. A high percentage of the effective spawning takes place around the lake...along rock dikes or shorelines. The DWR biologists agree that closure of the tributaries is more a matter of cutting down on (not eliminating) the wanton snagging of walleyes. There are still individuals and groups that raid the spawning beds after dark...but the law abiding citizens at least respect the closure.
At a meeting in Springville, a couple of the COs had lots of tales of their undercover efforts to catch and punish the violators. Many such tales involved getting back to their vehicles to find slashed tires or other vandalism...even in unmarked cars and going in plain clothes. The violators are skilled at what they do. And closures mean nothing to them.
Utah Lake is full of walleyes. It does not get nearly the pressure from knowledgeable walleye fans as does Willard. And the walleyes get much bigger on average in Willard because of the broad food base that is available 12 months of the year...unlike gizzard shad.
In short, my LAY PERSON evaluation that Willard walleyes are fewer in numbers and subject to much greater harvest...yet they are less protected than the large population in Utah Lake where they do just fine. The only thing that seems to affect the numbers or sizes of the walleyes in Utah Lake is the cyclic changes in water levels. That affects the whole ecology of the lake...walleyes included.
If DWR is anxious to provide quality walleye fishing to the license buying public...as goes their reasoning for Willard...why not reopen the tributaries on Utah Lake? Lots more fish, in natural settings, with clearer water...and bigger fish too. And I know from personal experience that a lot of those fish WILL take a lure...legally...even if being more visible increases the effectiveness of snagging.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
In later years it seems pointless to keep the tributaries closed...at least as a protection to the resource. A high percentage of the effective spawning takes place around the lake...along rock dikes or shorelines. The DWR biologists agree that closure of the tributaries is more a matter of cutting down on (not eliminating) the wanton snagging of walleyes. There are still individuals and groups that raid the spawning beds after dark...but the law abiding citizens at least respect the closure.
At a meeting in Springville, a couple of the COs had lots of tales of their undercover efforts to catch and punish the violators. Many such tales involved getting back to their vehicles to find slashed tires or other vandalism...even in unmarked cars and going in plain clothes. The violators are skilled at what they do. And closures mean nothing to them.
Utah Lake is full of walleyes. It does not get nearly the pressure from knowledgeable walleye fans as does Willard. And the walleyes get much bigger on average in Willard because of the broad food base that is available 12 months of the year...unlike gizzard shad.
In short, my LAY PERSON evaluation that Willard walleyes are fewer in numbers and subject to much greater harvest...yet they are less protected than the large population in Utah Lake where they do just fine. The only thing that seems to affect the numbers or sizes of the walleyes in Utah Lake is the cyclic changes in water levels. That affects the whole ecology of the lake...walleyes included.
If DWR is anxious to provide quality walleye fishing to the license buying public...as goes their reasoning for Willard...why not reopen the tributaries on Utah Lake? Lots more fish, in natural settings, with clearer water...and bigger fish too. And I know from personal experience that a lot of those fish WILL take a lure...legally...even if being more visible increases the effectiveness of snagging.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]