Willard Bay Fishery Info

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I'm in the process of collecting and correlating a whole bunch of info and pics I have accumulated on Willard Bay. I asked DWR's Chris Penne for whatever he had for recent reports and he sent me the Fishery Assessment reports for 2013 and 2014.

Thought I would share them on the board. Somebody posted up the 2013 report last year but I'll put it up again for the benefit of BFT newbies or others that might have missed it last year.
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[Northman]

Muchos grassy ass!
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[gofish435]

Thanks for posting the information. Very interesting reading.

As a fan of the catfish you should be encouraged by the reports. Now if we could just get a few good water years to help all of our fish species.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Day nutty.
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[TubeDude]

[quote gofish435]Thanks for posting the information. Very interesting reading.

As a fan of the catfish you should be encouraged by the reports. Now if we could just get a few good water years to help all of our fish species.[/quote]

[#0000FF]Amen. All of our ponds and trickles would benefit from more liquid.

Yes, these reports do make for some interesting reading. Some real biology info. But there will always be those who scoff at the findings, make their own interpretations and/or come up with completely different outlooks.

I, for one, am properly grateful for the hard work and personal attention Chris puts into the welfare of Willard Bay. The nettings and other surveys are well planned and properly implemented to give the greatest chance for accurate assessments.

I also appreciate his willingness to provide copies of the reports and to openly share their findings and projections.
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[fishinfool]

Great info pat thank you for posting it.

fnf[cool]
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[Therapist]

What, you mean our DWR dudes really know what they are doing !!! From some posts you would think that they are driving around in their big state owned 4X4's, drinking coffee, and sleeping in the cab.

These guys work hard !! They have spent years getting an education and they are now applying that education for the betterment of our fisheries.

Hats off to all of them and a big thanks. Now get out there and do a rain dance so we can fill the lakes up. We need more H2O !!!

PS: Is there something about the first name Chris?? Chris Crockett, Chris Penne, what's the deal there ?? Do you need to have a first name Chris to be a DWR Bio ??

[TubeDude]

"PS: Is there something about the first name Chris?? Chris Crockett, Chris Penne, what's the deal there ?? Do you need to have a first name Chris to be a DWR Bio ??"

[#0000FF]Intermesting fernominon. Definitely a couple of top notch DWR folks. But plenty of others with differment names.

I agree with your assessment. The DWR guys and gals I have encountered (many) have all been dedicated, knowledgeable and helpful. Haven't always been able to say that but in recent years they have attracted and retained a pretty good crop.

It has been my observation that Utah anglers who are unhappy with DWR...and/or have nothing but bad opinions of them...are usually those who are concerned only about their own personal agendas. And those agendas are seldom based upon good biology or the reality of living in a desert state.

Having lived and fished around the whole country I have had the good/bad fortune to have interacted with state fisheries personnel from a number of other states. And I know a bit about what is expected of them and what they earn. I am amazed that our Utah DWR folks continue to hang in there...in the face of so much political stuff and hassles from the public...for the comparatively lower pay scale they get in Utah. Surprised more of them don't jump ship for higher paying positions elsewhere.
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[Fenwayfrank]

Thanks for posting! Good read.
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[Therapist]

I am a sexist pig for not mentioning the gals that also work for us!! They are top notch also !!

[PBH]

[quote Therapist]I am a sexist pig for not mentioning the gals that also work for us!! They are top notch also !![/quote]

The gals are also named Chris (or Krissy, or any other variant).

Lot's of good "Chris's" in UDWR.

There's also one particular last name that stands out too.








no. Not that one. i meant "Hadley".
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[fish_fear_me2]

ks for Posting this Pat. Looking forward to your write-up as well
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Thanks Brent.

Gonna be awhile on the writeup. Just the Maps and Areas chapter is already over 20 pages...with at least that many more (plus photos) to come.

Then there are chapters on species...with fairly good sized chapters already written on Wipers, Catfish and Walleyes. Can't forget crappies, smallies, perch and carp.

The other big sections...besides the intro chapter...on Facts, Stats & History...are Seasons, Tackle & Techniques, Shore Fishing and a photo section on Wildlife and Scenery.

Lotsa fun but I figgered I better download it from my aging brain before "old timers" gets any worse.

What was the question, again?
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[retch_sweeney]

Ref the 2014 report: After converting the lengths of each species from mm to inches it looks like those surveys are completely representative of my average catch at the Bay.
Also, it looks like stocking fish in the middle of the lake, instead of from shore helps survival by a huge margin.

Thanks, TubeDude!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Welcome, you are.

I am impressed that DWR is interacting with other state fisheries agencies and picking up ideas to try for better survival rates and growth among the new transplants. An extra 1% survival rate can mean a lot more fish to catch down the road....errr, or in the lake.
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[Razz]

Thanks for the reports and your efforts
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