Looking at the proclamation I see that Diamond Fork and the South Fork on the Ogden are listed under general regulations, allowing bait and a standard limit, 4 trout any species. They are both also missing from the Blue Ribbon Rivers list (as well as that little gem tributary to Diamond Fork). Just another check on the long list of mismanagment issues in the state. Both of these rivers have lots of large brown trout so obviously the overpopulation should not be an issue here. While I am not a huge fan on Cutthroat, both of these rivers have them as the secondary species, the same fish that the state of utah has spent millions of dollars protecting. Just recently the entire upper stretch of diamond fork was treated with rotenone to remove brown trout so the recently re-introduced Bonneville Cutthroat could establish themselves.
Would good is the blue ribbon streams program if it doesn't protect two of our best rivers in northern/central Utah? It saddens me to see charitable organizations such as The Stonefly Society make these contributions to these programs when we, as anglers do not get to see the benefits from the funds. These are some of the only rivers in Utah that have a major Salmonfly hatch that remain fishable during the high water period.
Heres a bit off the DWR Blue ribbon web site. Notice the Angler Tip right after reading that the state maintains this fishery through wild reproduction---
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Strawberry River
Starvation Reservoir to Duchesne River
Location and description
The five-mile stretch of the Strawberry River, below Starvation Reservoir, flows through a mix of public, private and Ute Indian Trust Lands. Roughly, most of the upper portion is private land, the middle section is Trust Lands and the lower section is a mix of public (city) and private.
Game fish species and methods
Brown and rainbow trout provide most of the angling action. The river also supports a large, healthy whitefish population. The fisheries are maintained through natural reproduction. Angler tip: imitate natural foods. Beginning anglers usually do better with baits such as worms, worm/marshmallow combinations and power baits.
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Anyone who has ever fished this river knows that it is an incredible river as well. The average fish is quite large but it does have a small population because of low water drawdown out of Starvation dam. How can you manage a river as a "blue ribbon fishery" and still encourage anglers to fish bait (which has been proven increases fish mortality exponentially) and allow them to keep a full limit of fish? On a unrelated point it also states whitefish to be an abundant fish in the river which is 100% false according to fish shocking studies done recently in the river. Estimates show an average of maybe a dozen whitefish per river mile.
Sorry to be so long winded but I am finally fed up with mismanagement of our rivers here in Utah. We have incredible fisheries and programs in place to take care of them, but it seems the focuse is elsewhere. Like stocking 5,000,000 tiger trout, which are a fish that only comes from fish hatcheries, and has a voracious aggressive charachteristic in every body of water in the state. Tiger Trout are a fisheries manager dream come true: no wild reproduction so managers can manage fish numbers to a near science, theoretically controling catch rates. No protection of spawning streams or habitat, no closed seasons, and big numbers on the stocking report to encourage everyday anglers to get out and fish, which increases license revenue. The DWR gets all this profit back.
IMHO
Would good is the blue ribbon streams program if it doesn't protect two of our best rivers in northern/central Utah? It saddens me to see charitable organizations such as The Stonefly Society make these contributions to these programs when we, as anglers do not get to see the benefits from the funds. These are some of the only rivers in Utah that have a major Salmonfly hatch that remain fishable during the high water period.
Heres a bit off the DWR Blue ribbon web site. Notice the Angler Tip right after reading that the state maintains this fishery through wild reproduction---
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Strawberry River
Starvation Reservoir to Duchesne River
Location and description
The five-mile stretch of the Strawberry River, below Starvation Reservoir, flows through a mix of public, private and Ute Indian Trust Lands. Roughly, most of the upper portion is private land, the middle section is Trust Lands and the lower section is a mix of public (city) and private.
Game fish species and methods
Brown and rainbow trout provide most of the angling action. The river also supports a large, healthy whitefish population. The fisheries are maintained through natural reproduction. Angler tip: imitate natural foods. Beginning anglers usually do better with baits such as worms, worm/marshmallow combinations and power baits.
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Anyone who has ever fished this river knows that it is an incredible river as well. The average fish is quite large but it does have a small population because of low water drawdown out of Starvation dam. How can you manage a river as a "blue ribbon fishery" and still encourage anglers to fish bait (which has been proven increases fish mortality exponentially) and allow them to keep a full limit of fish? On a unrelated point it also states whitefish to be an abundant fish in the river which is 100% false according to fish shocking studies done recently in the river. Estimates show an average of maybe a dozen whitefish per river mile.
Sorry to be so long winded but I am finally fed up with mismanagement of our rivers here in Utah. We have incredible fisheries and programs in place to take care of them, but it seems the focuse is elsewhere. Like stocking 5,000,000 tiger trout, which are a fish that only comes from fish hatcheries, and has a voracious aggressive charachteristic in every body of water in the state. Tiger Trout are a fisheries manager dream come true: no wild reproduction so managers can manage fish numbers to a near science, theoretically controling catch rates. No protection of spawning streams or habitat, no closed seasons, and big numbers on the stocking report to encourage everyday anglers to get out and fish, which increases license revenue. The DWR gets all this profit back.
IMHO