The search grew more intense as sources for popular warmwater species like tiger muskie, wiper and channel catfish dried up due to the spread of fish diseases and the growing cost of transporting fish half-way across the country.

Finally, the perfect location was found - right under the agency's nose.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) will break ground on its first new hatchery in 32 years Aug. 4 at the Lee Kay Center for Hunter Education and public shooting range just north of State Highway 201 at 5600 West.

"We looked at a number of other sites, but we couldn't afford to buy both the land and the water," said Drew Cushing, warmwater sport fish coordinator for the DWR. "Finding a water source on land we already owned was a huge relief."

The state has acquired rights to 90 acre feet of water from an artesian well and plans to create 12 ponds to raise brood stock warmwater species in the 72-degree Fahrenheit water.

The first phase involves creating four quarter-acre ponds. One of them will hold true muskie arriving from Minnesota in early September and another will be home for northern pike caught from Recapture Reservoir near Blanding. Both species have been certified disease free and will be used to create hybrid, and sterile, tiger muskie. The other ponds will be used to raise forage fish for the muskie and pike to eat.

Tigers have become an immensely popular sport fish, particularly at Pineview Reservoir near Huntsville. But due to the ever-expanding range of the deadly viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) disease in the Midwest, Utah officials have had a hard time obtaining tiger muskies.

"When VHS hit the headlines, it was an eye opener for me and the entire division," Cushing said. "We haven't planted tigers in Utah since the summer of 2005. That's unfortunate because they have become more and more popular since we first introduced them. People love them."

Because of the difficulty getting the fish, DWR director Jim Karpowitz recently ordered anglers to release all tigers. Anglers had been allowed to keep one tiger muskie longer than 40 inches.

"I really applaud the division in doing this. It is a huge step forward looking to the future of all our fisheries," said Ray Schelble, environmental officer for Rocky Mountain Anglers, a group that promotes all fishing in the state, but focuses on warmwater species

Phase 2 could start this winter and will include ponds that will eventually hold wipers - a hybrid combination of white bass and wipers, channel catfish, bluegill and largemouth bass.

The state is currently planting 130,000 pounds of channel catfish - weighing an average of 1 to 3 pounds - in community fisheries. Cushing estimates the DWR will save around $9,000 per trip to Arkansas to pick up the catfish.

This won't be the state's first warmwater hatchery.

The Wahweap hatchery in Big Water, near the Arizona border and Lake Powell, also has some warmwater species, but at least half of its operation is dedicated to raising the endangered and threatened species of the Colorado River drainage.

The DWR also runs 11 coldwater hatcheries and one research facility. Coldwater hatcheries are used to raise trout, kokanee and grayling.

Cushing said he is also exploring the possibility of making one of the ponds at Lee Kay a community fishery.

"Can you imagine kids being able to catch 50-inch tiger muskies in the valley," he said. "That would put the smile on their faces."

Warmwater hatchery fish

The Division of Wildlife Resources will create a new warmwater hatchery on the grounds of the Lee Kay Center in Salt Lake City. These fish will be raised there:

TIGER MUSKIE

This toothy hybrid between a muskie and a northern pike created a new wave of interest in warmwater species when they were introduced at Pineview Reservoir in 1989. Officials have since introduced tigers in Newton Reservoir in northern Utah, Johnson Reservoir near Fish Lake and Cottonwood and Brough reservoirs in the Uinta Basin.

WIPER

A mix between striped bass and white bass, these feisty fighters have become the most popular draw for anglers at Willard Bay Reservoir. Biologists have also introduced them in Newcastle Reservoir west of Cedar City where they are growing fast.

CHANNEL CATFISH

These whiskerfish provide the bulk of the action for anglers in Utah's community fisheries, especially in the summer months when trout struggle in the warm water.

BLUEGILL

Also a staple at community fisheries, bluegill offer a fun opportunity for anglers, particularly young ones.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

These hard-fighting fish can be a challenge to catch at community fisheries.