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Experts say Utah anglers should take these steps while fishing during extreme drought

Shrinking reservoirs and hot temperatures are altering fishing conditions in Utah.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rainbow trout are put into Smith and Morehouse Reservoir by Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

As Utah’s reservoirs and rivers continue to shrink in extreme drought conditions, state wildlife managers have adjusted by changing where they stock fish across the state.

Experts say anglers should also make some changes to the way they fish, especially for those who are releasing the fish they catch back into the water.

Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources hasn’t restricted when anglers can catch fish, as some other Western states have done to minimize the impact on fish that are already stressed in warmer water.

But they do have recommendations about what anglers can do as climate change alters fishing conditions in Utah.

Go where the fish are

Utah wildlife managers are stocking less fish in reservoirs that are drying up. But those fish are going to other reservoirs that are deeper and can hold more life, according to Craig Schaugaard, Utah DWR’s assistant chief over hatcheries.

He said anglers can check DWR’s stocking reports to see where the fish are being released for better catching odds.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Megan McNeil of Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources stocks rainbow trout in Smith and Morehouse Reservoir on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

And if anglers want to catch fish to eat, DWR officials are encouraging them to keep more fish from five Utah reservoirs and lakes because of drought conditions — Otter Creek, Minersville, Vernon and Yuba reservoirs, along with Fairview Lakes. The limits in Spring Lake have also been increased as Payson officials prepare to drain it for infrastructure repairs, as well as at the Garden City pond because of issues with its inlet canal.

If anglers fish off a boat, DWR officials advise them to go early in the summer, as boat ramps could become inaccessible later in the season as reservoirs shrink.

Check the water temperature

Anglers should try to fish early in the day and be aware of the temperature of the water they are fishing in, said Warren Colyer, the director of the Western Water and Habitat Program at Trout Unlimited. He advised bringing a thermometer along and taking a break when the water gets warmer than 70 degrees.

“If you’re fishing to catch and kill and eat them, that’s fine,” Colyer said. “But if you’re a catch-and-release angler, and the water is getting warm, it’s a good time to maybe take some timeout.”

Warm water is a stressor for fish, according to DWR officials, because it holds less oxygen than colder water. It can lead to poor growth, disease and death. And being caught is an added stressor in an already challenging environment.

Utah DWR Sportfish Coordinator Randy Oplinger advised anglers who are casting in lakes to release fish in deeper pockets of water, if possible, where the temperatures are cooler.

Keep fish wet

Steve Schmidt, the owner of Western Rivers Flyfisher, advised anglers to keep fish in the water after they catch them and resist lifting them out of the water to pose for an Instagram-worthy, grip-and-grin photo.

Utah wildlife managers say anglers should try to quickly remove the hook with forceps or needle-nosed pliers, and use wet hands when handling the fish. Using single hooks on lures and bending down the barbs will also help for easy release.

State officials also say using rubbed or coated nylon nets will protect a fish’s slime layer and fins.

Oplinger said they encourage people to minimize the amount of time fish spend out of the water, and to make an effort to reel in the fish quickly.

“The playing of the fish when you’re reeling it in is kind of stressful,” he said. “If you can, get that over a little more quickly, [and] get the fish back in the water so they recover.”

Catch and release less fish

Schmidt said the hot summer months provide a good opportunity to go explore high-elevation waters that aren’t as impacted by the drought, like in the Uinta Mountains.

He said anglers could also lessen their impact by catching less fish, recalling a recent evening when he felt he could have caught five or six fish, but stopped after catching one. He spent the rest of his evening walking around and exploring.

“I don’t fish less,” he said, “but I change how I fish.”

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Steve Schmidt, owner of Western Rivers Fly Fisher casts a line in the setting sun along the Green River, a place where he has been guiding for more than 20 years.

Schmidt said anglers should be aware of the impact that their hobby can have on the fishing habitats they visit.

“Our industry has done a really good job of bringing people into the sport. We’ve done a very poor job of getting them to understand that you can build golf courses, but you can’t build rivers,” he said. “Especially in the West — they’re precious.”

“I like catching fish as much as the next person,” he added. “But I want to share that with my son for another 10 years, and grandson and my granddaughter coming up into it.”