11 Improvement projects are planned for the state’s Blue Ribbon fisheries.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Boaters fish alongside their boat on Lake Powell, a Blue Ribbon fishery near Ticaboo, Utah, on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Nearly half a million dollars will go toward improving 11 of Utah’s Blue Ribbon fisheries, considered some of the state’s best fishing spots.
If warm sun, alpine green and fresh water aren’t enough to get Utahns fishing this summer, planned updates from the state’s Blue Ribbon Fisheries Program might be.
Nearly half a million dollars will go to 11 projects spread across at least eight of the state’s Blue Ribbon fisheries, considered some of the best fishing areas in Utah, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced Wednesday.
The projects aim to address two main concerns: improving habitat and increasing access to fishing. For example, the proposed project for Cedar Springs Marina in Flaming Gorge includes the installation of a floating raft to allow fishermen to reach the deeper waters of the Green River. Floating rafts also provide welcome shade to the fish below.
At Recapture Reservoir, in southeastern Utah near Blanding, plastic structures will be placed inside the lake, intended to allow algae to accumulate and natural vegetation to take root.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rainbow trout are stocked at Smith and Morehouse Reservoir by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
The structures, which DWR ensures won’t rot or harm lake residents, will also offer protection for vulnerable species like yellow perch and black crappie, which need shelter from larger predatory fish . Boosting prey populations will have a ripple effect, supporting fish that anglers want at the top of the food chain.
The projects will begin on July 1 and continue through the first half of next year. The six other Blue Ribbon fisheries that will see work include the Uinta mountains south slope (Oweep Creek), Uinta mountains north slope (Carter and Sheep creek drainages), Gordon Creek watershed, Little Bear-Logan watershed, Starvation Reservoir and Lower Provo River.
Fishing is one of the most popular and money-making recreational activities. The Blue Ribbon program, first created in 2001, was formally established in 2005. Through it, a council decides which of the state’s fishing grounds are the most elite, weighing 12 categories including fish size that was caught, the type of fish caught, water quality, and yield potential.
Since the program began, 43 waterbodies including Lake Powell, Strawberry Reservoir and Bear Lake have been designated as Blue Ribbon fisheries. So there are two places in the Uinta mountains and Boulder Mountain.
Trina Hendrick, a spokeswoman for the wildlife resources division, explained that anglers are willing to pay more to fish in the popular Blue Ribbon fisheries. They are also willing to travel further and return more often.
That’s why its biggest beneficiaries are the small towns in Utah that are close to Blue Ribbon fishing locations. Some are sparsely populated and rely on fisheries for income.
The proposed projects lay the groundwork for the future of fishing that Utah towns and people outside can look forward to.
