Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Utah offers fine fishing

Paula DelGiudice

Wednesday, July 12, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

Paula DelGiudice's outdoors notebook appears Wednesday. Reach her at PDelGiudice@compuserve.com.

The fishing in southern Utah draws Nevadans like a magnet, especially when temperatures start to boil here. Some of my favorite fishing spots have been producing good catches recently.

During the first part of the summer, I particularly like Upper Enterprise Reservoir. Water levels are starting to get pretty low there, as they are at Lower Enterprise (they get low earlier at Lower Enterprise). The fishing for smallmouth bass and green sunfish can be fast and furious and is great fun for young children (and the youngster in all of us).

Small plastic single-tail grubs for the smallmouth and green sunfish are recommended bait. A float rig above a small piece of nightcrawler is also a good bet. Take the bug spray: The biting gnats have been bad.

The fishing has been good at Navajo Lake for rainbow in the 12-13 inch range. Some small brook trout are being taken. Try powerbait or worms from shore. Spinners, z-rays and popgear can be used, if trolling. Some hatches are coming off at the west end of the lake in the evenings.

At Newcastle Reservoir, the fishing for trout has been slow. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the survival and abundance of stocked trout appears to be down the last couple of years following the illegal stocking and proliferation of golden shiners. Some of the larger trout are now feeding on shiners, so a lure imitating a gold-colored minnow may be worth trying for a larger fish. The fishing is only fair for smallmouth.

Minersville Reservoir, which was being managed as a trophy trout fishery until it was drained for repairs last year, will continue to see low water levels through this summer. This may be the summer to avoid fishing at Minersville.

Panguitch Lake's 500 surface acres and high elevation (8400 feet) make it a popular destination throughout the summer. The fishing from the shore recently has been fair for trout.

There are some reports of nice fishing coming in from boats while trolling. Netting studies earlier in the year report the lake abounds with 13-14-inch rainbows as well as nice cutthroats up to five pounds. Some good browns also inhabit the lake.

From shore, using bait or casting spinners and jigs is recommended, though anglers should know the shorefishing becomes more tenuous as the summer progresses when the water temperature rises and weeds begin to grow. Anglers who are trolling should try using flatfish.

Tributaries to Panguitch Lake opened July 8 to fishing. There are many accommodations, if you choose to head to Panguitch Lake. For reservations at either Panguitch Lake North or Panguitch Lake South campgrounds, call (800) 280-2267.

Dedication ceremonies will be held at the ranch headquarters, located on the east side of U.S. 93 approximately seven miles south of Ely. The public is invited to attend the ceremony and a barbecue that will follow the dedication.

The Nevada Division of State Lands took possession of the ranch on Nov. 5, 1999, on behalf of the Nevada Division of Wildlife. It was purchased for $4 million, most of which came from Question 5 bond money approved by Nevada voters in 1991 to enhance state parks and wildlife resources.

Located in Steptoe Valley, the ranch has 6,440 land acres. Comins Lake, one of the state's finest trout fishing lakes, was acquired in the purchase.

Information about the management area and its dedication may be obtained by calling NDOW's office in Ely at (775) 289-1655.

Gilbertson said the birds successfully nested following the releases, which took place in the North Snake Range south of Contact. A total of 56 grouse were released in 1999 and another 67 this year.

Sharp-tailed grouse were once abundant in northeast Nevada, but by 1960 were no longer found in the state. Market hunting in the 1800s and habitat changes are believed to be the causes for their demise.