By Don Allphin
Utah Lake is viewed by some as a dirty, muddy, smelly and unsightly reservoir beyond help. For many years, the lake was, in fact, a dumping ground for sewage, chemicals and waste water from the industries that built and operated plants near the impoundment. As municipal sewage systems have improved, and industrial waste water has been filtered and cleaned, most of the water entering the lake today is much cleaner.
However, the stigma remains.
I choose to stand in awe of this great lake and take advantage of the bounties that lie within it, rather than criticize one of our most beautiful and “natural” lakes. Utah Lake has supported populations of humans for thousands of years. The Fremont peoples used the shoreline near the mouth of the Provo River as fishing camps; early Spanish explorers and our own pioneers used the lake for sustenance due to its prolific fish population.
There is no argument that the species of fish that dominate the lake have changed over the centuries, but the simple fact is that Utah Lake is still a wonderful fishery, and in my opinion, should not be considered a useless body of water that serves no other purpose than to provide water for outlying communities.
Let’s take a look at some of the fish that currently make up the incredible fishery that is Utah Lake.
Carp
I know this fish is a four-letter word to the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP), but they provide much-needed food for the other game fish in the lake. Since when have you seen a baby carp? Believe me, they do exist, but the other species in the lake eat the vast majority of them. Learn to catch carp and you will find they are a great fighting fish, and some folks actually eat them.
June Sucker
Whether or not the JSRIP wants the public to know, estimates are that the sucker population in Utah Lake is approaching 250,000. When fully “recovered” the June sucker will provide the other game fish, as well as pelicans and cormorants, another food source.
Catfish
This is an incredible success story for Utah Lake. At least two types of catfish (bullheads and channel cats) thrive in its waters. The channel cats grow to huge proportions and I have caught them larger than 20 pounds. Many people over the years have literally fed their families on catfish caught all over the lake.
Walleye
The JSRIP want to blame the walleyes (among other species) in Utah Lake for the destruction of sucker after their introduction around 1950. While I don’t share that particular theory, I do know that walleyes absolutely thrive in Utah Lake. As I have written about in the past, my wife, Jeri, and I lived on the walleyes I caught while we were starving students attending BYU from 1976 -79.
White Bass
Arguably the most prolific and aggressive sport fish in the lake, they continue to breed, replace their numbers and provide incredible sport and table fare for thousands of anglers. The white bass spawning run in the Provo River in May is a sight and adventure I wish all anglers could experience.
Largemouth Bass
Placed in the lake in the early 1880s, largemouth bass have weathered severe droughts abd lack of attention or protection by the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), and have still prospered. Those who know how to target and catch these incredible predators, routinely catch hundreds of pounds of bass yearly. Most avid anglers never eat largemouth bass, but rather use catch-and-release as rule to preserve this great species.
Utah Lake, although always in need of tender love and care, is a tremendous fishery and for thousands of years has sustained those who have lived on her shores by providing access to some truly great fish.
Let’s not spoil it.
© Don Allphin. This story first appeared in The Daily Herald.