# Boulder Mountain summer time pressure



## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

I thought I'd start a new thread for this one:

Pressure has been discussed numerous times lately on the Boulder. Some people think it is a growing problem -- obviously, interest and popularity of the Boulder Mountain area has increased. Is it an issue? That can be debatable.

One thing I'd like to bring up, is the closure of the majority of these lakes to winter-time fishing. It is the same people that gripe about summer-time crowding that put pressure on the DWR/Wildlife Board to close the majority of the lakes on Boulder Mountain to winter fishing. How does this affect summer time crowding? Consider:

1. Let's say that you fish 100 days per year.
2. Prior to the seasonal closure on Boulder, you had 365 days to spread those 100 days across -- summer, fall, winter, spring.
3. Now we have a seasonal closure on Boulder (November 1 - April 16) which excludes 166 days of fishing. As an angler, this will NOT reduce the number of days you are going to fish. You will still spend 100 days fishing.
4. So, instead of spreading out those 100 days across 365 days, now you will spread those days out across 199 days between April and October.

What is the result? Increased pressure during the summer months!! No wonder some of you are seeing 40 people at a lake in the summer.

maybe it's time to open up the Boulder's to year round fishing again?


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Now you've gone and done it. Added logic to the argument. o-|| _(O)_ Where will it all end? Sanity? Civility? Courtesy? Sheesh.

Fishrmn


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## gunplay (Apr 28, 2008)

I don't know that it would decrease the Summer pressure just increase it in the Winter thus being harder on the trophy class fish. I do know of some of the lakes up there that have trophy class Brookies that are way easier to catch through the ice and years that you can snowmobile in after April 16th, the big Brookies get hammered. I'm sure you know the ones I am talking about. There is always going to be increased pressure on good fishing water due to word of mouth which, by the way, spreads very fast due to technology. I think good conservation outweighs the hope that it would decrease the traffic.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

And to think that in the mid 70's when I first went up and started to fish on the Boulder's you would only see perhaps 3 or 4 others all weekend long. 

Where is that time machine when you want one.


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## flydaddy834 (Sep 11, 2007)

i have some questions about the area i know you guys can shed some light. First off how many lakes are in the boulders even the ones without names and stuff? Second how come the fish in the Uintahs do not grow like the ones down there. kinda off subject but thought you would be the one to ask.


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## muscles (Dec 13, 2009)

i have done a 4 day trip to the boulders every summer for the past few years. each time, ive seen no more than 3 others at any lake. i hike.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

gunplay said:


> I do know of some of the lakes up there that have trophy class Brookies that are way easier to catch through the ice and years that you can snowmobile in after April 16th, the big Brookies get hammered.


So, why not educate anglers on the potential dangers of keeping these "susceptible" trophy fish? Is it really necessary to close these lakes down? Is there truly a biological reason, or is it only social reason -- perceived damage vs. actual damage?



gunplay said:


> There is always going to be increased pressure on good fishing water due to word of mouth...


Agreed. 100%. You CANNOT keep good fishing quiet. Internet or not, good fishing gets noticed, and people want to go and participate in good fishing -- and why shouldn't they? Why should good fishing be kept secret?

I still think that if anglers are upset with summer time crowding on the Boulder Mountain lakes, then open them back up to winter time fishing, and spread the angler hours out across 365 days.

Flydaddy -- there are approximately 80 lakes on the Boulder Mountain with fish. There are lots of other lakes, ponds, puddles, marshes, and swamps that do not have fish.
There are numerous factors that make the Boulder Mountain fisheries unique. One factor is the crustaceon population -- scuds, fresh-water shrimp. They are very prolific in most lakes on the Boulder. This creates a prime food base for trout. Combine the food base with a lake that has poor spawning habitat (or some other factor that limits reproduction of brook trout) and you end up with a lake that grows big trout fast.


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

Wow. Winter fishing for huge vulnerable brook trout is a disgusting practice. I've found large sheets of black plastic at a certain trophy lake in the spring that I'm sure were used to lay on the ice and peer down on vulnerable spawning fish. It just seams that the mindset of people fishing this way instantly changes. If would be toleratable if folks obeyed the 2 fish over 14" limit but with little or no law enforcement, people lose their self-control. I haven't seen it myself, but heard from reliable sources about people sledding into a certain lake and hauling out sacks of 5lb. brook trout. 
I also feel opening these lakes year round would take little pressure off the summer crowding. Probably doesn't matter though. Some of the locals down there feel they own the Mountain and can ice fish and ATV into any damned lake they want!


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

flydaddy834 said:


> i have some questions about the area i know you guys can shed some light. First off how many lakes are in the boulders even the ones without names and stuff? Second how come the fish in the Uintahs do not grow like the ones down there. kinda off subject but thought you would be the one to ask.


 Like PBH said, scuds. The volcanic basalt rock bottoms helps and being further south gives them about 6 weeks more ice-off also.
However, there are some very nice brookies in the Uintas, but the fish over 3lbs. are bit harder to come by.


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## flydaddy834 (Sep 11, 2007)

thanks for the education guys as to why the place is what it is. Now here my take on the subject thats been going around. I wish people with just practice catch and release everywhere. Sure keep one maybe but then put the rest back. Most people eat what they catch and they really enjoy eating them but if I could be king for one day thats what I would do... put em back let em grow let others catch let others experience. I will keep a few from time to time but to me if its not over 20 its going back. This one thing though if it just became second nature to people to just release the fish we wouldnt have to worrie about pressure. 

I just want to give hats off to some of you guys on here you know a lot about Utah and the waters in the state I think some of you people should quit your job or something and become bioligists or politicians


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

The sad thing is that there are a lot of lurkers here and on other sites that use what we talk about, for their own gain but they don't give anything back.
They don't join the forums and give reports.
If you look at who is on line at any given time you will see that there are more "guests" than members looking at the site.
This is a big reason for the CCF forum.
Lurkers can't see what is being reported there.

So my take is this.
Do Post what you want in the forum that you want, including pictures if you like.
Do Follow the Forum Rules.
Don't out others fishing holes, when they don't say where they are.[see forum rules]
Don't chastise others for their reports, as long as they follow the rules.
Debates are good and often fun, as long as things don't get heated.
After all, we all have our own opinions and should be able to express them.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

brookieguy1 said:


> Winter fishing for huge vulnerable brook trout is a disgusting practice.


Education. Education. Education. That's the only solution. Regulations that prevent people from fishing during this "vulnerable" time only stops those people that understand and care. Those that don't care about the "vulnerability" don't care about the winter closure and fish it anyway.

further, concerning summer time pressure and winter closures: We already know that by opening up fishing to the winter months, pressure in the summer goes down. The pressure is spread out across a full 365 days. We know this because of the effect on the entire state when it was opened up to 365 day fishing. Like I said, people fish a certain amount of days per year, no matter if you have a full year to use them or not.



flydaddy said:


> I wish people would just practice catch and release everywhere.


This wouldn't work. If you look at the regulations on the Boulder Mountain there is a bonus limit of an additional 4 brook trout. You can potentially harvest 8 brook trout (size restrictions still apply). Why? Because in numerous waters brook trout pose a threat, and are a problem. You cannot simply place "catch and release" regulations and expect good results. In most waters, 100% catch and release would NOT be beneficial. Some mortality is needed for a healthy fishery.

Flydaddy -- I have a document I think you might like to read. I'll email it to you, if you like (pm me with your address). I'd also send it to anyone else that would like to read it. There is a lot of good information in it regarding fisheries management: "A Simple 4-Step Method to Manage for Quality Fishing". (if pdf's were allowed, I'd just post it for everyone!)


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## cpierce (Dec 2, 2010)

Interesting discussion. My opinion is that some lakes would be harmed by being open in the winter. Not all lakes, but the ones the "non-caring" know about that have the big fish. My reasoning is that it is even easier to get into some of the lakes with snowmobiles than it is to get to them in the summer. Plus there are fewer witnesses and patrolling, so the unscrupulous will take advantage and just about strip some of the lakes.


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