DWR survey finds 21-pounder

A 21-pound brown trout was among several large fish brought up during gillnet surveys at Jordanelle Reservoir this month.

In addition to the 21-pound brown, many trout in the three- to five-pound range also showed up during the survey by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The DWR stocks about 60,000 rainbow trout annually in Jordanelle. In addition to the rainbow, a brown fishery has also been developed at the reservoir.

There has also been good fishing in recent years for smallmouth bass. Some of the bass being caught are said to be in the five-pound range.

June is typically a good month to fish for smallmouth, when water temperatures fall in the range of 60 to 65 degrees.

Every spring and fall, DWR biologists conduct surveys using gillnets at the reservoir, located five miles north of Heber City. These nets consist of monofilament line and have various mesh patterns that ensnare fish of all sizes.

Eight gillnets are set at eight different locations around the lake during May and October. After letting the nets set for a few hours, biologists retrieve the nets and look for trends in the fish caught. Biologists are looking at the number of fish sampled, the types of fish caught, the condition and health of the fish, their average size and what the fish have been eating.

Because of the healthy condition of the fish in the reservoir and the care the DWR takes in managing the fishery, aquatic biologists anticipate good fishing success this year at Jordanelle.