The Division of Wildlife Resources had adopted a new fishery management plan for Scofield Reservoir after a public online survey on the agency’s website last Fall. The agency took the results to form a panel of volunteers that would establish a new management plan. In July, the plan was presented to the Central and Southeast Reginal Advisory Councils which resulted in the decision to add three new fish species to Scofield Reservoir.

“We’ve been battling Utah Chubs at Scofield Reservoir for the last 10 or 12 years and Utah chub are a very large minnow that can get 12 to 14 inches and they compete directly with trout,” said Regional Aquatic Manager, Justin Hart. “We’ve been trying to figure out a way to reduce the chub numbers and the last few years we’ve been using cutthroat trout and tiger trout and they have worked very well at controlling the small Utah chub that are being produced.” However, the large chub has grown in numbers, outcompeting rainbow trout and they need to be whittled down.

The consensus from the survey showed that people want change in the diversity of species. “We are going to be stocking some really large rainbow trout, larger fish than we stock anywhere else, just to get through that competition with the Utah chub. So the fish we are going to be stocking the rainbow trout are going to be around 12 inches give or take and they will be immediately available for anglers to harvest,” stated Hart. The Management Plan panel is hoping that this will reestablish the family fishery at Scofield.

Other changes that were made immediately taken this summer was stocking the lake with 12,000 tiger muskie and a few different size of wipers were added. Also, installing screening below the reservoir to minimize fish escapement down into the river and once this has been completed walleye will be stocked.

The Management Plan panel hopes that adding new species will help reduce the number of chubs, if they do not see a substantial reduction the backup plan is to do a rotenone treatment to the lake.

To keep in informed on what is happening at Scofield Reservoir visit the DWR website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES