Redfleet Reservoir Managment Committee Meeting

On the evening of February 4th, 2016, we held our annual update on the status of Redfleet Reservoir. The management workgroup is made up of anglers, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources personnel, State Parks, The US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and many others. The workgroup convened to follow up on the Redfleet Reservoir Management Plan which was started in January of 2015. The plan was developed with input from the above named groups and agencies. The reservoir was successfully treated on October 21 of 2015 to remove fertile Walleye from the system. Prior to the treatment (September 2015), local anglers and the DWR got together to remove and save as many Largemouth Bass as possible. The capture was by hook and line as well as electrofishing. An estimated 800-820 Largemouth Bass from 2" to 17" were moved to Steinaker Reservoir. Most of the fish killed in the treatment were smaller fish 12" or so for Bass, 12-13" for Walleye, and super small for the Bluegill. There were a few large fish in all species. The treatment cost $145,000 just for the Rotenone alone. There were personnel costs and other expenses on top of this. The cost went up because there were late season rains that raised the reservoir level (more area to treat). The US Fish & Wildlife Service Colorado River Recovery Program covered half the cost of the Rotenone. We wouldn't have had to cover this cost if someone hadn't illegally put Walleye in Redfleet. This is a cost borne by all fishermen - the money comes from license sales and general fund. On a bright note, the reservoir has been restocked with some of the fish outlined in the management plan (the species going back in were what the public told the workgroup they wanted in Redfleet). Here's what has been stocked so far - 8,000 Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (8”); 2,200 wipers (6”); 10,000 rainbow trout (10”), 1,000 fathead minnows. The DWR will be spawning Walleye this spring to produce the sterile Walleye for a spring stocking. The Black Crappie will be later in April and the Perch will be the first of March (caught at Fish Lake), the Mountain Whitefish will probably mid-year. More Fathead minnows will be stocked as they become available. The DWR will need help with all of these transplant/capture projects and a schedule will be posted once it is finalized. I would ask the public to practice catch and release or selective harvest on the prey species (Perch and Crappie) until they become established in the reservoir. Once they are fully established then it will probably be necessary for the public to take a limit of these prey species. I think Redfleet is well on its way to becoming a destination fishery in the Uintah Basin and I really hope that no one decides to illegally put any fish in Redfleet. If the management plan recommendations are followed by all of us, we are going to have a unique and wonderful fishery.