DWR asks anglers to target harmful carp and trout at these popular fishing waterbodies

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Department of Wildlife Resources is asking anglers across the state to harvest harmful fish species in two popular waterbodies.

When certain species of fish becomes too numerous in a body of water, they can reduce the food supply for other fish species, causing fish to grow slower and remain smaller.

“More anglers prefer to participate in catch-and-release fishing, which leaves more fish in the system and increases competition for limited resources,” DWR Sportfish Coordinator Trina Hedrick said Thursday.

According to Hedrick, when a lake or reservoir exceeds its maximum number of fish, an overabundance of skinny, smaller fish becomes evident.

The following waterbodies are currently under threat of such a change to fish populations due to an overabundance.

• Flaming Gorge Reservoir — overabundance of small lake trout
• Pelican Lake — overabundance of carp

Officials with DWR are requesting anglers to harvest small lake trout that are under 28 inches from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. “Currently, the popular reservoir in northeastern Utah — known for producing some of the largest lake trout in the U.S. — has too many small lake trout.”

“We encourage anglers to prioritize eating the fish or sharing them with others,” Hedrick said. “Anglers can also use the harvested fish to fertilize their gardens with fish — or you can feed your pets fresh fish.”

The DWR is also request anglers harvest carp at Pelican Lake. “Carp are invasive and when their population grows too large, hey can impact the water quality of a waterbody by uprooting the vegetation and degrading the habitat,” wildlife officials said.

There is no daily limit for carp and anglers are encouraged to kill any they catch.