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Thursday Sept 11

Tree leaves are starting to change colors at higher elevations. The next few weeks will bring wonderful scenery so get out and enjoy.

Our streams continue to fish well. Summer insects are all but gone; it's now time to focus on terrestrials, streamers and nymphs. Streamer fishing will become better and better during the next few weeks. Browns in particular strike streamers, which resemble minnows.

With vacations over and more stuff to do, our streams and lakes are quite during the week and may become crowded on weekends. Fish mid-week, if you can.

Strawberry, Scofield, Fish Lake, Otter Creek, Flaming Gorge and many other waters offer great trout action. Fish will be feeding aggressively along shorelines and near inlets during the next several weeks. They can be caught using flies, lures and baits. Jigs tipped with bait have worked well recently.

Mornings are chilly now at Strawberry and other high-elevation waters. Dress in layers.

Lake Powell action is good but striper boils are not as frequent as in past years. The lower lake is better for anglers seeking boils. The upper lake is great for smallmouth, largemouth and an occasional striper.

Abundant shad are making stripers fat and lazy on the upper lake. DWR Biologist Wayne Gustaveson makes this prediction: "The shad spawn next spring will be small due to the high numbers of shad competing with each other for food. The end result will be a normal Lake Powell high success year in 2009 with big fish being common. That will be a peak year to be remembered. Plan now to fish the lake in 2009." Read Wayne's full report.

- Lake Powell - 36 pound striper wins contest

- Lake Powell - where are the striper boils?

- Lake Powell smallmouth and largemouth are biting

- Newcastle Reservoir has wipers

- Flaming Gorge yields big lake trout

- Utah Lake meeting to allow public input into management plans

- Strawberry is great jigging for bows, cutts

- Jordanelle has a strong smallmouth bite

- Willard catfish are biting but walleye, wipers are slow

- Panguitch Lake offers nice rainbows

- Huntington & Cleveland tiger trout & rainbows

- Scofield is spotty, nice fish when you find them

- Smith & Morehouse makes for a fun family trip

DWR

- Mountain goat poached on the Tushar Mountains

- View migrating birds of prey

- Take your kids waterfowl hunting on Sep. 27

- See kokanee salmon at Sheep Creek

- Youth chukar hunt was a hoot

- See bright red kokanee salmon (at Strawberry Wildlife Festival)

Salt Lake Tribune

- Public meetings set for proposed changes to fishing regulations

- Cutthroat trout ducks endangered species list

- Feds won't extend protections to Bonneville trout

- Utah State Fair: See the fairly odd

- Court: Streams are fair game

- Flash flood in Escalante slot canyon claims 2 hikers

- Nature's Novices rock the boat on kayaking adventure (with multimedia)

- Tight Lines: My dream of Alaska jeopardized by a mine

- Hike, drive or walk to enjoy Utah's autumn splendor

- Trout in Lehi's Dry Creek found dead

- Idaho sockeye released into Redfish Lake

- Catch as many trout as you can on Vernon Reservoir

- Where is it?

- Hook Shot

- Outtakes: Family of foxes

- Bird watch: Warbling vireo

- Outdoor Notebook: Researchers will cast eyes on thousands of raptors

- A busy fall at Utah's state parks

- Be aware of carbon-monoxide dangers while boating on Utah's waters

- Introducing a new Tribune outdoors blog

- New map of Kanab area available

Deseret News

- Bonneville trout isn't endangered

- Outdoor notes

- 2 dead in flash flood in southern Utah

- Action sports tour roars into Salt Lake

- Bishop slams Democrats over oil debate

- 'Free Day' at Bryce

- Dispute over roads in Emery County heats up

- Energy firm cites benefits of drilling plan in Carbon

- Great Salt Lake level approaches record low

- Bark beetles are feasting on Utah forests

- Thinking of a road trip? Try renting an RV

- Despite fuel prices, Yellowstone RV park is full of enthusiasts

- Legacy Parkway opens to public on Saturday

Other

- Utah's state fish avoids federal protection

- Tainted water kills Dry Creek fish in Lehi

- Changes proposed by DWR for 2009 fishing season

Regional

- Restoration efforts help trout species in Idaho

- Group dealing with influx of desert tortoises

- Crucial Grand Canyon sandbars have rapidly eroded

- Barbecue and celebration caps Salmon and Steelhead Days

- Two Idaho Grizzly Bears Found Dead

- Fish rap: Fall is a great time to fish the Boise River

- Fish Tales

- FS approves plan for polluted E. Idaho mine

- Ask Zimo: Sockeye salmon once spawned in Payette Lake's tributaries

- Chatham wins One Fly

- Grizzly recovery doesn't warrant their delisting

- Bighorns in decline

- Outdoor Journal: Fishing, scenery perfect on North Fork outing

- Senate panel approves federal pay for wolf kills

- Agencies partner to battle water invaders

- Zap! Marauding grizzlies in for nasty shock

- Freshwater Fish on Rapid Decline in North America

- Top anglers stalking trout in Summit County

- Fishing hot spot: Union Reservoir

- Unwelcome perch lurch into trout lakes

- Lakes brace for mussel invasion

- Fishing report: It's fall — fish accordingly

- Fewer fishers, big appetite make fall fishing great

- Nevada game wardens seize illegal African frogs

- High Sierra rescue effort saves 6500 fish

- Nev., Calif., officials sign landmark river deal

- Truckee River agreement reached

Bonneville cutthroat trout is not endangered, according to a new US Fish and Wildlife Service ruling. I think that is good news for the fish, and for anglers. Here's my take.

New fishing rules will probably be approved at the next Wildlife Board Meeting, set for Oct 2. Here's a summary of proposed changes. Here's the meeting agenda. People interested in commenting on proposed changes need to do so immediately. Comments can be made by emailing Regional Council Advisory members. Here's a list of RAC members, with email addresses.

Archery deer and elk hunts end Friday and a several popular hunts begin Saturday. Hunts beginning include:

- Cottontail Rabbit & Snowshow Hare

- Youth general season bull elk

- Forest grouse

- Once in a lifetime bull moose and Rocky Mountain goat

See DWR's Wildlife Calendar for more information.

Lake Powell Shad Rally North, Sept 19-20 at Stanton Creek (near Bullfrog). Meet other fishermen, share information and food. Socialize. But mostly just fish.

Escalante Canyons Art Festival/Everett Ruess Days, Sept 25-27 in Escalante. The Fifth Annual Escalante Canyons Art Festival will be held midway between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks and surrounded by the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Features include speakers, vendors, workshops, food, entertainment and a plein air competition with a silent auction and gala. Featured artist is Oil/Wildlife artist Randsom Owens. 435-826-4924

View migrating birds of prey. Thousands of birds of prey fly through Utah's clear, crisp skies every fall. You can see and learn more about these migrating birds of prey during Utah's annual Raptor Watch Day on Sep. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Orem overlook along Squaw Peak Road.