Utah is participating in a promotion sponsored by Cabelas. Fish have been tagged and released into waters in Utah and other states. If you preregister and then catch a tagged fish you could win up to $1,000,000 (or even double that amount).

Utah's DWR provided the information below. .

Utah is one of 19 states that are holding a "Wanna' Go Fishing for Millions?" contest this year. The contest is sponsored by Cabela's.

If you catch a fish with a contest tag on it, you'll be eligible for some big prizes.

The fish were tagged by biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources. "We're happy to help," says Roger Wilson, Aquatic Section chief for the DWR. "We wish the anglers who participate in this contest the best of luck. We hope you're one of the prize winners."

See more details.

Utah waters with tagged fish include:

• Bear Lake
• East Canyon
• Grantsville
• Joes Valley
• Lake Powell
• Mantua
• Paragonah Lake
• Sand Hollow
• Starvation
• Utah Lake
• Willard Bay

"Scat from the wilderness near Springville that was supposed to prove once and for all whether the area is inhabited by wolves or wolf-dog hybrids is from ... coyotes."

That quote comes from this new article about the search for wolves in the mountains east of Springville. But the search is not over, by any means. Wildlife experts who have caught glimpses of animals in a remote area are certain they were not coyotes. They speculate that a group of wolves, or wolf-dog hybrids, live in the area, along with coyotes and other native wildlife. If there are wolves they apparently migrated down from the Yellowstone area.

So the hunt continues.

If hybrids are found they will probably be destroyed. If wolves are found then wildlife officials will evaluate options, which might include capturing and relocating the animals.

The article notes that some members of the public have expressed fear because of the possibility of wolves in the area. The fact that nobody has been able to get a clear view of the animals shows that they are shy and avoid human contact. They pose little danger to people recreating in the area. On the contrary, it is the wolves that are in danger.

We fished hard hoping to catch a few walleye. Nope. Did catch several fat rainbows. And surprisingly, we caught two nice browns using walleye tactics.

We fished yesterday afternoon. Launched cabout 3:30 pm and fished until after it was fully dark. Big, bright, full moon so we could have kept fishing. It was pretty on the water.

Launced at the main St Park ramp and worked the shoreline up to the Island, then did several loops along the Island's deep-water shorline. We started catching fish immediately. All of the rainbows seemed to be from the same year-class. They were 12-14 inches long, fat and healthy. They hit hard and found hard. Fun to catch.

We tried all kinds of lures, trying to get something deep to entice a walleye. The most productive as an "Orginal Rapala" in rainbow colors. Small. We couldn't keep the rainbows from hitting the Rapala.

I tried bottom-bouncing along the rocky shoreline but just caught Rainbows.

At sunset, Kevin was casting a Lucky Craft into the rocks off The Island and had a fierce hit. In the water the fish looked different and we really hoped it was a walleye, but nope, a brown. I was trolling deep, trying to brush the tops of rocks and I caught another brown.

It was windy, water was choppy, so we couldn't hold any position to jig deep. After the sun went down it became quite cold. The water surface temperature was about 54 F when we started fishing and fell to about 52 F after sundown.

Rainbow fishing was fast during the warmest part of the afternoon but slowed as the sun went down. After sundown they moved somewhere - we couldn't even see them on the graph.

It was a fun trip.

(This is a news release provided by Utah's DWR.)

2,100 More Elk

DWR seeks input about deer and elk plans

Plans that determine the total number of deer and elk in Utah are up for revision.

The change Division of Wildlife Resources biologists are recommending to the deer plan would allow them to use the most up-to-date habitat information available to decide whether deer population objectives should be raised, lowered or remain the same.

In the past, the plans for all five regions in Utah were revised once every five years.

Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the DWR, says the DWR’s range trend crew does extensive on-the-ground habitat analysis in one of the five regions every summer.  Then the next summer, they travel to the next region.

“If deer objectives need to change,” Aoude says, “it makes sense to make the changes as soon as possible after receiving the latest habitat information for a region.  Instead of revising all five regions once every five years, we’re recommending that one region be revised each year, using habitat information the range crew gathered the summer before.”

The biggest change biologists are recommending involves Utah’s elk herds.  “We feel the state can handle a few more elk than we’re currently managing for,” Aoude says.

Biologists are recommending that the total number of elk in Utah be allowed to grow from a current objective of 68,825 elk to 70,965 elk.  If approved, the 2,140 additional elk would be scattered across the following units: Chalk Creek, Kamas, Avintaquin, West Desert, Fillmore and Fish Lake.

The only area where the total number of elk would decrease is the Paunsaugunt unit in southern Utah.  Biologists are recommending that the elk herd on the unit be reduced by 35 animals.

You can see all of the biologists’ recommendations on the Web at http://go.usa.gov/V3y.

After you arrive at http://go.usa.gov/V3y, scroll down the page to the ‘May RAC and June Board meetings’ heading to find the recommendations.

Learn more, share your ideas

After you’ve reviewed the ideas at http://go.usa.gov/V3y, you can let your Regional Advisory Council members know your thoughts by attending your upcoming RAC meeting or by sending an email to them.

RAC chairmen will share the input they receive with members of the Utah Wildlife Board.  The board will meet in Salt Lake City on June 6 to approve revisions to the management plans.

Dates, times and locations for the RAC meetings are as follows:     

Southern Region                               Central Region

May 8                                                              May 15

7 p.m.                                                             6:30 p.m.

Richfield High School                                       Springville Public Library Meeting Room

510 W. 100 S.                                                 45 S. Main St.

Richfield                                                         Springville

Southeastern Region                      Northern Region

May 9                                                            May 16

6:30 p.m.                                                       6 p.m.

John Wesley Powell Museum                          Brigham City Community Center

1765 E. Main St.                                            24 N. 300 W.

Green River                                                    Brigham City

Northeastern Region

May 10

6:30 p.m.

Bingham Entrepreneurship and Energy Research Center

320 N. 2000 W.

Vernal

Email

You can also provide your comments to your RAC via email.  Email addresses for your RAC members are available at http://go.usa.gov/IMk.

The group each RAC member represents (sportsman, non-consumptive, etc.) is listed under each person’s email address.  You should direct your email to the people on the RAC who represent your interest.

I fished Diamond Fork this afternoon - or at least tried to fish it. The stream is running high and is chalky. Many spots that are normally productive holes were just fast water today. Conditions were difficult.

I've been fishing Diamond Fork often and this was the highest water so far this year.

I expect we will see peak runoff on that stream during the next week or so.

Conditions are probably similar on other unprotected streams. During the next couple weeks the best stream fishing will be on stream sections below dams. So that means fish the famous waters with crowds of people:

• The Green
• The Provo
• The Weber between the dams

(Note: This is a news release provided by Utah DWR)

Conservation permit program provides the funding

Salt Lake City -- Utah’s wildlife received a $1.3 million gift recently. The gift came courtesy of Utah’s conservation permit program. Here’s how the program works:

• The Division of Wildlife Resources allocates a small number of big game, black bear, cougar and turkey hunting permits to conservation organizations in Utah.

• The groups auction the permits at their yearly banquets.

• After auctioning the permits, at least 90 percent of the money the groups raise must be used on DWR-approved projects that benefit Utah’s wildlife.

$1.3 million

Seven groups received conservation permits in 2011: Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, the Mule Deer Foundation, the Wild Sheep Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Utah Bowman’s Association.

On April 11, representatives from the seven groups met with DWR biologists to decide which projects the money would be used to fund. A total of 66 projects received more than $1.3 million in funding.

Mike Canning, Habitat Section chief for the DWR, says allowing these groups to auction the permits is a windfall for Utah’s wildlife. “The amount of money that ends up going into on-the-ground work to help wildlife across Utah is astounding,” he says.

Canning gives some examples of how conservation permit funds are used:

• Much of the money the conservation permit program generates each year funds habitat projects that are part of Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative.

The initiative started in 2005. Since it began, more than $76 million has been used to restore more than 778,000 acres of wildlife habitat across the state.

The conservation permit program provided more than $5.4 million of the $76 million.

“Our goal is to restore at least 100,000 acres a year so we’re providing Utah’s wildlife with the food, cover and other habitat items the wildlife need,” Canning says.

• To transplant bighorn sheep.

• To survey Utah’s elk herds from the air.

• To conduct research projects, such as determining why the growth of Utah’s moose population has slowed in recent years.

• To build more water collection devices called “guzzlers.” Guzzlers provide additional water to wildlife species in some of Utah’s driest areas.

• To learn more about the best ways to construct wildlife-crossing structures. These structures are vital in helping deer and other wildlife safely cross some of Utah’s most heavily traveled roads.

The ice is pulling back right now at Strawberry Reservoir. With these warm temperatures it is coming off fast, and earlier than normal. There is already considerable open water, especially on the Soldier Creek side. It is impossible to predict how long it will take for the entire lake to open up. A warm storm coming in tomorrow may speed up the thaw. My best guess is there will be ice through this weekend, and the lake will be totally ice free sometime next week.

Many anglers anxiously awaite this time of year and try to fish when they can work baits and lures along the edge of the ice as it pulls back from shore. Action can be fast if you get in the right spot at the right time. But the fish can be finicky and success can be slow if you don't find the right spot.

Don Allphin has this article about fishing Strawberry at ice-off. It offers good tips and strategies. Here's one quote:

"Black marabou 1/4-ounce jigs are great lures to use during the ice-off period. At times, there might be a lot of open water in the main lake areas, but if you were to hike into some small, protected bays you may discover that the ice is just beginning to recede. Whenever possible, cast your jig onto the ice and then carefully bring it to the edge and let it drop in the water. This is a great way to manufacture a strike."

Ice is now pulling back at Scofield. Ice-off fishing should be good there this weekend and early next week.

Strawberry ice-off may start later next week, still too early to know for sure. Watch for updates.

Many streams are now running high and a little muddy, but are still fishable. The best stream fishing now will be on protected stretches below dams:

Green River

Provo below Jordanelle and below Deer Creek

Weber between the dams

Ogden below Pineview

Huntington below Electric Lake

Lake Powell is now heating up for stripers, smallmouth, largemouth and other species. Peak spring action will probably occur late April and early May. I'm planning to head down the fist weekend in May. I still have room in the boat if anyone ways to come.

Flaming Gorge and many small reservoirs now offer good trout fishing.

I fished the stream below Joes Valley yesterday and did well using nymphs, catching small browns and cutts. The water was very low, very clear and very cold. Not much insect action.

We had planed to fish Joes from my little inflatable boat, but the wind was strong and gusty and we didn't dare launch.

Spring weather is bring improved fishing to Utah.

Deer Creek Reservoir has open water and good fishing. Boat ramps are open.

Rockport has still had ice but that should be pulling back or be gone about now.

Strawberry has some fishable open water in front of the Ladders, but ice is still solid over most of the lake. It will still be a few weeks before it will start to pull back.

Lake Powell bass and striped bass are becoming more active and fishing is picking up. Action will be very good in April. Strangely, several rainbow trout have been caught recently in Lake Powell. Read the fishing report here for details.

Streams are running high and many have a little color, but are very fishable. Every day I go on a walk along Hobble Creek, near by home, and watch the trout. They are definitely becoming more active - I'm seeing more fish lurking in feeding lanes.

Yesterday I fished Sixth Water, which is a tributary to Diamond Fork. We hiked into the rugged canyon above the confluence of Sixth Water and Fifth Water, into an area that sees few fishermen. We did well for smaller trout, most about 12 inches long. Our biggest was a 16-inch brown. We caught browns, cutts and one rainbow.

The stream was flowing fast and it was hard to get deep enough to reach the fish. The water was a little muddy but not bad. I fished a Gulp Minnow on a colored jig head and had pretty consistent fishing. My companions fished worms along the bottom and caught more than I did.