GUNLOCK STATE PARK — If you enjoy fishing, Gunlock State Park is the place to be, as there is currently no limit for fish, according to the park manager.

Located about 15 miles northwest of St. George, Gunlock Reservoir was completed in November 1970 and established as a state park. The reservoir, state park and nearby city were named after William Haynes Hamblin, a Mormon pioneer who settled the area in 1857. Hamblin was a good hunter and sharpshooter and was skilled in repairing gunlocks, earning him the nickname, Gunlock Bill, according to Gunlock State Park manager Laura Melling.

Due to the warm water and mild winter climate, the park offers a variety of activities year-round. Here are some things to do at Gunlock State Park this summer:

Fishing

Gunlock Reservoir has a variety of fish species including largemouth bass, crappie bluegill, rainbow trout and catfish. Some of the catfish currently in the reservoir are around 4 feet long, Melling said. Each year, the meltoff drainage and overflow from the Santa Clara River and Baker's Reservoir flows into Gunlock Reservoir and on into the Virgin River, Melling said.

There are three endangered fish species in the Virgin River, and because an angler illegally introduced aggressive smallmouth bass into Gunlock Reservoir, Division of Wildlife Resources must now treat the water to kill all the fish to preserve the endangered species, Melling said.

"Right now, the concentration of smallmouth bass is high enough that the Division of Wildlife Resources is going to poison that reservoir this fall," she said. "It's a two-year program — they will do it this fall and they will do it the following fall. They will wipe out the fishery and then the following year they will restock it."

As a result, there is currently no limit on the number of fish an angler can catch and keep. Fishing boats can be launched each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the boat ramp closes around Labor Day.

Collect driftwood

Melling said Gunlock Reservoir is around 240 surface acres in size when full, and during heavy snow years, it often overflows and runs over the dam, creating beautiful waterfalls. Because of the drainage from the Santa Clara River, driftwood often collects around the shoreline and overflow area of the reservoir.

"We get a lot of people who hunt driftwood," she said. "A lot of local artists go out there to find driftwood to use in their art. … In the spring, it will build up and I will just pull it out and put it at the top of the parking lot and people are welcome to go through it."

Camping

Gunlock State Park has five established primitive campsites each with a fire pit, BBQ grill and table on a cement pad. The sites are currently first-come, first-served, but the park plans to establish a reservation system for 2016, Melling said. Camping is also allowed on the beach.

Day-use fees are $7 and camping in the park is $13 per day.

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