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FROZEN PONDS — The temperatures have plummeted, making prime conditions for ice fishing in Utah.
If you are interested in doing some fishing and wouldn't mind earning prizes while you are at it, then attend one of the three ice fishing tournaments that will be hosted by the Utah State Parks during the next few weeks.
Wasatch Back Quad-fishalon
The biggest of the upcoming ice fishing tournaments, the Wasatch Back Quad-fishalon, takes place at four different state parks throughout Utah: East Canyon, Deer Creek, Jordanelle and Rockport. The tournament is trout-only and each participant may enter one trout caught at each event.
The top three anglers with the biggest trout will be rewarded, Utah State Parks officials said. There are over $5,000 in prizes available, including Cabela's gift cards and fishing clinics; however, each registered participant will receive a Cabela's swag bag.
The possession limit is four fish, and any fish caught and released must be unharmed, the news release said. If a fish is stressed, it will be counted toward the angler's possession limit.
There's ice on many waters out there, but a lot of it is unsafe. Please spread the word!
Posted by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on Tuesday, December 29, 2015
The fee for the full tournament is $55 per person until Jan. 17, when the registration fee increases to $70 per person. The participation fee includes entrance to the state parks. If anglers only want to participate in one event, the registration fee is $15/person for pre-registered participants who register by midnight on the Thursday before the event. Registration on the day of the single event is $20 per person. The East Canyon event will be held Saturday, Jan. 23; the event at Deer Creek will be held Saturday, Jan. 30; the Jordanelle event will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 and the Rockport event will be held Saturday, Feb. 13.
Each event will run from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and participants registering on-site can register between 6-7 a.m. Dogs, ATVs and snowmobiles are not allowed at Deer Creek State Park during the event.
Steinaker Ice Fishing Tournament
The sixth annual Steinaker Ice Fishing Tournament will be held at Steinaker State Park on Saturday, Jan. 30. The tournament will be for rainbow and brown trout only and will include both an adult and youth division.
Registration begins on the day of competition and will be held from 6-11 a.m. The tournament will begin at 7:30 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. The adult entry fee is $15 per participant and the youth division will be $10 for youth 16 years old and younger.
Rockport Tagged Fish Challenge
The Rockport Tagged Fish Challenge began Jan. 1 at 6 a.m. and runs until April 30 at 5 p.m., according to Utah State Parks officials. The challenge gives anglers the opportunity to catch one of the 100 tagged rainbow trout that can be redeemed for a variety of prizes, including one tagged fish worth $3,000. The prizes range from an $800 Kubota Tool Box to family park passes to Lagoon.
Any angler who catches one of the tagged trout should present the tag to a Rockport State Park staff member during the period of the contest. However, they will not be notified of what prize they have won until the end of the contest. All tagged fish must be caught in accordance with all state and local laws, codes, rules and regulations, Utah State Parks officials said.
All anglers involved in any of the tournaments must have a valid Utah fishing license, and any cheating or violation of the rules will result in disqualification.
Anglers should also make sure they check the conditions before venturing onto any ice during the competition.
