Drought doesn’t just affect Utah’s lakes, rivers, and streams — it also affects the fish who live in them, requiring more thought and care from anglers this summer.
While fish can’t drown in quite the way people can, it is possible for them to suffocate in the water when there isn’t enough dissolved oxygen.
And unfortunately for Utah’s fish, drought means not only less water, but less dissolved oxygen in the water.
“Having less water in those water bodies, in the reservoirs and streams, that water is going to heat up more quickly throughout the summer,” said Trina Hedrick, the cold-water sport fish coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. “And warmer water holds less oxygen.”
That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t or shouldn’t fish during a drought — in fact, at Crouse Reservoir, anglers are currently allowed to harvest more fish than usual, since extremely low water levels have led to fears fish won’t survive.
And everywhere else, Hedrick said, it’s mostly business as usual.
“We certainly don’t want to discourage fishing. I think it’s always a good idea to go fishing,” she said. “It’s just, you know, making sure you’re aware of what the situation is and responding accordingly.”
That means following some best management practices when practicing catch and release to make sure the fish can recover, including going earlier in the day, pinching down the barbs on hooks, and minimizing the time you’re fighting the fish or have them out of the water.
“Just be really ready to get that fish in, get him unhooked, and get him back out,” Hedrick said. “That’s going to make the stress on him a lot less.”
All of these tips are mostly for catch-and-release, she added, not for those intending to harvest what they catch.
“If you’re going to harvest then it probably doesn’t matter,” Hedrick said, “because the stress that you’re putting on the fish, you’re just going to harvest that fish and take it home and eat it, and all will be fine.”
Those who don’t plan on fishing this summer can help decrease the stress on fish too — first, by using less water.
“A lot of the water that we use just in our homes comes from surface water sources, so it’s coming from a reservoir, it’s coming from a stream,” Hedrick said. “So if you can use less water in your house, then there’s more water for the fish.”
Not littering can also be a big help, since fish sometimes mistake trash for food.
“Most of it passes right through, but while it’s in there, they’re not getting any nutrition, right?” Hedrick said. “This is the time of year they want to put on growth and overcome some of those stresses.”
Finally, Hedrick encouraged anyone who wants to learn more about fishing or helping fish to visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.
“No one needs to feel guilty if they don’t know this already,” Hedrick said. “For many anglers it’s a good reminder, and for some it’s new information, but it’s important nonetheless.”
