Boulger Reservoir Utah Emergency 16 Fish Limit Change
Eugene L. 05.31.22
The Boulger Reservoir in Utah has had its daily trout limit increased from 4 fish to 16 fish. The change will allow anglers to catch and keep more trout before the reservoir is drained. There is an upcoming mining project in the area that requires the reservoir to be drained.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Director J. Shirley issued an emergency change to the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook on Thursday, May 19. This emergency change is the upping of the daily limit of trout at Boulger Reservoir to give anglers the opportunity to catch and keep more fish at Boulger Reservoir in Sanpete County. Boulger Reservoir will be drained starting in the fall when a coal mining project will occur beneath the waterbody. The reservoir will remain empty until the mining project is finished.
Boulger Reservoir Utah Emergency 16 Fish Limit Change
A popular fishing destination due to its proximity to Highway 264(Energy Loop) and Electric Lake, Boulger Reservoir is known for its trout fishery. The two species available to anglers are the rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. The rainbow trout are stocked by the DNR, while the cutthroat trout enter the reservoir through a tributary. Before the emergency change, the daily limit was four trout total.
“We want anglers to be able to harvest more fish at Boulger, so they aren’t wasted when the reservoir is drained,” DWR Southeastern Region Aquatics Manager Justin Hart said. “We hope people can get out and catch and eat a lot of these fish before that happens.”
Once the mining activity is completed, the reservoir will be refilled. After which the Utah DNR plans to restock the reservoir with trout once the reservoir is refilled. This is all tentatively planned for this fall or in 2023
The increased daily fish limit of 16 trout became effective May 19 and will remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2023. All other rules established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect.
