See this fish at Strawberry Reservoir? Kill and report it, say officials

Derick Fox
·2 min read
12

HEBER CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is asking fishers at Strawberry Reservoir to kill and report any walleye fish after they believe the species was illegally introduced to the reservoir last year.

Strawberry Reservoir, a Blue Ribbon Fishery located just south of Heber City in Wasatch County, is typically stocked with cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. In December 2023, an angler reported catching the walleye, raising concerns among wildlife officials.

DWR said when a fish is illegally introduced to a pond, stream or lake, it can have several negative effects including degrading water quality and introducing disease.

“Walleye could easily disrupt our ability to manage the current trout and salmon populations at Strawberry Reservoir through competition and direct predation as a predator fish,” DWR Fisheries Biologist Alan Ward after the initial report.

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Any fishers who catch a walleye while fishing at Strawberry Reservoir are asked to provide specific information about the catch, including location, date, and time and provide pictures of the catch.

Walleye can be identified as a torpedo-shaped fish that ranges from dark olive brown to yellowish gold in color. Its sides are often marked with brassy flakes and it typically weighs one to two pounds. Walleye have a pearlescent eye for which it gets its name and typically lacks spots on its dorsal fin.

Reports can be made by contacting DWR Central Region Aquatics Biologist Wes Pearce by calling 801-455-2010 or by emailing strawberryreservoir@utah.gov

Since the first walleye was found in December, DWR officials said they have not found any others but are asking fishers to stay vigilant and report any new findings.

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Ward said DWR is taking the illegal introduction of walleye very seriously to protect the trout and salmon fisheries.

“The ice just came off of Strawberry Reservoir recently and we have started setting some shoreline walleye nets to monitor for any additional adult walleye that may be trying to spawn right now,” said Ward. “We have not caught or detected any walleye in our netting and monitoring efforts so far but we plan to continue this activity for a few more weeks during the timeframe when the water temperatures are ideal for walleye spawning activity.”

In addition to netting efforts, DWR also plans to do electrofishing surveys to safely stun and monitor the fish in the reservoir to determine if any more walleye remain.

In Utah, it is illegal to move live fish from one waterbody to another or take them home alive, according to DWR. It is also illegal to dump unwanted aquarium fish into a waterbody. Doing so could result in a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and up to $2,500 in fines.

Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are also offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of whoever illegally introduced walleye into Strawberry Reservoir.

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