Stream access and invasives are fast becoming fly fishing’s seminal issues, and nowhere is the access problem clearer than in Utah, where anglers have taken a series of hits at the hands of a political machine which operates (like many in the west) for the sole benefit of a few.
Here’s how it rolls for fly fishermen in Utah:
- In 2008, State Supreme Court decides anglers OK to fish streams as long as they don’t trespass to get there
- Working group formed to address access issues caused by ruling (includes anglers, sportsmen’s groups, etc)
- Ranchers, real estate interests leave working group in a huff, and working in secrecy, put together HB 141 – which severely limits access to waters that haven’t been open to public access for the last ten years – and then fast track it,
- Chickenshit governor kisses real estate butt, basically says “gee, this doesn’t look like very good law” but signs bill anyway, suggests maybe it’ll get fixed later
- New group formed to deal with (much worse) access problems and very real fallout affecting Utah’s $708 million fishing industry
- Best they can come up with is to charge anglers $5 to buy back the access the State Supreme Court gave them
Here’s an idea: Instead of paying for a $5 stamp (in perpetuity), why don’t anglers donate two years worth ($10) to a legal fund which would challenge the arguably unconstitutional HB141?
Perhaps one of our Utah readers would offer up an opinion as to which group seems best equipped to mount a legal challenge.
See you on the river, Tom Chandler.
Why not close their borders to emigration and charge all them fishermen driving thru to Wyoming, Idaho, or Montana an extra sawbuck at the gate?
kbarton10(Quote)
I just sent the Governor an email letting him know I won’t be spending anymore dollars in Utah until this is repealed. Everyone needs to write. It only take a few minutes.
Andrew Phillips(Quote)
What happened to the freedoms this country was based on? Now its all about restrictions and control. WTF!
William @ AnglerWise(Quote)
I too sent the Governor an email, telling him to enjoy the limited access to my dollars. We were planning a grand loop trip involving Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, but will now by-pass Utah. If I didn’t have to buy gasoline just to get out of the state I wouldn’t.
Smarter and Better Looking Brother(Quote)
I just got back from Utah. While my primary purpose was to meet Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations), while there, I took a drive through the spectacular Uintas. I found the following Pro & Con story in the local Outdoor Utah Adventure Journal. The arguments are what you would expect.
I continue to try to follow how states are treating the Public Trust Doctrine, that some feel grants us access to many streams through private property.
http://www.outdoorutah.com/adventurejournal/index.php/hb-141-unfair-or-a-necessary-property-protection
A. Wannabe Travelwriter(Quote)
There’s a sizable “private property rights” movement up here in Siskiyou County (one of the drivers of the stream access fight with the Board of Supervisors from a couple years ago).
First, the water isn’t private property, and in most cases, the streambeds aren’t either.
Time and time again, the “private property” rights group is really about privatizing public rights and property – or worse – maintaining the tax dollar gravvy train that so many in the west feed on (but don’t talk about).
But don’t get me started.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Tom,
I sat on this for a few days because I couldn’t really think of much that I could say in a somewhat civil manner.
As a Utah resident, I can say that this law has had very little impact on me personally. It pisses me off (probably embarrasses me more than anything), but it hasn’t changed much about my personal fishing, nor will it. I fish the little creeks and streams in far northern Utah, away from the crowds of anglers who have more limited available river miles to fish in. I’m only 20 miles away from the Idaho border. I’m a member of the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation, but no member of any such Utah organization. I buy a year out-of-state Idaho license (~$100 a year – it ain’t cheap, but it’s sure worth it). So, I’m with several of the other commenters and spend (most) of my money elsewhere. I still get the Utah license.
But that’s pretty selfish of me. I do care about the whole issue, and I spent a lot of time and effort fighting the bill last year. But this year, I saw the writing on the wall and didn’t put in nearly the effort as last year.
I’m sure a legal challenge is coming, it’s just a matter of time before someone with moxie takes one for the team (much as Conatser did some years ago). I think there was a lot of burnout and disappointment about the legislative session and this year’s new law for anglers to feel motivated to jump in the fray to fight it right now. A big group paid for a lobbyist, etc. to fight the thing this year, and probably don’t feel up to going the rounds again so soon. Give everybody a year or so to get worked up, and forget what happened, and then…
Cutthroat Stalker (Scott)(Quote)
I remember you covered the issue, and what’s so heartbreaking was the sneakiness, the complicity of the governor in the sneakiness (what a worm), and the almost heartbreaking inevitability of “The Old Guard” putting it to the tourist/fly fishing industry – all while effectively privatizing a public resource.
Tom Chandler(Quote)