Access Problems in Utah

I was a fifth-generation Utahn until I moved to Wyoming, but I still (usually) proudly claim to be from Utah. It was a great place to grow up, and some of my fondest fishing memories happened there. In particular, I learned more from my time on the Lower Provo River than any river other than the Green.

Over the past few years, though, a new landowner along the Lower Provo River near the Deer Creek Dam has made life difficult for anglers. Despite a longstanding tradition of public access, the landowner has continuously ticketed anglers for trespassing. What’s interesting, however, is that according to the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC), none of those who’ve been ticketed have been charged with trespassing.

“State and local law enforcement authorities have not recognized the landowners’ claims to the river, and, as far as USAC knows, no angler has been charged with trespass for being in the water,” USAC wrote in a recent post for Angling Trade.

USAC is preparing to file a lawsuit over the issues on the Lower Provo, and they need your help. Click here to learn how you can help restore access to this valuable fishery.