Most Utah anglers go through life longing to feel the weight of an 8-pound trout on their line and, eventually, in their hands. Brody Abshire of Roy appears to be a big trout magnet. It happened again Dec. 20 during Brody's first ice fishing trip of the season.
Brody spotted some friends already on the thin ice at Causey. Being the ever-prepared angler that he is, Brody left his rods in the car and only carried his Vexilar fish finder down the dam and onto the ice. Sure enough, fish showed up on the finder. Quickly asking his friend Tyler to borrow a rod Brody was in the game.
"After about 2 minutes I looked down to see a fish coming up to my jig on the flasher. He hit hard and I set the hook with great force. I knew it was a bigger fish after the hook set, but after it made its first run of over 50 yards of line and begin to head shake violently, I knew the fish had shoulders," Brody wrote me.
The fight was on and 15 minutes later they got the first look at the fish. Seeing a fish through clear ice always make it seem larger than it is - imagine what these guys thought when the 28-inch brown showed up under their feet.
Several attempts were made to get the fish through the hole in the ice, all the while wondering if the 6-pound test line would hold up to the big brown and the sharp ice. A finger in the eye socket and another in the mouth and the fish hit the air.
Final stats: 28-inches, 8-pounds, 13-ounces with a 15 1/2-inch girth.
Brody's other big trout include an 8-pound rainbow he landed at Pineview Reservoir last spring and a 32-inch brown he caught, also at Pineview, in 1999.
Want to see big fish caught? Go with Brody.

Ever watch one of those television programs on New Year's Eve showing revelers all over the world and wonder what it would be like to bring in the new year at New York's Times Square, on the Las Vegas Strip, at Bourbon Street in New Orleans or in Rio?
In theory, such an experience might be fun. In practice? I'm not so sure.
A few years ago, my wife and I decided to experience New Year's Eve Vegas style and it ended up being a pretty miserable experience. Finding a parking spot anywhere near the Strip was difficult and expensive. We paid $25 to park in a mall parking ramp.
Las Vegas Blvd. Was closed to traffic and a fence put up in the middle to allow for emergency vehicles. Police on horses patrolled the street where people, many drinking heavily – on street bars were common – roamed up and down shouting.
That was the only night I've ever seen casinos actually lock their doors. If a few people left, security people would let others in. I'm guessing that fire codes limit the number of people inside. But taking a rest room break was especially difficult, usually resulting in a 15 to 20 minute wait in line.
Finding a place to eat was also hard. We opted to go to a snack bar and purchase a couple of the last available sandwiches which tasted like they had been there for days. And they weren't cheap. The highlight was that my wife got to have her picture taken with “Elvis.”
By the time the countdown to midnight came and fireworks exploded all over town – and they weren't as good as on television by the way – the Strip was jammed with a crowd of humanity to the point where getting trampled seemed like a real possibility. It didn't help when a police officer rode his horse into the throng. There simply wasn't any place to move for awhile and it became claustrophobic and frightening.
It might have been more fun if you could afford to rent a room at one of the fancy hotels and were able to watch the festivities from your window.
Thus, I'll opt to spend New Year's this year watching Utah play Gonzaga in basketball early in the night and then heading home to watch the madness in Vegas and New York City in the comfort of my own home.
I'd be interested in hearing from Ute fans going to the Sugar Bowl as to what Bourbon Street and New Orleans were like this year. Drop me a line at wharton@sltrib.com.
– Tom Wharton Ever watch one of those television programs on New Year's Eve showing revelers all over the world and wonder what it would be like to bring in the new year at New York's Times Square, on the Las Vegas Strip, at Bourbon Street in New Orleans or in Rio?
In theory, such an experience might be fun. In practice? I'm not so sure.
A few years ago, my wife and I decided to experience New Year's Eve Vegas style and it ended up being a pretty miserable experience. Finding a parking spot anywhere near the Strip was difficult and expensive. We paid $25 to park in a mall parking ramp.
Las Vegas Blvd. Was closed to traffic and a fence put up in the middle to allow for emergency vehicles. Police on horses patrolled the street where people, many drinking heavily – on street bars were common – roamed up and down shouting.
That was the only night I've ever seen casinos actually lock their doors. If a few people left, security people would let others in. I'm guessing that fire codes limit the number of people inside. But taking a rest room break was especially difficult, usually resulting in a 15 to 20 minute wait in line.
Finding a place to eat was also hard. We opted to go to a snack bar and purchase a couple of the last available sandwiches which tasted like they had been there for days. And they weren't cheap. The highlight was that my wife got to have her picture taken with “Elvis.”
By the time the countdown to midnight came and fireworks exploded all over town – and they weren't as good as on television by the way – the Strip was jammed with a crowd of humanity to the point where getting trampled seemed like a real possibility. It didn't help when a police officer rode his horse into the throng. There simply wasn't any place to move for awhile and it became claustrophobic and frightening.
It might have been more fun if you could afford to rent a room at one of the fancy hotels and were able to watch the festivities from your window.
Thus, I'll opt to spend New Year's this year watching Utah play Gonzaga in basketball early in the night and then heading home to watch the madness in Vegas and New York City in the comfort of my own home.
I'd be interested in hearing from Ute fans going to the Sugar Bowl as to what Bourbon Street and New Orleans were like this year. Drop me a line at wharton@sltrib.com.
– Tom Wharton

It's impossible to be negative on Christmas Eve.
So here's hoping that outdoor and travel enthusiasts will get some good gear as gifts this year and then have time during the holidays to get out and use it with their families.
Here's hoping that with the economy hurting many budgets that the new year brings a chance to still enjoy traveling and the outdoors, perhaps in a simpler or more basic way.
Here's a holiday wish that families take time to get outdoors this winter for sledding, skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or just a winter drive to a nice scenic place for an outdoor picnic or a canyon dining experience.
And here's a holiday wish that everyone celebrate the holiday season in their own way with respect for each others' beliefs.
– Tom Wharton

I have mixed feelings about another one of the Bush Administration's last-minute rule changes. This one would allow national parks to allow more use of mountain bikes on trails. Mostly though, I don't like it.
It might be argued that allowing mountain bikes on trails just allows a different way for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the parks.
But, if this is a good idea, park planners need to go carefully.
For example, allowing mountain bikes on popular trails such as the Delicate Arch, Devil's Garden, Klondike Bluffs or The Windows at Arches National Park would drastically change the entire experience. I know I wouldn't want the slickrock approach to the Delicate Arch, for example, turned into another Slickrock Bike Trail with dozens of mountain bikers riding all over the place.
Another difficulty would be that bike tires have the potential to add wear and tear on trails already suffering from a lack of maintenance in many cases.
Yet, compromises might be made. For example, bikes have used the White Rim Trail – an old four-wheel drive path – for years in Canyonlands. It is well managed and few would argue against bikes on that road. Why not keep the single path trails mostly for hikers but liberalize rules and designate routes on old four-wheel drive roads within the parks to accommodate mountain bikers inside the parks. And mountain bikes certainly shouldn't be allowed in designated wilderness.
What this comes down to is the basic conflict in the National Park Service's mission which, simply stated, is to preserve and protect parks for the enjoyment of the public. Some members of the public enjoy mountain biking. So, for that matter, do folks enjoy off-highway vehicle use. But if these activities have the potential to detract from preserving and protecting resources, they should be enjoyed on adjacent Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service multiple-use areas that have a different mission than those in national parks.
– Tom Wharton

Those who have hope for scientific management of natural resources with a minimum of politics in the incoming Obama Administration might be in for a disappointment. The highly respected Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility – PEER – has serious reservations about Lisa Jackson who President Elect Barack Obama has nominated to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
According to Jeff Ruch, the organization's executive director, many professionals in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) which Jackson has headed for the past 31 months have been unhappy with the way she has managed the agency.
“DEP employees describe Ms. Jackson as embracing a highly politicized approach to environmental decision making that resulted in suppression of scientific information, issuance of gag orders restricting disclosures and threats against professional staff members who dared to voice concerns,” wrote Ruch.
Gee, that sounds just like what the Bush administration has been doing with many environmental and public lands issues. And, if PEER is correct, Senators at Jackson's confirmation hearings need to ask some pointed questions. We don't need more of the same.
He was critical of Jackson's record on toxic waste cleanup and greenhouse gas controls.
For detailed information, log on to www.peer.org.
– Tom Wharton

Things just keep getting worse for the environment as the Bush administration does everything it can to weaken key environmental laws through the rule making process before leaving office. The latest victim is the Endangered Species Act. New regulations announced this week – though I couldn't find anything about them on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website – eliminate the requirement that agencies seek advice from expert biologists in decisions about whether dams, towers, highways and other projects will harm species.
Heaven forbid that those pesky scientists with all their facts might get in the way of a pet project by some developer or politician. It sure looks like the Bush administration doesn't want federal bureaucrats to be burdened with any messy facts before they give more permission to rape the environment.
"This administration’s disdain for wildlife and the environment has never been more clear than it is today," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, executive vice president of Defenders of Wildlife and former director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "For 35 years, the Endangered Species Act has helped save and recover imperiled wildlife on the brink of extinction. Now, with this administration facing its last days, they are doing everything they can to cement their anti-environmental legacy before the Obama administration takes office."
Again, those who think such decisions should be made after the scientists have had a chance to at least state the consequences can only hope the incoming administration will quickly reverse some of Bush's disturbing last-minute changes.
– Tom Wharton

Anybody trying to book a hotel or find a place to eat dinner around one of Utah's national parks during peak tourism season has firsthand knowledge about the money the parks to the state. A recently released report shows that the national parks in Utah provide more than 11,000 jobs and roughly $485 million to the state economy.
Check out the story from Judy Fahys.
— Brett

Hate to put a damper on all the excitement of Utah playing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
But have Ute fans investigated just what it's going to cost to get to this game?
The best package deal I found was offered by Morris Murdock travel and was $1,300 for a room shared by four people. It included air fare, three nights lodging and a couple of perks but no game tickets.
I expected the Crimson Club package offered by Anthony Travel to be around $1,000 but it costs $1,815 for double occupancy and did not include tickets to the game either.
Do you want to fly on your own and try to stay with friends or book a less expensive hotel? The news isn't much better. Round trip is $800 on Priceline, $646 on Orbitz and $698 on Cheapoair. Most of Southwest flights were already booked.
Thinking about driving? Mapquest said the distance between Salt Lake City and New Orleans is a mere 1,788 miles. If you were to drive this straight through, it would take almost 28 hours.
How about the magic of the train – the City of New Orleans and all? Taking Amtrak to New Orleans costs $610 but expect a 34-hour and 15-minute one way journey and you still have to find tickets and a place to stay.
Perhaps you want to take the bus. Cost of a round trip Greyhound ticket from Salt Lake City to New Orleans ranges from $366 to $380 depending on what days you leave.
– Tom Wharton

Small storms this past week have allowed some Utah resorts t0 expanded their operations and others to turn on the lifts after postponing their scheduled openings.
Snowbird reports a season total, not a base mind you, of 6 feet and will open up 75% of the resort this weekend. Six lifts are running and an early season lift pass is $62.
The Canyons in Park City opened Friday and has plenty of snow for boarding and turning.
Here's hoping for more snow and soon.
-- Brett

National conservation groups Trout Unlimited and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) have joined the list of those protesting the proposed Bureau of Land Management's oil- and gas-lease sale on Dec. 19. Here's our story from today.
Trout Unlimited is specifically worried about leases in the Deep Creek Mountains, where a delicate and native population of Bonneville cutthroat are found.
TRCP had previously successfully petitioned the BLM to defer development in the Deep Creeks in 2007.
Here's some quotes a la a TRCP press release from Joel Webster, a staffer who covers the west for the non-profit.
“The TRCP protested the sale of these parcels in 2007 because the BLM based its decision to offer them on a land-use plan that’s 20 years out of date. Sportsmen had reason to celebrate when the agency subsequently acknowledged its mistake and withdrew those leases from auction – but we also hoped that the BLM would develop a plan for their management that balanced development with fish and wildlife. Now, however, the BLM is trying to ram through this sale before the end of the current administration,” Webster continued. “The American people deserve better management of our natural resources than a federal agency’s reliance on obsolete planning documents that could diminish public-lands hunting and fishing.”
It's nice to see national groups protest in the name of sportsmen, but it would sure be nice to see local groups doing the same.
— Brett

There are hundreds of unsung heroes in city and county parks departments throughout Utah who quietly do their jobs so the rest of us can enjoy quality parks, golf courses, skateboard parks, trail systems, swimming pools, soccer fields, softball and baseball diamonds, playgrounds, fitness centers and tennis courts. Too often, we take them for granted.
I thought of that today upon learning of the death of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Division director Bruce Henderson. He passed away of kidney disease at age 60. It's now too late to thank Bruce for all his work which those who enjoy Salt Lake County's wide variety of park and recreation center facilities take too much for granted. Now we can only thank his family for what he gave back to the community.
Too often we view the rangers, pool workers, park maintenance folks, golf course pros, trail workers, reservation clerks and all the other city and county parks workers who do so much to make our quality of life wonderful as invisible. Thinking about Bruce, the next time I use my favorite park facility, I'm going to have a smile and a thank you for the person behind the desk who helps make it possible.
– Tom Wharton

In an effort to prevent the lone reference of Utah Lake to be the punchline about three-eyed catfish the Utah Lake Commission has developed a master plan: Awake Utah Lake.
The plan focuses on five areas: Recreation, Transportation, Land Use and Shoreline Protection, Natural Resources, and Public Facilities.
Here's a story on the plan.
The Commission is holding two open houses to share the plan with the public. The first is Dec. 3 from 5-7 p.m. at Willowcreek Middle School, 2275 W. 300 North, in Lehi. The second is at the same time on Dec. 4 at Utah Lake State Park, 4400 W. Center Street, in Provo.
The picture is of Pat Scouten with a large channel catfish on the end of his line. The shot was a couple of years ago when we were doing our "Catch and Cook" series. And guess what? The fish did not have three eyes.
— Brett

Hunters and anglers are a perceptive bunch. They knew something was going on with Sportsman's Warehouse months ago when the shelves at the stores began to look more and more bare.
Tribune business writer Mike Gorrell has the story behind the lack of merchandise in SW stores and it has a lot to do with the pending purchase of the Utah-based corporation by a Canadian company.
— Brett

It's difficult to imagine Outdoor Life magazine without humorist Pat McManus on the magazine's back page. The 75-year-old Spokane writer has written the magazine's “Exit Laughing” column for 28 years and was in Field & Stream 12 years before that. In the process, he has become one of the nation's best known outdoor writers and has sold more than two million books.
He has also become a victim of the economic downturn. Spokane Spokesman-Review writer Rich Landers reported that Outdoor Life has terminated McManus' contract for budget reasons. McManus' final Outdoor Life humor piece will run in April.
Is nothing sacred any more? McManus was one of the main reasons to subscribe to Outdoor Life and it's hard to believe that whatever money the magazine is saving will be worth the cost in cancelled subscriptions.
According to Landers, McManus has no plans to retire. He just finished his third mystery novel, plans to write for other publication, has started an autobiography and is working on a new one-man stage play with local actgor Tim Behrens.
I've met McManus on book tours in Salt Lake City or at outdoor writer conferences over the years and he is one of the most humble, delightful human beings you will ever meet. I can only wish him the best of luck.
It's hard to believe that “Exit Laughing” will soon be gone.
– Tom Wharton