Provo River—Lies, Deception, and Redemption

My favorite time to fish Utah’s Provo River is February. This is mostly because it’s the only time I’ve fished it, there were midges everywhere, it was 60-degrees in the snow, and the fishing lit up. This was also before the HB-141 debacle, before landowner Steven Ault posted land that was owned by UDOT, and before recent reports of fishers being ticketed on the lower river—in the area immediately upstream of the trestle. Essentially public land.

Thanks to fastidious work by the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC), its been confirmed that a public fishing easement exists on this reach, and that some of the property concerned was owned by UDOT and not the landowner who had posted it:

“Indeed, the recorded easement shows that both the UDOT parcel and the parcel upstream from it (owned by Mr. Steven Ault) are subject to the public fishing easement.”

And: “The simple fact that Mr. Ault failed to mention that he took ownership of property subject to a public fishing easement demonstrates the lengths our opponents went to distort the truth, so they could take away the public’s right to fish waters that have been enjoyed by generations of Utahns.”

USAC reports that the area immediately upstream of the railroad trestle, on the historic truss bridge, and on the upstream river banks of property owned by Ault are all part of a public-fishing easement that exists on this property, in perpetuity. Moreover, the bridge and trestle, it turns out, are located on property owned by UDOT, which is also subject to the anglers’ easement.

Will Mr. Ault be receiving tickets for his subterfuge and blatant misuse of public lands? Doubt it. But he’s sure to get some new friends and visitors come fall. Enjoy your rights, and keep it clean.

“USAC encourages members and the public to be cordial and respectful to avoid any verbal or physical confrontation with the landowner or law enforcement while using the easement.”

More on the actual easement—including map—after the jump.

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