In Utah it’s illegal for you and me to recreate (fish, wade, etc.) in public waters that are adjacent to private property. This law limits freedoms for Utah residents and nonresidents, who enjoy the state’s precious streams and waterbeds. HB37 is a bill designed to fix the access mess—to protect public water and property rights.
The Utah Stream Access Coalition, spearheading the push behind a “YES VOTE” for HB37, recognizes that it’s a public right to lawfully access and use public waters for any lawful activity, including flyfishing. “This right is defined in Utah’s constitution, and has been upheld by the Utah Supreme Court several times.”
Support the cause—
RESIDENTS: Contact your local representatives, here
NONRESIDENTS: Contact the office of Governor Gary Herbert, his chief legal counsel, and his senior environmental advisor. Tell them to SUPPORT HB37! + Utah Governor’s: Gary Herbert—you must now go to this link. + Legal Counsel: Jacey Skinner, jskinner@utah.gov (801) 538-1645. + Sr. Environmental Adviser: Alan Matheson, amatheson@utah.gov (801) 538-1574
EVERYONE: Donate, here and please join the USAC and its members at the State Capitol building for a rally in support of HB37.
When: Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 9:45am
Where: South Steps of the Capitol building
What: Rally, press conference, and public lobbying
Tom Bie is the founder, editor, and publisher of The Drake. He started the magazine in 1998 as an annual newsprint publication based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He then moved it to Steamboat, Colorado (1999), Boulder, Colorado (2001), and San Clemente, California (2004), as he took jobs as managing editor at Paddler, Senior Editor at Skiing, and Editor-in-Chief at Powder, respectively. Tom and The Drake are now both based in Denver, Colorado, where The Drake is finally all grows up(Swingers, 1996) to a quarterly magazine.