Anglers, outdoor enthusiasts argue against gate at Strawberry Reservoir marina

HEBER CITY — The Wasatch County Planning Commission made it very clear Thursday night that it had no interest in preventing anyone from accessing Strawberry Reservoir in the winter.

But fishermen, outdoor enthusiasts, state program directors and others told the commissioners why the proposal to place a gate, which would potentially close the road in the winter, is not a good idea.

“I’m the secretary/treasurer of the Utah Anglers Coalition, a statewide organization that promotes all aspects of fishing. We would propose that the planning commission recommend that this not be approved,” said Jeff Salt, who spoke at the Thursday meeting where the proposal was discussed. “Let’s allow the agencies to come up with a solution.”

The commission was asked to vote on a recommendation to place a gate on the road to the Strawberry Reservoir marina. The road would remain open all year, unless there were no one with an approved county plow permit to clear snow in the winter.

The road would be closed to vehicle traffic if a plow were not found. In this case, ice fishermen would be unable to reach the marina and would also be unable to ice fish.

The planning commission makes recommendations, but the Wasatch County Council would vote on any final decisions.

Doug Smith from the Wasatch County Planning Department said there had been illegal plowing of the road since the county took over control of the road from the U.S. Forest Service in 2023. To prevent the unauthorized plowing and potential damage to the road, a gate was suggested to prevent cars and trucks — but not snowmobiles — from entering the area.

Some outdoor enthusiasts and avid fishermen along with those in charge of the marina, pushed back on the need for the gate. They argued people would simply find another way to get to the marina or would begin to park their cars on the highway and walk to the marina, causing potential traffic problems or worse.

They also presented their safety concerns. If the gate is closed and vehicles cannot pass along the road, how would ambulances reach the marina in case of an emergency? There are also staff at the marina who live at the site and a closed gate could prevent them from leaving the area.

There is also the issue of money. If anglers — those who fish with a line from a rod — and others who fish are unable to reach the marina in the winter, the stores, restaurants and lodging options will lose money without those people around.

“Currently, fishing in Wasatch County is estimated to bring in $160 million to Wasatch County alone,” said Alan Ward of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, referring to data from Utah State University. “Wasatch County gets five times more money from angling than any other county in the state. It’s a huge, huge moneymaker.”

After listening to various arguments, the commissioners agreed that this issue could be something that agencies, government divisions and marina leaders can solve together.

They ultimately decided to inform the Wasatch County Council that they would continue — or hold off on making a decision — unless or until the council requested that they revisit the issue.

This would allow stakeholders to create a solution that meets county ordinance requirements and the needs of those using the reservoir.

“We all want to go to Strawberry Reservoir and fish,” said Charles Zuercher, commission chairman.