RMA Honors Retiring DWR Fisheries Coordinator Tom Pettengill
Retiring DWR Fisheries Coodinator Tom Pettengill and his wife, Jeanne, were the guests of honor at the November, 2005, RMA meeting. RMAs joined the rest of the anglers in Utah in expressing gratitude for all Tom has contributed to the state over his career.
President Rod Miller read the presentation and Vice President Kevin Lund presented Tom with a plaque.
Tom was so overcome with the gesture that he passed out photocopies of his gps coordinates on his "home" water, Willard Bay. RMAs all know well the success Tom has enjoyed on Willard over the years, and there was a bit of a disruption as the members tussled to make sure they each got their copy.
(Scroll down to read the presentation.)
RMA Award Presentation to Tom Pettengill
Tom Pettengill has been a close friend of Rocky Mountain Anglers for many years. He has made a huge impact during his career with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and has an impressively long list of accomplishments.
Many changes have come about with Tom’s help during his tenure. He has been a strong advocate of having the best fish for the fishery, and was instrumental in innovations such as the Lake Powell striper fishery, Willard Bay wipers, Pineview tiger muskie, and improvements in walleye regulations. He supported putting rainbows in Yuba while the perch/walleye fishery recovered. His influence goes well beyond things you can put your finger on. Tom was an active advocate for all Utah fisheries, and pretty much anything that happened in warm water in Utah while he was Fisheries Coordinator had his fingerprints on it somewhere.
He has always been there when RMA called on him. He has never hesitated to let us know when we could help, or been shy about straightening us out when we needed direction. Whether it was representation on a committee or a speaker to come to an RMA meeting, Tom was always there.
He and Jeanne have been fixtures on Utah’s fishing waters. On the ramp or on the water, they always came over to say “hi” and trade perspectives on the day’s fishing. Everyone knows Tom wasn’t eligible to fish local tournaments, but during them he was usually on the water anyway. Over the years he did manage to get in some walleye tournament action out-of-state, including the Montana Governor’s Cup, the Wyoming Walleye Circuit and the Professional Walleye Trail.
Not only has Tom been willing to share his knowledge with RMA, he has also been a regular participant in RMA’s spring walleye seminars covering — you guessed it — crankbaits. His Powerpoint presentations and fishing forecasts were a favorite of the anglers who attended. He helped make RMA look real good to the state’s walleye anglers.
He is one of the most well-rounded anglers around, one who approaches his fishing with the same scientific analysis he uses as a biologist. Sure, he has pulled a spinner rig or two and once in a while maybe even threw a jig, with Jeanne sworn to secrecy, no doubt. But Tom’s passion is trolling crankbaits. He studies them—how deep they run, how fast to pull them, which action and what color. Jeanne never met a crankbait color she didn’t like, and Tom always caught fish on even the strangest ones she found.
Tom is the whole package. He’s a guy who can tell you the latest biological status of a fishery, the subtleties of catching the fish, and share the joys and frustration of fishing like only a fellow angler can.
Tom and Jeanne are on their way to their house-to-be on the lake in Texas and a different kind of fishing. It’s called fun fishing. No doubt Tom will approach it with the same intensity he always has, but hopefully not having a professional involvement in the fishery will add a different element to the experience.
Tom, you have made an impact on Utah fishing that will endure years past your retirement. We all wish you and Jeanne the best and want you both to know you are always welcome. We hope we will run into you in these parts sometime in the future, and you can let us in on what you learned down there.
Thank You!
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