CEDAR CITY — Just over four dozen rainbow trout were found dead around the water at Lake at the Hills near Cedar City.
The group that found the 50 fish reported it to authorities as poaching. But, that wasn't the case. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said it's actually due to warm water temperatures.
And it turns out, finding dozens of dead trout during the summer season isn't abnormal.
"It happens every year," said Richard Hepworth, aquatics manager with the DWR Southern Region office.
Warm water threshold for trout
Hepworth said rainbow trout don't like warm water. Once the water temperature reaches 70 degrees, they will begin to die off.