Utah Small Stream Fishing Report

Snow and runoff is still the major issue when it comes to access on many of Utah’s smaller streams. Focus on tailwater fisheries or spring creeks as well as rivers with paved roads leading to them. The higher elevation streams are unfortunately still off limits in a lot of places.

The weather has been wet and cold this Spring, but the fishing can be straight fire in June. Look for cicadas, stoneflies, crickets, ants, caddis, midges, and green drakes. Rivers that aren’t running high and off color have lots of hungry fish.

I like to fish small streams with a dry dropper rig this time of the year, unless fish are rising. If they are rising you should probably tie on something that matches the hatch. Some of my favorite point flies are a chubby Chernobyl ant, cicada, Paracricket, PMX, or a tan stimulator in a size 10-14. It terms of droppers, I like a size 18-20 zebra midge, size 18 pheasant tail, a size 14-16 prince nymph, size 16 birds nest, or a size 12 green drake nymph. If you are fishing streamers, think smaller. A Scuplizza or Zonker in white, black, or olive should do the trick.

Southwest Wyoming Fishing Report

It has been a wet Spring. Snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is at 222 percent of normal, the Lower Green River Drainage is at 185 percent, and the Upper Bear Drainage is at 316 percent. With all the snow and cooler temperatures, peak runoff is still a while away. Cooler temperatures have kept the flows into Fontenelle Reservoir at around 2,300 CFS, but sunny, warmer weather is on its way. Flows coming out of Fontenelle continue to hold around 1,750 CFS, full power plant capacity. Fontenelle Reservoir is sitting at about 48 percent of live capacity. There has been no new word on when or if the flows will increase.

There is still quite a bit of midge and Baetis activity in Southwestern Wyoming. If you are nymphing, scuds, San Juan worms, midges, and baetis will get the job down. The dry fly fishing is okay, but if you see some fish rising you can get them with a cluster midge or a baetis cripple. The streamer fishing has been fair. Fish the slower, deeper runs with darker streamers and you should have some success. Water clarity has also been an issue due to snowmelt and quite a bit of rain over the past few days.

Weber River Fishing Report

Water releases from Rockport Reservoir are at 86.5 CFS. By Coalville the flows are around 161 CFS. Below Echo the Weber is flowing at 190 CFS. Throughout the I 84 canyon the Weber picks up a lot more water and is flowing at about 1,460 CFS once it gets to Ogden. Snowpack in the Weber River Drainage is sitting at 158 percent of normal. Due to snowmelt the Upper and Lower Weber are kind of out of the picture for fishing, but it is game on between Wanship and Coalville.

The Mother’s Day Caddis have arrived. Look for rising fish, especially in the evenings. I like to present a size 16 or 18 Matthew’s X caddis to these fish. If fish aren’t rising on the Weber, they love sow bugs, especially the tailwater sow in a size 16 or 18. Don’t forget to cover the subsurface caddis activity with something like a size 18 birds nest, a smaller prince nymph, or some other caddis larva of your choice. You will see some baetis activity, but not nearly as much as you will find on the Provo. Usually a purple or natural juju baetis in a size 18 will do the trick. There is also some spring midge activity on the Weber. Again not nearly as much as on the Provo, but fish will hone in on smaller gray and dark midges earlier in the day. I would cover that activity with a size 22 gray WD40 or a smaller zebra midge. I have also heard of a few people throwing streamers on the Weber. The white or natural zonker as been the streamer of choice for those anglers.

Small Stream Fishing Report

With Utah sitting somewhere between 96 and 297 percent of average snowpack, snow is still the major issue when it comes to access on many of Utah’s smaller streams. Focus on tailwater fisheries or spring creeks as well as rivers with paved roads leading to them.

May is a great time to be adventurous. The Provo is busy with the baetis and midge hatches popping off. Baetis and midges are hatching on a lot of other rivers as well. Who knows, depending on where you are at, you might stumble upon a Stonefly or early caddis hatch or maybe even cicadas. When exploring, be mindful of the weather and that if a river is crystal clear in the morning, runoff could cause it to become unfishable in the afternoon.

I like to fish small streams with a dry dropper rig this time of the year, unless fish our rising. If they are rising you should probable tie on something that matches the hatch. Some of my favorite point flies are a peacock cluster midge in a size 16 or a Paracricket or PMX in a size 12-14. It terms of droppers, I like a size 18-20 zebra midge, size 18 pheasant tail, or a size 16 prince nymph. If you are fishing streamers, think smaller. A Scuplizza or Zonker in white, black, or olive should do the trick.