Current Conditions
Right now is the time to be off exploring the small streams that Utah has to offer. Runoff is through and the weather is beautiful.
Expect the usual July hatches. Green Drakes, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Caddis, and Midges. You will also see some Cicadas still flying around. Don’t be afraid to throw hoppers and ants as well.
Enjoy the great weather and great high elevation fishing. Don’t forget to bring mosquito repellant!
Water releases from Rockport Reservoir are at 185 CFS. By Coalville the flows are around 175 CFS. Below Echo the Weber is flowing at 499 CFS. Throughout the I 84 canyon the Weber is quite fishable, but you will encounter tubers throughout the middle of the day. It is flowing at 90 CFS once it gets to Ogden.
Summertime hatches are in full swing. Expect to see midges and caddis in the early morning, PMD’s and Yellow Sallies mid day, and caddis again in the evenings.
For dry flies, I like a film critic PMD in a size 18, a Peacock Caddis in a size 16, and a Yellow Sally in a size 16. Don’t be afraid to try a small hopper or an ant. For nymphs, fish will aways eat a sow bug, try a small gray midge in the morning, Mitchell’s Split Case PMD in a size 18, Iron Sally in a size 16, and a Prince Nymph or other caddis pattern in a size 16.
Streamer fishing is always an option early in the morning or later in the evenings.
Water releases from Rockport Reservoir are at 303 CFS. By Coalville the flows are around 562 CFS. Below Echo the Weber is flowing at 662 CFS. Throughout the I 84 canyon the Weber picks up a lot more water and is flowing at about 1,070 CFS once it gets to Ogden. Snowpack in the Weber River Drainage is no longer being reported, but there still is quite a bit of snow left in the mountains that has to melt.. Due to snowmelt the Upper and Lower Weber are kind of out of the picture for fishing. Flows have increased, but are still at a fishable level between Wanship and Coalville.
The high flows have limited most fishing on the Weber to either nymphing or tossing streamers. There are still some caddis around, but the Mother’s Day caddis hatch has come and gone. If I were heading out to the Weber I would try nymphing some Caddis Larva, midges, sow bugs, or a San Juan Worm. In terms of streamers, I would stick to smaller zonkers or sculpzillas in white, olive, or tan. Find the soft seams and focus most of your attention on that slower water. That is where the fish will hold in the higher flows.
Snow is still an issue. Snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is at 406 percent of normal, the Lower Green River Drainage is at 286 percent, and the Upper Bear Drainage is at 848 percent. Peak runoff has not hit us yet, but it will in the coming days. Flows coming out of Fontenelle have increased to around 2230 CFS, full power plant capacity and then some. Fontenelle Reservoir is sitting at about 48 percent of live capacity. By June 12 flows are expected to increase to 3,700 CFS.
If you are nymphing, scuds, San Juan worms, midges, and baetis will get the job done. There has also been some caddis activity. The dry fly fishing is okay. If you see some fish rising you can get them with a cluster midge or a baetis cripple. Some fish have been eating chubby Chernobyl ants and other stimulators so the dry dropper fishing is starting to heat up. The streamer fishing has been good. Fish the slower, deeper runs with lighter colored streamers (white/gold or ginger) and you should have some success. Water clarity has been an issue due to snowmelt and quite a bit of rain over the past few days.
