Current Conditions
Current snowpack in the Weber Ogden drainage is sitting at 63 percent of normal.
Releases out of Rockport reservoir are currently at 23.6 CFS
Releases out of Echo reservoir are currently at .52 CFS.
I do not recommend fishing the Weber at these flows.
Pray for snow!
Generally speaking most of Utah’s small streams are inaccessible in the winter months due to snow.
We currently are sitting on a statewide snowpack that is between 50 and 70 percent of normal. Therefore some areas are more accessible for winter angling opportunities than usual.
I have not ventured out to any small streams recently, but I’d expect to see some midge or early baetis activity if you were to go searching for some solitude.
From the Bureau of Reclamation:
“As of January 11, 2021 Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6024.85 feet, which amounts to 84 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflows for the month of December is approximately 24,103 acre-feet (af), which is 69% of the average December unregulated inflow volume.
The winter base flow period started on December 1. Winter average daily releases will meet moderately dry hydrologic condition lower targets in Reach 2 (1,100 cfs to 1,500 cfs, includes flows from the Yampa River). The daily average release of 1,000 cfs is planned to be maintained through January, which is near +25% of the winter base flow.
The January final forecast for unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects is below average conditions. January, February, and March forecasted unregulated inflow volumes amount to 30,000 af (74 percent of average), 33,000 af (74 percent of average) and 76,000 af (74 percent of average), respectively.”
What this means:
Current daytime releases out of Flaming Gorge Reservoir are at 917 CFS. In the evening flows are increased to 2,100 CFS around 7 PM and drawn back down to 917 CFS around 10 PM. River temperatures are approximately 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is sitting at 75 percent of normal. Current snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 79 percent of normal.
There is some midge and some mayfly activity, but winter on the Green is all about the streamer fishing. With the lower flows I have been using lighter sink tips or you can even get away with floating line. Black, gray, and ginger have been my go to colors lately. Winter streamer patterns that I like are the peanut envy, gonga, dungeons, and sculpzillas.
From the Bureau of Reclamation:
“As of December 2, 2020, the Fontenelle Reservoir pool elevation is 6487.64 feet, which amounts to 61 percent of live storage capacity. Inflows for the month of November totaled 32,400 acre-feet (af) or 77 percent of average.
Fontenelle’s releases are currently set at 825 cfs. This release is scheduled to be maintained through the Fall/Winter operation period, which typically ends in March when ice on the Green River begins to thaw.
The December final forecast for unregulated inflows into Fontenelle for the next three months projects below average conditions. December, January, and February inflow volumes amount to 27,000 af (84 percent of average), 26,000 af (86 percent of average), and 24,000 af (87 percent of average), respectively. “
Releases from Fontenelle Reservoir are currently at 751 CFS. Snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is currently at 81 percent of normal. Snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is currently at 85 percent of normal.
As with the Green below Flaming Gorge you will see some midge activity during the day. If you are nymphing plan on having a variety of scuds, midges, and blood midges. Although not as productive as the streamer bite is on the Utah Green in the winter you can still have some fantastic streamer fishing below Fontenelle as well. Look for fish in the slower, deeper water. Black, gray, olive, and ginger are my go to winter colors. Some of my favorite patterns are the peanut envy, dungeon, sculpin leech, and the sculpzilla.
