Green River Fishing Report

March is here and the flows on the Green are drastically changing. We will no longer see a double peaking flow and instead see a constant flow of 800 CFS. There will be a gradual ramping down of flows until March 6 when the new constant release will go into effect. I don’t think the low flows will effect the fishing too much because the fish and aquatic life have seen 1,100 CFS everyday for the past 3 months. Snowpack in the Upper Green River and Lower Green River Drainages are sitting at 103 and 97 percent respectively. Current water temperatures are around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.

Winter fishing has been fantastic on the Green. I just spent a week out there and did not see another boat on the water. The lower and constant flows will change the feeding patterns of the fish, but there are enough midges around and some baetis to allow the fish to quickly adjust to the change.

It’s still Winter, so streamer fishing will continue to remain quite productive. The rule I tend to follow when throwing streamers is on bright days use bright colors and on dark days use darker colors. I have been proven wrong on more than a few occasions with this mindset so don’t be afraid to change it up. This past week, the best streamers for me were the articulated goldie and a ginger peanut envy. Some of my other go to patterns in the winter are a gold woolly bugger, the peanut envy in olive or black, the dungeon in black, cream, natural, olive or white, or a black or white sculpzilla.

With the lower flows, you will be able to target the fish honed in on midges and baetis a whole lot easier. I usually like to target the fish feeding during this hatch with a dry dropper rig. If the fish are feeding higher up in the feeding lane or on the surface, use a smaller cluster midge to hold up either a zebra midge or a gray soft hackle. If the fish are deeper, use a chubby Chernobyl ant with a heavier and longer dropper to get down to them. For the non picky eaters, a mother shucker, Griffith’s gnat, or crippled baetis will do the trick. For single point dry fly fishing I like to use 5x or 6x tippet. For dry dropper fishing, I like to use 4x tippet to the dry fly and 5x or 6x to the dropper.

Nymphing will continue to remain productive. Usually getting down deep with an egg pattern, San Juan worm, zebra midge, juju baetis, or a scuds will do the trick.

Provo River Fishing Report

March. The days are getting longer and the temperature is getting warmer. Fishing is good and will keep on getting better with every passing day. Snowpack in the Provo River Drainage is sitting at 130 percent of normal. This is a good thing coming off of the worst water year ever in Utah’s history. More snow is on the way later this week.

The release from Jordanelle Reservoir is at 145 CFS. River flows in Charleston are at 180 CFS. Below Deer Creek Reservoir the release from the dam is at 101 CFS.

Midges are hatching during the warm period of the day and some baetis are beginning to show up. You can find some decent midge dry fly fishing in the flat water and back eddies. Fish a mother shucker, cluster midge, or other smaller midge patterns on 6 or 7x tippet and you will be rewarded if fish are rising.

Nymph and streamer fishing on the Provo continues to be productive. Fish are still hanging out in the deeper pools so target slower, deeper water. If a baetis hatch comes off the fish will move into the riffle tail outs so if you see some blue winged olives coming off, you should move into that water as well. When nymphing, sow bugs or scuds will work throughout the day. Try smaller, flashy midges, think size 24 in red or purple in the morning. As the day warms and the baetis become active fish will begin to hone in on that hatch. Fish a smaller zebra midge or a baetis emerger in a 18 to 20 once that begins. A gray soft hackle will work before and during the hatch, especially in the riffle tail out water I mentioned earlier.

When streamer fishing the Provo, I tend to fish a non articulated streamer. I like small leech, baitfish, or sculpin patterns in olive/copper, natural, black, white/gold, or plain white. If you choose to fish streamers, keep moving, but be mindful of other anglers. The more water you cover, the better the chance you have of hooking up.

Small Stream Fishing Report

If you are trying to get after it on some of Utah’s smaller streams, definitely focus on tailwater fisheries with paved roads leading to them because most mountain streams are frozen over and the access roads are covered with several feet of snow. With most of the state sitting between 102 and 166 percent of normal snowpack, we should have a good amount of water this summer. This is great news because last year was the driest water year on record in Utah.

Winter small stream flies that I like are scuds, prince nymphs, midges, especially the blood midge, this time of the year, and smaller streamers, especially sculpin or leech patterns that are slowly dredged through deeper holes. As the days warm up look for baetis to start coming off mid day.