Small Stream Fishing Report

With Utah sitting somewhere between 111 and 205 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 as well as rivers with paved roads leading to them. I’ve seen some cars stuck in some precarious places as of late.

With that being said, April is a great time to begin to be adventurous. The Provo is busy with the baetis and midge hatches popping off. Baetis and midges come off on a lot of other rivers as well. Who knows, depending on where you are at, you might stumble upon a March Stonefly or early caddis hatch as well. 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.

Weber River Fishing Report

Water releases from Rockport Reservoir are still at 25.1 CFS. By Coalville the flows are around 65 CFS. Below Echo the Weber is flowing at 1.75 CFS. Throughout the I 84 canyon the Weber picks up more water and is flowing at about 125 CFS once it gets to Ogden. Eventually these flows will ramp up since the Weber drainage is sitting at 133 percent of normal snowpack.

I like to give the fish a rest when the flows are this low, but that’s just me. If you are fishing trying to fish the Weber this time of the year, you will find the fish heavily concentrated in the deeper runs. They love sow bugs, especially the tailwater sow in a size 16 or 18. 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 midges earlier in the day. I would cover that activity with a size 22 gray WD40. I have heard of a few people throwing streamers on the Weber. The white or natural zonker as been the streamer of choice for those anglers.

Any day now the flows will begin to ramp up. Spring is in the air. Look for caddis activity to start heating up in the coming weeks.

Southwest Wyoming

Contrary to popular belief, it is still winter in Southwest Wyoming. Fish are still holding in deeper, slower, winter holding water. Lots of whitefish are sitting in the riffles. If that’s what you are into, get after it.

Snowmelt has been leading to blowing out of rivers in the afternoons. Stay high to avoid runoff. Most of Wyoming’s drainages are sitting at about average. Although it was ridiculously cold this Winter, it did not snow as much as it has in years past.

There has been a lot of midge activity on the days that the wind doesn’t blow the bugs off the water and some baetis are showing up. If you are nymphing, scuds are king. The dry fly fishing is pretty subpar. With that being said, the streamer fishing has been fantastic. Fish the slower, deeper runs with darker streamers and you should have some success.

Green River Fishing Report

March is here and the flows on the Green are around 800 CFS. Snowpack in the Upper Green River and Lower Green River Drainages are sitting at 103 and 104 percent respectively. Current water temperatures are around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.

Winter fishing has been good on the Green. The lower and consistent flows have changed the feeding patterns of the fish, but there are enough midges around and some baetis to allow the fish to quickly adapt.

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.