Southwest Wyoming Fishing Report

From the Bureau of Reclamation:

“As of April 5, 2022, the Fontenelle Reservoir pool elevation is 6479.32 feet, which amounts to 46 percent of live storage capacity. Inflows for the month of March totaled 46,000 acre-feet (af) or 81 percent of average. 

Fontenelle’s releases are currently maintained at 825 cfs   

The April final forecast for unregulated inflows into Fontenelle for the next three months projects below average conditions. April, May, and June inflow volumes amount to 70,000 af (83 percent of average), 95,000 af (54 percent of average), and 190,000 af (62 percent of average), respectively. The April-July 2022 unregulated inflow is forecasted to be 435,000 af or 59% of average.”

What this means:

Releases from Fontenelle Reservoir are currently at 825 CFS. Snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is currently at 72 percent of normal. Snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is currently at 76 percent of normal.

As with the Green below Flaming Gorge you will see midge and some baetis activity during the day. If you are nymphing plan on having a variety of scuds, midges, baetis, and blood midges. Although not as productive as the streamer bite is on the Utah Green in the Spring, 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 spring colors. Some of my favorite patterns are the peanut envy, dungeon, sculpin leech, and the sculpzilla.

Provo River Fishing Report

The snowpack in the Provo River Drainage is currently sitting between 60 and 76 percent of normal.

Dam releases below Jordanelle Reservoir are at 148 CFS. Flows in Charleston are at 146 CFS. Flows below Deer Creek Reservoir are at 97.25 CFS.

When fishing the Provo River during the spring look for fish in the slower, deeper runs until the baetis hatch begins. Once the hatch goes off the fish will move into the riffles and the heads of pools. The best time to fish is during the warmest part of the day (10 AM to 4:30 PM). Depending on the day you can see decent midge activity and fantastic beats activity.

For midges, think small. Have a decent selection of tiny midges in the 20-26 size range. When nymphing midges, I like bling midges, cardinal midges, blood midges, WD 40’s, etc. Gray, brown, and red have been my go to colors. For baetis, I like the baetis nymph, radiation baetis, juju baetis, and slim shady baetis all is size 18. Expect very light takes when nymphing until the baetis hatch begins.. For midge dry flies, I’ll use small mother shuckers, Matt’s midge, or a cluster midge all in that size 20-24 range. For baetis dry flies, I like any trailing shuck or crippled blue wing in a size 18.

Don’t be afraid to try streamers. Try slow stripping a sculpzilla or woolly bugger in some of the deeper holes. You might be rewarded with a substantial fish.

Weber River Fishing Report

Current snowpack in the Weber Ogden drainage is sitting at 61 percent of normal.

Releases out of Rockport reservoir are currently at 26.6 CFS

Releases out of Echo reservoir are currently at .68 CFS.

River flows by Mountain Green are at approximately 161 CFS.

Small Stream Fishing Report

Generally speaking most of Utah’s small streams are inaccessible in the early spring months due to snow.

We currently are sitting on a statewide snowpack that is between 48 and 76 percent of normal. Therefore some areas are more accessible for spring angling opportunities than usual.

I have not ventured out to any small streams recently, but I’d expect to see some midge, baetis, and maybe even some skwala activity if you were to go searching for some solitude.