Utah Fishing & Outdoors Report

The new Salt Creek Fire on Mt Nebo has prompted closure of all roads and campgrounds along the Nebo Loop. Thousand Oaks and Indianola have been evacuated.

Zion National Park's entire backcountry area is closed because of wildfires. Trails that stay in Zion Canyon are open but those that cross into backcountry areas are closed. You can hike into the Narrows from the bottom and proceed upstream to Orderville Gulch, but you cannot go beyond that point. Top-to-bottom hikes through the Narrows are not allowed at this time. All technical canyon hikes are closed. The Lava Point Campground is closed. The North Fork Road, located just east of the park, has been closed and a mandatory evacuation order is in effect for resorts and summer homes in that area.

Kaibab National Forest was briefly closed to all recreational activities because of high fire danger. That closure has been lifted, effective 7/20, so visitors can again camp, hike, bike and explore the forest. Campfires are not allowed except in developed campgrounds, and smoking is restricted to vehicles, buildings and developed campgrounds. The forest is located on the Arizona Strip near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

At Lake Powell, surface boils are common now and will become more prominent during the next few weeks. Striper fishing, which was already good, will become amazingly good as summer progresses. Retrieve a lure through the boil and it will be smacked repeatedly by the aggressive fish. The Hite area is best right now but the boils will soon spread through the entire lake. Wayne Gustaveson explains, "From dawn to 8 AM look for surface disturbances as stripers chase shad to the top and against the canyon walls. Shad are still small following a late hatch of threadfin, so stripers are not making a lot of commotion as they feed on tiny shad near the surface. Scan carefully to see 5-20 stripers churning the surface in a room-sized area."

On our trout streams, the drake hatch is winding down but there are good hatches of caddis, pale Morning Duns, Pale Evening Duns and some stoneflies. There may also be some Yellow Sallies around. We're now in the full heat of summer, with long days. Fishing is best early and late in the day, but can also be good on a cloudy afternoon.

Our reservoirs continue to fish well if you get baits and lures down to the fish. For trout and kokanee, downriggers are the way to go if you want to catch fish regularly.

Steve Schmidt has posted this interesting blog about inconsiderate guides and the impact well-meaning but ignorant fly fishers are having on our trout streams.

Anglers Forum Posts
Pineview is a trash dump
Volunteers will clean up trash at Pineview Saturday, then share barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs.
Pineview is good for tiger muskie, smallmouth and crappie
First trip for Grayling - Very nice photos of grayling from a high Uinta Mountain lake.
Uinta Mountain Lakes - discussion about stocking, natural reproduction and over fishing
Trail Lake has big, hungry albino trout
Middle Provo good for trout using Mepps and flies
Utah Lake very good for white bass and catfish near Bird Island
Good on the Fremont River near Bicknell for browns and rainbows
Currant Creek Reservoir produced lots of bites but few hookups
Flaming Gorge is good for kokanee and rainbows
Strawberry is steady for nice cutts
South Fork Ogden browns are picky, took only hares ear bead head nymphs
Yuba Lake is good for an assortment, including perch, walleye, northern pike and rainbows
Starvation is fair to good for walleye; construction delays in Provo and Daniels canyons


DWR Hotspots Report
DWR says these waters offer hot fishing
- Long Park Reservoir (Uintas) for trout
- Pineview Reservoir for crappie, bass and perch
- Weber River for trout and whitefish
- Nine Mile Reservoir for trout
- Sand Hollow Reservoir for bass and bluegill
- Lake Powell for bass, stripers, walleye, crappie and catfish

New Articles
DWR
Upland Game Hunting Guide available

Salt Lake Tribune
National wildfire preparedness jumps to highest level
Hike of the week: 5 lakes loop at Brighton, Big Cottonwood Canyon
Outdoor notebook: Celebrate pioneer spirit in Wellsville
Wharton: Let's hope state resource managers learn from this summer's wildfires
Whooo knows Owls
Hook shot
The Outsider: Fly-fishing in Chile
Here's to finding out all about trout
Bird sighting
Where is it?

Deseret Morning News
Fires at Zion park prompt evacuations Thursday near Navajo Lake
Nation's wildfire preparedness level raised as fires rage in West
Fireworks ban? Sparks fly over governor's declaration
Ground broken for winter sports center
Ray Grass: 100% cash for license sales goes into DWR
Outdoor notes
Cycling notes: King of the Mountain event to test top cyclists
Commentary: On a mountain bike, your childhood is within your grasp
Ashley wildfire area reopened to public

KUTV
Hunt Preparation
The Goat Hunt
State Parks - Field House of Natural History
Outdoor Tip - Clarks Jungle Hammock
Walleye Makes Huge Comeback At Yuba Lake
Fishing For Walleye At Yuba Lake
State Parks: Yuba State Park