Utah Fishing & Outdoors Report

Several major hunts begin on Oct 6, including waterfowl, general any bull elk, general spike elk and the general buck/bull combination hunt. If you are a hunter you had better be pretty much ready by now... If you aren't a hunter you still should be aware that these hunters will be afield.

Lake Powell - right now is my favorite time of year to fish the big lake. Success is very good. Air temperatures are still warm but not oppressively hot. The water has started to cool but is still nice for skiing and other water sports. And crowds are down - not nearly as many people on the lake.

Lake Powell fishing should continue to be hot for the next couple weeks, then success will probably start to fall off as water temperatures continue to cool. Extremely good right now, pretty good into late October, then trailing off to fair in November. Stripers are deep but they are hungry and readily take shad-imitating lures. Largemouth and smallmouth are shallow. Fish for bass and you may also catch walleye, crappie and catfish. Read Wayne Gustaveson's Powell report.

Major streams continue to fish well. Frost has now hit many areas and that will impact insect life. Nymphs and streamers are usually productive in the fall. If you want to fish on top, check with a local fly shop to find out what's working.

Strawberry and Flaming Gorge continue to provide good fishing most days. Many smaller reservoirs and streams also offer great action.

Interesting Posts by Anglers
Flaming Gorge is good for lake trout. Also mentions good fishing at Spirit Lake, in 3 inches of snow, and on the Green River.
Flaming Gorge - how to catch the lake trout
Bear Lake good for lake trout early in the morning
Strawberry is spotty - very good at times but slow other times
Idaho fishing is good at several waters
Lake Powell is very good for several species
Hyrum Reservoir is good for rainbows
Scofield tips for catching trout

DWR Hotspots Report
DWR says these waters offer hot fishing
- Pelican Lake for bluegill and largemouth bass
- Calder Reservoir for rainbows
- Weber River for trout and whitefish
- Sand Hollow Reservoir for bass and bluegill
- Lake Powell for bass, stripers, walleye, crappie and catfish

New Articles
Salt Lake Tribune
Hike of the week: Gobblers Knob from Butler Fork - Big Cottonwood Canyon
New North Springs Shooting Range and Recreation Area opens
Where is it?
Hook shot
Game bag is functional and stylish
Letterboxing
Utah state parks celebrate Public Lands Day with free events
Tight Lines: Despite my miserable performance, fantasy bass fishing has me hooked
Public Lands Day: 'Good opportunity to give something back'
Outdoor Notebook: Mountain to Metro games kick off this Saturday
Bird sighting
The Outsider: Josie Johnson Memorial Ride
Recreation Roundup

KUTV
Four-Wheeling In The Rockies
Women's Outdoor Survival Course
Hunting Elk With Bow And Arrow
State Parks: Wasatch Mountain State Park
How Many Elk Are In North America?
Utah Field Guide: American Mustang

Deseret Morning News
Tourism office preparing flurry of Utah winter ads
Wild & scenic Green River
Now's time for Utahns to buy discount passes for ski season
Ray Grass: Right now is the time for winter warm-ups
Cool weather won't halt bikers
Strawberry sees fewer kokanee salmon this year
Outdoor notes
Utah County eases rules on trail use
Swim restrictions are eased for toddlers
River advocates swim across the Jordan
'Utah Hues' targets movie moguls
'Walk for Forests' is planned Oct. 6
Park City Mountain Resort's terrain parks recognized
More comment time sought on Moab plan
Community swim today across the Jordan River
Falling for autumn — From the West Coast to the East Coast: a sampling of scenic drives
Big, bold beauty of the Grand Tetons
If you go to Grand Teton National Park
Par excellence — Disc golf aficionados say the game has it all
Antelope Island hot air balloon event lifts off

DWR
Wildlife habitat is improving in West Coal Creek
Marshall draw goes up in flames
You need a new HIP number

DWR's Wildlife Review Magazine
Interesting article on trail cameras - setting up a camera so a motion detector causes the camera to fire, and thus photograph animals. Says it can be a helpful scouting tool.

Regional Articles
Pyramid Lake opens for Lahontan cutthroat trout fishing on Oct. 1
Battle to preserve Hemingway's private Idaho
Idaho: Idyllic isolation

Fishing pressure is down, now that most people have turned their attention to fall activities. Those getting out are catching a lot of fish; success is good pretty much everywhere. The canyons will be ablaze with color during the next couple weeks. Warm days, cool nights, beautiful scenery and great fishing - this is my favorite time of year.

There is definitely a fall nip in the morning air. Water is cooling in our reservoirs, and that is good for trout fishing. The fish will start coming in shallow to feed and they will be easier to find and catch. Bass action will stay good in southern Utah, but will soon fade in northern waters.

No single fishery stands out right now. All our major waters should fish well during the next few weeks so take your choice. (See the DWR Weekly Fishing Report for specifics.)

DWR Hotspots Report
DWR says these waters offer hot fishing
- Pelican Lake for bluegill and largemouth bass
- Calder Reservoir for rainbows
- Pineview Reservoir for crappie, bass and perch
- Weber River for trout and whitefish
- Sand Hollow Reservoir for bass and bluegill
- Lake Powell for bass, stripers, walleye, crappie and catfish

Interesting Posts By Anglers
Strawberry yields big rainbow
Strawberry early morning is cold enough to freeze rod eyelets
Flaming Gorge is great in October
Jordanelle is good if you adjust to fall conditions
Grantsville water is low but rainbows are biting
Pelican is still good for bass and bluegill
Huntington Reservoir is good for tiger trout

News Articles

Forbes
World's Top Fly-Fishing Spots

Detroit Free Press
Stream fishing great in the fall; guide, anglers enjoy increased solitude

Deseret Morning News
Just Dew it — extreme sports tours on the rise
Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame: 6 picked for Class of 2007
Time for the hunt: Season expected to be a good one
Expect more bucks this deer season
Plenty of bull elk anticipated
Outlook could be good for duck hunters
Success with pheasant may vary by location
Chukar partridge released for upland game hunt
Youth hunting day for waterfowl set
Feds: No significant impact for native trout restoration, enhancement projects in southwest Utah
Outdoor notes
Salt Lake City Council allots $8 million to improvement projects
Conservationists plan meet-and-greet event at Salt Lake Library
Off-roading may be restricted near Moab
Improved amenities at Park City Mountain Resort
Lured to Wyoming elk refuge with promise of food, bison now face hunting
Fathers ride 'loneliest road' to raise awareness
Black bear euthanized in Spanish Fork
2 Utah forests are merging
Riders banned from San Juan County canyon
Body of Magna man found in Jordanelle
Festivals galore this weekend
Museum Day Saturday

DWR
Waterfowl hunters: 2007—2008 Guidebook available on the Web
More ducks flying this way
Lots of bull elk
Bullfrogs found in the Uinta Basin
Teach others about wildlife and the outdoors
Take your kids waterfowl hunting
View migrating raptors on Sept. 22
Chukar partridge released across Utah
DWR completes 2007 prairie dog surveys

KUTV
Sneaky Stealth Fishing In The Uinta Mountains
Real Mountain Men Rough It In Wyoming
State Parks: Gunlock State Park
Catch And Release... Mountain Goats
Field Guide: The American Badger
Quiz: When Was Fort Bridger Established?
Outdoor Tip: How To Throw A Tomahawk

Salt Lake Tribune
Wharton: As number of hunters wanes, difficult choices on the horizon
Game recipe
Out takes: Give us your best shot
Outdoor notebook: Rocky Moutain goats on the move on video and more
Where is it?
Fall hunting: A bull market
Hunting tips from the Utah Division of Wildlife
Game Times: A year of hunting in Utah
Hunting notes: Waterfowl survey finds record numbers of canvasback ducks
Recreation roundup
The outsider: Duck advisories online; hunters against hunger
Mule Deer Foundation turns 20
Hunting gear
Hook shot
Hunting for a cure
Bird sighting
Garden City puts brakes on development
Lake Powell military package

The Strawberry Valley Wildlife Festival is Fri/Sat (Sept 14-15) at the Forest Service visitor center on Hwy 40 at the Strawberry turnoff. The Strawberry River flows past and it should offer good views of fluorescent red spawning kokanee salmon. The festival offers clinics, information and fun. DWR biologists will be there to talk to the public.

Kokanee are just starting to move up the Strawberry River and some can be seen at the nearby fish trip. Kokanee will also be moving up Sheep Creek at Flaming Gorge. Kokanee fishing is good right now at the Gorge. Some big, hook-jawed fish are being caught. At Strawberry only a few kokanee are being caught - the fish are more elusive there. Causey Reservoir also has decent kokanee fishing.

Elsewhere, fish are responding to the cooler weather. The next few weeks will bring very good action if you adjust techniques to follow the fish.

Provo River flows have been decreased and that has helped fishing. The Middle is fishing very well right now and the Lower is pretty dang good. Hoppers are still one of the better offerings. Read Steve Schmidt's report for more details.

Fly fishing streams should fish well all around the region.

At Lake Powell, the water temperature has started to cool and fish are changing their habits as they adjust to conditions. Anglers need to change tactics to stay with the fish. Great bass fishing can be found by working lures into shallow weed beds. Stripers are only boiling occasionally now; more often they are down 30-40 feet and can be caught jigging or trolling. Read the report by Wayne Gustaveson for specifics.

Interesting Angler Posts
Deer Creek smallmouth are still biting
Bear Lake offers big cutts but fishing isn't fast
Flaming Gorge lake trout - what constitutes big?
Flaming Gorge kokanee fishing is great
Jordanelle bass fishing is good but spotty
Mirror Lake is great fishing with kids
Twin Lakes ID offers great bass fishing
Utah Lake is good for white bass
Mantua has big bass
Strawberry is good but spotty jigging

DWR Hotspots Report
DWR says these waters offer hot fishing
- Pelican Lake for bluegill and largemouth bass
- Calder Reservoir for rainbows
- Pineview Reservoir for crappie, bass and perch
- Weber River for trout and whitefish
- Sand Hollow Reservoir for bass and bluegill
- Lake Powell for bass, stripers, walleye, crappie and catfish

New Articles
DWR
Juveniles admit guilt to shooting cattle with arrows
Big increase in wild turkey hunting permits
Long season and two canvasbacks
Apply for a cougar permit starting Sept. 20

DWR Wildlife Review Magazine has these articles
Stocking Fish From the Sky
How to Release Fish the Right Way

Deseret Morning News
Cooler weather, Better fishing
Ray Grass: Stan Jones will long be known for mapmaking
Fishing report: Here's how and where fish are biting
2,000-year-old badminton staging a comeback
Outdoor notes
Utah goats trapped and transferred
Fire restrictions lifted across Utah
Flaming Gorge campgrounds closed due to bears
Create jewel of vacation at Yellowstone
New law protects 'good faith' reports of suspicious activities
If you go to Yellowstone National Park

Salt Lake Tribune
Hike of the week: Highline Trail to Packard Lake - Uinta Mountains
Marsh masterpiece
Tight Lines: Closing of DWR's sometimes raucous online forums comes as no surprise
Outdoor notebook: Guided floats, wolf talk and more
Bird Sighting: Birders trek to Nevada for glimpse of Himalayan snowcock
Fall cave hours announced
Hook Shot
Provo River Cleanup
Applications for City Creek Canyon deer hunt permits due soon
Funds for trail-related projects available
Keep your head above the snow
Where is it?
Recreation roundup
The Outsider: Spawning salmon, Ogden Valley fundraiser

KUTV
Fishing On The Provo River
Chuckin' Spears At Fremont Indian State Park
Utah Field Guide: Kokanee Salmon
Outdoor Tip: Scouting Video
Finding Cutthroat Trout A New Home
Utah Field Guide: Mountain Lions
State Parks: Soldier Hollow, Utah's Olympic Park
Outdoor Tip: Packing Llamas
Roughin' It On Llama-Back
Bow Hunting For Big Bucks

Fall colors are starting to show on northern Utah mountains. When will colors be prime? That varies from year to year. I'll go out on a limb and predict the last week of September in northern Utah, and late October in southern Utah. This webpage describes drives offering good views of fall colors.

Strawberry Valley Wildlife Festival will be Sept 14-15 at the U.S. Forest Service visitor center. The Strawberry River flows past and it should offer good views of fluorescent red spawning kokanee salmon. The festival offers clinics, information and fun. DWR biologists will be there to talk to the public.

DWR has terminated the discussion forums offered on its website. The forums were successful in generating discussion and providing an opportunity for fishers and hunters to share information. However, like most Internet forums, inappropriate, rude and offensive posts sometimes caused problems. With DWR out of the game, the Big Fish Tackle Utah forum is the best I'm aware of.

Lake Powell continues to offer hot fishing. Wayne Gustaveson reports: Summer is over. Lake Powell is quiet. Air and water temperature will now begin cooling to a more comfortable temperature for fish and anglers. September is the peak month for bass and striper feeding. Forage is at the season high in abundance and size. With the passing of Labor Day all is in order for serious fishing to begin. Read his complete report.

Green River fishing is good now and should improve during the coming weeks. Dennis Breer says fishing pressure is down a little, even though success remains high. Recent storms have muddied the water on the lower river. Water quality is excellent from the Dam down to Red Creek, which is located below Little Hole. Hoppers and other terrestrials are working well, but other bugs may also be productive. Dennis posts an excellent weekly report on his website.

Most other streams are also fishing well. Hoppers are important almost everywhere. In addition, Steve Schmidt gives these recommendations: "As you head out, have a good assortment of Terrestrials in your box, Caddis patterns in several sizes, Little Yellow Sallies and some PMD's. We have Trico on several of our waters. These little buggers can really be productive if enough of them are on the water."

DWR Hotspots Report
DWR says these waters offer hot fishing
- Pelican Lake for bluegill and largemouth bass
- Calder Reservoir for rainbows
- Pineview Reservoir for crappie, bass and perch
- Weber River for trout and whitefish
- Fish Lake for splake, rainbows, perch
- Sand Hollow Reservoir for bass and bluegill
- Lake Powell for bass, stripers, walleye, crappie and catfish

Interesting Angler Posts
Jordanelle yields huge smallmouth
Utah Lake is great for channel catfish
Pelican Lake is very good for bluegill and largemouth
Strawberry: Interesting discussion about fish dying after being released

New Articles
DWR
Cattle deliberately shot with arrowsUpland game hunting a mixed bag this yearFishing tournaments: Should Utah's rules change?See thousands of kokanee salmon

Salt Lake Tribune
Vile mussels vanish; fear of invasion lingers
Visitation to park up by nearly 10 percent
Fair catch
Outdoor Notebook: Scale up to the Strawberry Valley fest, get a video preview of a Kokanee run Wharton: Wildlife management process is rigged in favor of hunters
Tight Lines: New fishing tournament rules may have a negative net effect
Swing high, ride low from Millsite to Green River park
Hike of the week: Timpooneke Trail to Emerald Lake - Utah County
Where is it?
Recreation roundup
The Outsider: Climb for Life, bird watching
Money flows in for rangeland purchase along Green River
Hook Shot
Keep your line wet and your camera dry
Bird sighting

Deseret Morning News
For the good of wildlife — Projects benefit elk, support hunting
Logan to Jackson — Cyclists eager to tackle grueling LOTOJA Classic
Utah upland game hunts viewed as a 'mixed bag'
Ray Grass: Tournament law for fish in for some changing
New Mexico's San Juan River gains some attention for its trout fishing
Book review: Grand book spotlights legendary canyon hiker
Outdoor notes
Utah County adding link to Utah Lake trail
Wilderness group challenging approval of proposed Emery coal mine
High-altitude hikers cope with loss of privy privileges
Who needs Sundance? Summer shows off another side to Park City
Acid spill contaminates Parley's Creek
Utah 'Coastal Cleanup'

KUTV
Utah Field Guide: Mountain Lions
State Parks: Soldier Hollow, Utah's Olympic Park
Outdoor Tip: Packing Llamas
Roughin' It On Llama-Back
Bow Hunting For Big Bucks