Utah Fishing Reports

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Rec Property

Soldier Summit Cabin:
- 12.86 acre lot
- 3,054 Square Feet
- 2 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms
- Family Room & Den
- Hardwood Floors
- Huge Kitchen and Large Dining Room
- 1160 sq ft basement framed for family room, 2 bdrms, 1 bath

What's New

Moab was sunny and warm last weekend and I enjoyed hiking there. We had fun hunting down rock art along Potash Road and then did the short, easy hike to Corona Arch, which is spectacular. Some people were rappelling off Corona as we arrived. I got great photos (Corona and rock art).

Finally got video posted from my recent hike to Moon House Anasazi Ruin on Cedar Mesa. See it here.

Where next? Maybe Lees Ferry on the Colorado River below Lake Powell. I'll stay home this weekend and do family things, then watch the weather and head out when it's favorable. I'm not ready to give in to winter yet. I'd love to do one more mild-weather fly fishing trip.

Lees Ferry fishes well year-round, offering nice rainbows. Most anglers jet boat up the river, stopping at prime spots. Some focus on the walk-in section, which can also fish very well.

Grizzly Bear in Utah? (Note: Follow the link in this article and you see it is reported as a fable.) There is good evidence a grizzly wandered into Utah recently. Backpacker Magazine reports, "While no specimen has been confirmed or photographed, rangers responded to sightings and discovered tracks and scat that closely match those of a brown bear." More.

Next DWR RAC meetings will take place Dec. 8 through 16. 2010 bear management changes will be discussed. Agenda, meeting places and times.

Cabelas ice fishing clinics, Dec 5-6 (Sat-Sun), 10 am through 3 pm. DWR biologists and others will provide info on Strawberry, Scofield and other waters. There will also be specials on fishing gear.

How to keep fish alive: Science Daily has this interesting article describing best practices for catch and release fishing.

- Good Fishing, Dave Webb

Strawberry will now be essentially not fishable now, with snow on access roads and thin ice covering bays. Some bays will have safe ice soon but the main lake will probably not be solid until about Christmas.

Scofield is developing more safe ice every day, but still has some open water. Fishing has been good for small trout.

Otter Creek is often the next major water to freeze. With this cold, it cold be safe within a week. Test carefully before risking your life.

High, smaller waters should now have safe ice. For example, Navajo Lake should be solid and have good fishing.

Uinta Mountain lakes have been good for a few people brave enough to drive 4X4s to lakes along roads. Some guys have caught hundreds of small trout. With the coming storm, future access may be by snowmobile only.

Deer Creek, Jordanelle, Rockport and similar waters will offer open-water fishing for another week or two. Ramps may be icy some days, but should still be usable most of the time. If you choose to boat or tube, be cautious because you can get hypothermia in a hurry if you get wet.

The Provo, Green, Weber and other streams continue to fish well but access is becoming more difficult. Winter fly fishing can be finicky, good at times but slow other times. Whitefish are caught more consistently than trout. They are an underrated fish that can provide great winter sport. Talk to the guys in the fly shops for the latest info.