Thursday Dec 4
Last week I predicted there would be fishable ice on Scofield about now. Wrong! If anything, there's less ice this week. Maybe winter is over and now it's spring. I'd vote for that.
Ice will come, eventually. But the latest forecast calls for more mild weather, so be patient.
Fly fishing the streams is still a good bet. Steve Schmidt describes the Provo River: "As late as it is, I'm amazed at how good the Provo continues to be. With the clouds over the past few days, the midge and blue wing olive hatches are providing good to excellent fly fishing opportunities. Hatches at time are prolific, and a variety of fishing techniques are working: nymphs, dry fly, soft hackle and streamer." Read his full report.
The Green and Weber also offer good action, as do many smaller streams.
Lake Powell continues to hold its own and may yet offer another couple weeks of decent fishing. Overall, the Hite area seems to be best. Action will screech to a halt at Powell with the next significant cold front.
Quail Lake and Sand Hollow, near St George, offer good fishing for a variety of species.
- Henry's Lake (Idaho) ice fishing for huge trout
- Yuba continues to yield big northerns
- Millsite and Ferron Creek
- Sevier River offers nice browns
- Strawberry continues to produce nice fish
- Jordanelle still offers decent fishing
- Final open-water fishing at Huntington
- Bear Lake whitefish hit the big time
- Weber big brown keeps missing the hook
- Lake Powell stripers are biting around Hite
- Lake Powell smallmouth are biting down-lake
- Dedicated Hunter changes
- Shed antler changes
- More spike bull elk permits
- Bonus points, preference points
Deseret News
- Then & now: Utah resorts keep getting better every year
- Hunting big game with bows is growing in popularity in U.S.
- Environmentalists want new wolf recovery plan
- Outdoor notes
- Travel pinched by global financial crisis
- BLM backs off on Nine Mile, Desolation drilling
- Wetland center to host students in spring
- Draft of Utah Lake master plan ready
- Zion shuttle program will need additional money
- National Forest visitors down, no one knows why
- Government wants suit over boy's killing by bear dismissed
- Salt Lake City hiker dies in fall at Zion
- Phones turn Idaho cowboys into 'voice on the mountain'
- Idaho ski resorts fall victim to dry weather
Salt Lake Tribune
- Fish fears put more drilling leases under fire
- Nine Mile Canyon: BLM pulls back on drilling plans
- Holladay Gun Club to close its doors after 54 years
- Wharton: Getting the itch to shoot again
- Group seeks to reverse park snowmobile ruling
- Heli-skiing firm seeks permit extension
- UAC, conservationists ramp up fight against pipeline
- Canadian cooperative close to buying Midvale's Sportsman's Warehouse
- Residents to get look at draft of Utah Lake plan
- Crowds and snow a little thin in Park City
- Zion shuttle program will need additional money
- Drought deepens strain on a dwindling Colorado
- Outdoors notebook: Paralympian brings outreach program to Park City
- Bird sighting: White-throated sparrow
- Outtakes: Bird dance
- Hook Shot: Fisherman one-ups his pal with rooster fish catch
- Outdoor finds: 'My Life Was This Big'
- What's happening at Utah's state parks
- Call her queen of carcasses
- Biodiversity, ecosystems threatened by climate change
KUTV
- Weber River
- Warm Water Fish
- Utah Olympic Park to Host Weekend of Olympic Winter Sports Competition December 11-14th
- Hunter becomes the hunted
KSL
- Group gives pessimistic outlook for Lake Powell, Colorado River
- More people looking into firewood and wood-burning stoves to heat home
- Skiers and snowboarders encouraged to register gear
- Still no sign of Colorado woman missing in Utah
- BLM pulls more Utah land from drilling leases
Other
- Sea Hunt in the Desert
- Scuba Diving in Utah's Desert
Regional
- Out on the ice
- Fish planting stopped in county lakes
- Lawsuit means Loch Lomond won't be stocked with trout
- Trout plants halted - it's a load of bullfrogs!
- Idaho Fish & Game Looking For Those Responsible in Dumping Elk Carcasses in Jefferson County
- Black-tailed prairie dog may need protection
- 2 Endangered Condor Chicks Fly Free
- Wolves kill more livestock in 2007 in Idaho
- Idaho biologists say Wolves hitting Idaho elk hard
- Fish and Game prepares for 2009 wolf hunt
- Colorado remains wolfless, but they prosper elsewhere
- Bears head into dens; conflicts down in '08
- Taking trout to the classroom
- Improvements could allow Farragut range to reopen
- F&G seeks boost to license and tag fees
- Out and About: Snowmobiling, Fishing
- Well-known albino deer dies
- Cutthroat numbers decline in upper Flat Creek
- Investigators continue search for poachers
- Court asked to block drilling on wildlife refuge
- Wildlife service to consider extending protection for Canada lynx
- ELLENBERGER: Wildlife at stake in roadless rule
- Salmon outfitted with transmitters
- Increasingly scarce water is the new California gold
Me, I'm dreaming about fly fishing on Lees Ferry, on the Colorado below Glen Canyon Dam. It is a great spot for a winter fishing fix.
Great Hiking Weather
Meanwhile, this is a great time to hike the sunny trails in Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and other spots in Utah's southland. I went hiking last weekend and found an unusual rock art that includes a figure locals call the Wolf Man. I've seen a lot of rock art in my day, but never anything like this guy. See photos and my blog.
Another spot I visited is known as the House on Fire Anasazi ruin. See those photos here.
I had a great trip and visited many sites. It will take me a couple weeks to post all of my photos and descriptions.
I'm already making plans for a return trip. Down in Canyonlands National Park, Salt Creek drainage, there is a fascinating rock art image known as the All American Man. He's painted red, white and blue. I hope to go find him sometime within the next few weeks.
DWR RAC meetings, Dec 9-17. See DWR's website for dates, times and locations. The site also has a schedule for 2009 Wildlife Board and RAC meetings.
Birding on Snowshoes, Dec 20, Jordanelle State Park, Heber City. Join the park naturalist from 9 a.m. to noon at the Rock Cliff Nature Center for a class on basic bird identification. Then venture outdoors on snowshoes (if needed) to try your new skills. No birding experience is necessary. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them and dress appropriately. Snowshoes available. Day use fee applies. For more information or to RSVP call 435-782-3030 or 435-649-9540.
First Day of Winter Hike, Dec 22, Hovenweep National Monument. Enjoy the quiet secrets of the winter season on a hike to Holly Ruin at Hovenweep National Monument. Rock art at Holly Ruin may have been used to mark seasonal activities. Sponsored by Edge of the Cedars State Park in Blanding. A park archeologist and museum curator will accompany the group. Call for details: 435-678-2238
See our events calendar- Good Fishing, Dave Webb