Utah Fishing Reports

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What's New

Friends from out of state wanted me to show them some of Utah's red rock country, so we hiked in Arches National Park. Did the mandatory easy trek to Delicate Arch and then went over and probed the Klondike Bluffs area. I had never hiked the Bluffs area and it was great fun. Didn't have time to really explore there and I'm anxious to get back and discover its wonders.

Conditions are perfect right now for hikes in open desert country. Warm but not yet hot. In a few weeks things will heat up and I'll want to be in shade or in the water.

My daughter informed me I need to do another hiking trip this weekend. She is heading to Florida for the summer and wants one more good adventure before she flies. I think we'll go down to Cedar Mesa and explore Anasazi ruins.

I have a large gallery of photos of rock art and ancient ruins - I'm trying to make a photo record of the most significant sites in the region. Funny think, the more I do, the more I want to do. The list of sites that I want to visit is growing faster than I'm able to check them off. It's great fun and I always get interesting photos.

I'm still hoping to get to Lake Powell in early or mid-May - while spring fishing is still hot.

I wanted to fish Flaming Gorge during April but haven't had the chance. Too many friends and work assignments. I will probably be early June before I get over there.

Too many places... Too little time.

- Dave

Northern Utah stream levels are coming up but are still very fishable. Runoff won't be a problem for a couple more weeks. Steve Schmidt at Western Rivers Fly Fisher gives this advise: "With all the little brown trout fry now in the river, a small streamer pattern can be deadly in the early morning hours before the hatches get going. For bugs... we are seeing midges and Blue Wing Olives. As you head out you should be prepared for: Blue Wing Olives, Skwala (stoneflies) and a variety of smaller midges." Read Steve's complete report.

Weber River is fishing well, offering big fish, according to this DWR news release. DWR provided the photo at right. The release gives tips for fishing, recommending using two nymphs in tandem. Hares ears and pheasant tails work well, and are shown in the photo.

Potential stream flooding is being monitored around New Harmony, in southern Utah. This article describes conditions there. Other southern Utah streams will be high and may be muddy.

Fishing is improving on Utah's reservoirs, as the water warms a bit. Jordanelle, Deer Creek, Rockport, Otter Creek and Piute are good bets for trout.

Strawberry ice may start to pull back a bit in a week or so. It will still be some weeks before the entire reservoir is ice-free but there may soon be fishable open water in front of The Ladders, Mud Creek and areas. I'll watch conditions and post updates via the Twitter feed on my website. Follow me on Twitter to be sure you don't miss anything.

Free shooting clinics are being offered by DWR on May 1 at the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range in Salt Lake City. Details.

Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City lead after day one at the FLW Tour bass tournament on Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lake in Tennessee. He had with 20 pounds, 14 ounces of big fish. Details.