Utah Fishing Reports

The photo above shows a new world record blue catfish, caught in Missouri. Details. I don't think I'd want to hang that fish on my wall.

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What's New

Skyline Drive
I fished Duck Fork Reservoir last week. Action was slow but the two tiger trout we caught were big and colorful. Up near the inlet many fish were jumping, completely out of the water, over and over. The most action was right against shore, along a bank of reeds. We tried and tried but could not figure out what they were taking. Talked to many anglers and everyone was stumped. Many years they hit purple damsel fly nymphs. Maybe those will become productive soon.

Boulder Mountain
I'll be fishing a couple streams in the Boulder area this weekend. I hope to catch a few big browns and cutts, and a bunch of small brook trout. Most people going to the Boulders focus on lakes. The lakes can be great, but the streams are also worth a visit. (If I catch a bunch, maybe I'll divulge where I fished.)

Slot Canyons
Several flash floods hit south-central Utah this week. Paria Canyon flashed, as did some areas in Capitol Reef National Park. Take great care if you are hiking slot canyons.

I'm actually scheduled to canyoneer Cottonwood Wash in Capitol Reef on Wednesday. I'll be watching the sky. I've never hiked that canyon - the photos make it look great. I'll have a report next week.

Uintas off the Trail
I've locked in my Uinta Mountain plan. I'll be exploring along the North Slope on July 31, trying to find a little lake that has good fishing for Arctic greyling. Those are strange-looking fish, and fun to catch. No trails lead to the lake - we will be bushwhacking. I've got GPS coordinates and so it should not be hard to find.

Lake Powell
The next 2-3 weeks will provide the best topwater striper fishing of the year. Get down there soon, if you can. I had hoped to fish there on Aug 7, until they reminded me I volunteered to help with a Cast For Kids event that day. It may be the middle of August before I can go after them.

- Dave (dave@redrockadventure.com)

At Strawberry and other reservoirs, troll deep or bait fish during the heat of the day. Work flies and lures near the surface during the early morning and late evening.

Uinta Mountains and other high country areas offer good fishing. Fishing is often good using a fly behind a bubble. Small dark flies are often good. Also terrestrial patterns (ants, in particular). Small lures are also good. Afternoon thunderstorms are common so go prepared.

Striper slurps are common now at Lake Powell, and full boils can erupt anywhere at any time. Powell's water temperature has increased to about 84 degrees - perfect for skiing and water sports but a little warmer than most fish prefer. The fish will feed on the surface early and late, then retreat to cool, deep water during the heat of the day. The best fishing is on the upper lake during early morning or late evening. See Wayne Gustaveson's weekly report for details.

Willard Bay wipers are featured in this video by hookedonutah.com. It presents good info from a DWR biologist.

New world record brown trout has apparently been caught by an angler in Lake Michigan. Trolling the Lake Michigan waters off Wind Point, north of Racine, Roger Hellen hooked and landed a 41-pound, 8-ounce brown trout. The standing world record is a 41-pound, 7.5-ounce brown caught last September in the Manistee River of Michigan. Details.

And a new world record blue catfish has apparently been caught in Missouri. Weighed in at 130 pounds, beating the old state record by 27 pounds. The fish was 57 inches long and 45 inches around. It is waiting for confirmation by the International Game Fish Association. If approved it will beat the world record by a nice 6 pounds. The fisherman plans to have the ugly thing mounted and display it on his wall. Details.

Karl Malone gave this interesting interview, talking about his youth and his love for hunting and fishing: "My favorite animal to hunt is elk, and I hunt them down by Fish Lake in Utah. If I could hunt any animal for the rest of my life, I would love to hunt elk."

Green River below Flaming Gorge is includes in "Best Wild Places" list compiled by Field & Stream & Trout Unlimited. Here is a quote: "The 'Outlaw Triangle,' named because Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid used the area as a hideout in the late 1800s, includes the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam and Little Mountain south of Rock Springs. Together, the area boasts trophy hunting for big game and trophy fishing in the Green River, and backcountry angling for native Colorado River cutthroat trout. However, much of Little Mountain has been leased for oil and gas drilling, and the Green is targeted for a trans-basin water diversion project which could threaten one of the West's best trout fisheries." More details.