Provo & Weber River Fly Fishing Guides
Few guide services can put you on blue ribbon trout water this quickly. Both the Provo and the Weber are just 20 minutes from our Park City shop, and both are an hour or less from downtown Salt Lake City. The Provo is Utah’s most celebrated trout river, with tailwater sections that fish consistently year round, while the Weber is a wild brown trout fishery that can outfish the Provo when the caddis are hatching. Whether you live on the Wasatch Back or the Wasatch Front, or are visiting Utah, a half or full day trip fits easily into your schedule.
Our Provo River fly fishing guides are experienced, professional, friendly and, most importantly, passionate about fly fishing. Every Trout Bum 2 guide is hand-picked, knows these rivers like the back of their hand and spends time on the water every chance they get. You don’t have to take our word for it: take a look at our ratings and read some of our reviews.
Choose Your River
Middle Provo River
Our most popular trip. A tailwater below Jordanelle Reservoir in the Heber Valley with wild brown trout and dry fly fishing possible year round.
From Park City: 20 minutes
From Salt Lake City: 45 to 50 minutes
Lower Provo River
A long-established tailwater through Provo Canyon below Deer Creek Reservoir, with larger trout on average and a real shot at a trophy rainbow.
From Park City: about 30 minutes
From Salt Lake City: 50 to 60 minutes
Weber River
A wild brown trout river that can outfish the Provo when the caddis are hatching, with productive nymph fishing all season.
From Park City: 18 minutes
From Salt Lake City: about 45 minutes
Guided Fly Fishing Near Park City & Salt Lake City
Park City and Salt Lake City anglers don’t have to go far for world-class trout water. The Middle Provo and the Weber are each about 20 minutes from our Park City fly shop, the Lower Provo is about 30 minutes, and all three are an hour or less from downtown Salt Lake City. That makes a guided half or full day trip easy to fit around a family vacation, a work trip or a free Saturday.
Every guided trip includes fly rods, reels, lines, waders and boots, flies and expert instruction, so you can come straight from your Park City rental or your home in Salt Lake City without packing any gear. When you book, we’ll send directions and meeting details for your trip. Beginners and experienced anglers are both welcome, and our guides tailor every trip to your skill level.
Fly Fishing The Provo River
Utah’s Provo River is a phenomenal blue ribbon self-sustaining brown trout fishery with all brown trout naturally reproducing in the river without stocking. In addition you will find Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout and even Brook Trout in the upper reaches.
The Provo offers a large variety of water types and offers great fly fishing options throughout the entire season including the middle of winter. The Provo River originates on the western flanks of the Uinta Mountain range east of our shop here in Park City, Utah. As it leaves the Uinta Mountains, the Provo makes its way through two major reservoirs, Jordanelle Reservoir and Deer Creek Reservoir, and a major population center in the lower reaches before ultimately ending the journey as it empties into Utah Lake.
For ease of description, it is divided into three sections; the upper Provo River (the river above Jordanelle reservoir upstream to the headwaters), the middle Provo River (the river below Jordanelle Reservoir downstream to Deer Creek Reservoir), and the lower Provo River (the river below Deer Creek Reservoir downstream.) Our fly fishing guides are experienced in fishing all three sections but specialize on and spend the majority of their time on the middle Provo River and the lower Provo River.
Provo River Sections & Local Waters
Middle Provo River
The Middle Provo River is a short 20 minute drive from our Park City fly shop and about 45 to 50 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. Because it’s so close, Middle Provo guide trips are our most popular trips. The Middle Provo runs through the Heber Valley just off Highway 40, and our guides know all of the best holes, riffles and runs and can show you where that trophy brown trout lives.
A guide trip on the Middle Provo is a memorable experience beyond the fishing itself. You will be immersed in a beautiful, wild natural setting with dramatic scenery and wildlife.
One of the reasons the Middle Provo is such a spectacular fishery is that it is a tailwater below Jordanelle Reservoir. This results in fairly stable water temperatures and flows throughout the year, as opposed to a freestone river that fluctuates highly in flow and temperature. The water stays colder in the summer and warmer in the winter, making the trout and the insects much more active.
The Middle Provo has a cobblestone bottom with good hatches of mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and midges. Because of this, good dry fly fishing is a possibility throughout the year on your Middle Provo guide trip.
The Middle Provo had a full-scale stream restoration completed on it, which added approximately four miles of river meanders and much needed in-stream structure. For current conditions and how the fishing has been lately, check out our Middle Provo River Fishing Reports. The middle section of the Provo River ends as the river flows into Deer Creek Reservoir.
Latest Middle Provo Fishing Reports
Lower Provo River
The Lower Provo River is a slightly longer drive than the Middle Provo, about 30 minutes from our Park City fly shop and 50 to 60 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. The added distance can definitely be worth it at the right time!
The Lower Provo River flows from Deer Creek Reservoir and enters a steep walled, limestone canyon as it passes by Sundance. This section is also a tailwater, formed by Deer Creek Reservoir, so it can also provide consistent year round fishing for your guided trip.
This section of the Provo is much different than the Middle Provo. It is a long-established tailwater with prolific populations of sow bugs, scuds and midges, producing a big population of trout that are larger on average than Middle Provo trout. Our guides love fishing this section because of the chance at one of the true trophy rainbow trout that live here. The Lower Provo maintains a healthy population of wild brown trout, with rainbow trout (some very big ones) and a few cutthroat trout as well.
In addition to the sow bugs, scuds and midges, there are prolific mayfly populations, with an excellent blue winged olive hatch in the spring and pale morning dun hatch in the summer, so guide trips on this section frequently have chances at dry fly fishing. Numerous caddis and Little Yellow Sally stoneflies round out the menu during the summer months.
The Lower Provo runs parallel to Highway 189 in Provo Canyon, so it is not as far removed from civilization as other stretches of the Provo, but it still offers beautiful scenery in a mountain setting. In the summer months, the Lower Provo can be dominated by the “tube hatch,” with recreational floaters and tubers a major part of the scene. If you don’t mind dodging the rafts, the browns and rainbows on the Lower Provo are well accustomed to the traffic and the fishing can be very good.
The high quality managed section of the Lower Provo ends at the lower end of Provo Canyon at the Olmstead diversion. There is good fishing on the Provo well below here into town, but water levels and access become more of an issue, so our guides usually don’t spend much time below this section. For current conditions, read our Lower Provo River Fishing Reports.
Latest Lower Provo Fishing Reports
Upper Provo River
The Upper Provo river includes the entire river from where it enters Jordanelle Reservoir upstream to the headwaters in the Uinta Mountains. The fishable sections begin about 30 minutes east of Park City, Utah. We do not guide the upper Provo but here is some information about it.
The upper Provo River for the most part is free flowing with high spring flows and low fall and winter flows. The lower reach has some larger brown trout with a few rainbows and cutthroat around while the upper reaches are dominated by small brook and cutthroat that eagerly take the fly. Winter snow makes access difficult on the upper Provo, and spring runoff makes it unfishable until early summer.
The lower portion of the upper Provo, near the small towns of Francis and Woodland can provide good fly fishing with more Brown and Rainbow Trout, but access is difficult due to private land. Most of the availiable public fishing is within Jordanelle State park where the river reaches the reseivor. Access to the river on the upper reaches is easy on National Forest land along the Mirror Lake highway (SR 150). The Upper Provo River ends as it flows into Jordanelle Reservoir near Heber City.
Book a Provo or Weber River Guide Trip
Half and full day trips for one or two anglers, with all gear included. Whether you are coming from Park City or Salt Lake City, you can be on the water in an hour or less.
The Weber River
In addition to the Provo, the Weber River is only 20 minutes from our Park City shop and about 45 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, and it is an excellent wild brown trout fishery in its own right. There are times when the “Weeb” outfishes the Provo, and our guides love to fish it when conditions are right.
The Weber is a prolific caddis stream, and because of this it fishes best when these insects are hatching. There is an early season “Mother’s Day Caddis” and another caddis hatch later in the summer that make up the majority of the dry fly fishing. It is also a productive nymph fishery any time and a good option as an alternative to the Provo that is close by. For current conditions and more information, read our current Weber River Fishing Reports.
Latest Weber River Fishing Reports
SMALL STREAMS & SECRET WATERS
In addition to our home waters of the Provo and Weber, there are various other smaller rivers and “secret streams” that are a little more off the beaten path within an hour or two of our shop. Because of the longer distance, these destinations require more driving time and logistics and we only offer full day trips on these waters. If you want to get away from crowds, and have a serious day of fishing these other waters are an excellent option.
Timing is critical on a lot of these waters since water levels and hatch activity can vary. Get in touch with us at the shop and we can let you know if any of these lesser known waters may be fishing good at the time you are planning on heading out. There are numerous options all within a few hours of our fly shop in Park City.
Photos From Our Guide Trips
Park City & Salt Lake City Fly Fishing FAQ
How far is fly fishing from Park City and Salt Lake City?
Very close. The Middle Provo and the Weber are about 20 minutes from our Park City shop and the Lower Provo is about 30 minutes. All three are an hour or less from downtown Salt Lake City. The Middle Provo in the Heber Valley is our most popular trip.
Should I fish the Provo or the Weber?
For most of the year the Provo is our first choice, since its tailwater sections fish consistently in every season. The Weber can outfish the Provo during its caddis hatches in spring and summer. Tell us your dates and your guide will pick the river that is fishing best.
Do I need my own fly fishing gear?
No. Every guided trip includes fly rods, reels, lines, waders and boots, flies and terminal tackle. Just bring clothing for the weather and your fishing license.
Do I need a Utah fishing license?
Yes. Every angler 12 and older needs a valid Utah fishing license, which is not included in the trip price. You can buy one online from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources before your trip.
Is a guided trip good for beginners?
Absolutely. Our guides teach casting, reading water and fighting fish, and they adjust every trip to your experience level, from first-timers to seasoned anglers.
Can you fly fish near Park City and Salt Lake City year round?
Yes. The Middle and Lower Provo are tailwaters below Jordanelle and Deer Creek Reservoirs, so water temperatures stay stable and the fishing stays good through the winter.
What is the difference between a half day and full day trip?
Both include instruction and all gear. A full day trip gives you more time on the water, lets us cover more water and includes a shore lunch. That being said, most groups prefer a 1/2 day on the water as to not get overloaded with information. See our trip rates below for current pricing.
How many anglers can go with one guide?
Up to two anglers per guide, so you get personal instruction all day. Larger groups can book multiple guides.
Local Guide Trip Rates
Full Day Local Guide Trips
**Includes expert guided instruction, fly rods, reels, lines, waders and boots, terminal tackle, all flies needed, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, shore lunch**
**Not Included: Utah State sales tax, all necessary Utah fishing licenses.**
(2 People max. Per Guide)
1/2 Day Local Guide Trips
**Includes expert guided instruction, fly rods, reels, lines, waders and boots, terminal tackle, all flies needed, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks**
**Not Included: Utah State sales tax, all necessary Utah fishing licenses.**
(2 People max. Per Guide)
Utah “Blue Ribbon Sampler”
1 Day Provo River Wade Fishing
**Includes 2 days expert guided instruction, fly rods, reels, lines, waders & boots, shore lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, flies and terminal tackle.**
**Lodging not included, but can be arranged.**
**Not Included: Utah State sales tax, all necessary Utah fishing licenses.**
Utah “Grand Slam”
1 Day Provo River Wade Fishing
1 Day Small Streams or Provo
**Includes 3 days expert guided instruction, fly rods, reels, lines, waders & boots, shore lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, flies and terminal tackle.**
**Lodging not included, but can be arranged.**
**Not Included: Utah State sales tax, all necessary Utah fishing licenses.**