Snow. We have seen an exceptional amount of snow this winter. This is great news for the drought stricken west, but we might see an extended spring runoff this year. At Trial Lake, the headwaters of the Provo, the snow pack is over 200 percent of average. The Weber River drainage is looking at a snow pack that is 150 percent of average. Lastly, the Wind River Range, the headwaters of the Green, is looking at a snow pack around 150 percent of average.
In the meantime, winter fishing opportunities on our tailwaters are available for those willing to walk through the snow to get to the river. Winter provides a solitude that does not exist on Utah’s more popular rivers for much of the rest of the year. Fish have a tendency to stack up in the pools during the cold months so if you find yourself on the water target the slower, deeper runs on the river. The best time of day to be out there is between 10 AM and 3 PM, the warmest part of the day.
Throughout January and February there will be a midge hatch on most days. Target these risers with single point dry fly presentations on 7X tippet or if you see tailing fish you can target these with a larger attractor fly with a dropper trailing 12 to 18 inches behind. When fish aren’t rising, nymphing can always produce some fish. The head of the pool and the tail out of the pool usually have the most active fish. Target these with a sow bug and a midge. During the winter months, eats are a lot more subtle then during the warmer times of the year so don’t be afraid to set the hook. Streamer fishing can produce some of the larger fish during the winter lull. White colored flies seem to be working the best lately, but don’t overlook olive, gold, or black colored streamers. Present your streamer with a slow strip to allow time for your fly to sink to the bottom. If you do not think your fly is getting down deep enough, put some split shot in front of it to give the fly a little bit of assistance getting down to where the fish are holding.
As the days get warmer and longer, expect the fishing to pick up with thicker midge hatches and some beatis activity beginning in late February and early March.
Flows:
Middle Provo – 150 CFS
Lower Provo – 146 CFS
Weber River – 31 CFS
Green River – Morning peak of 2,900 CFS with a daytime mean of 1,200 CFS
Flies:
Dries – Size 18-24: Griffith’s Gnat, Matt’s Midge, Silvey’s Midge, CDC Cluster Midge, CDC Midge, Mother Shucker
Nymphs – Size 18-24: Tailwater Sow, Sow Bug, Ray Charles, Bling Midge, UV Midge, Cardinal Midge, Disco Midge, Idyl’s Not Much, Tailwater Tiny, Mercury Midge, Mirrored Midge, JuJu Midge, Rainbow Warrior, Zebra Midge
Streamers – Size 2-12: Sparkle Minnow, Sculpin Leech, Muddy Buddy, Dungeon, Circus Peanut, Sculpzilla, Woolly Bugger, Zonker