Utah Fly Fishing Reports

Our Utah fly fishing reports offer a brief overview of current conditions on our waters. You'll find fishing reports for the main Utah rivers and streams that we guide on and fish regularly. Reports for the Lower Provo, Middle Provo, Weber River, Green River and Small Streams are included.

We write the reports based on our daily experiences on the water and information received from customers. We update the reports as conditions change and our schedule permits. If you don’t see what you are looking for, please give us a call at the shop or contact us here. We are always happy to update you with current conditions on many other Utah waters and fisheries in surrounding states as well.

Following are the latest reports in descending order of when they were last updated. As a result, you may see multiple reports on the same destination if we haven't updated one of the other destinations recently. If you want to view previous fishing reports, you can click on the category name link under the report title or use the dropdown menu in the top navigation or follow the links in the sidebar. You can also use the following links to each category: Lower Provo, Middle Provo, Weber River, Green River and Small Streams :

Small Streams Fishing Report 03-14-2018

Location

Area Small Streams

Overview

Utah’s many small streams are beginning to show signs of spring right now.  Midges and blue wings are starting to hatch and fish are starting to become much more active with the warmer temperatures.  We haven’t had much snow this year, but be wary or snow drifts and mud when you are driving around.  A few fisherman are known to drive into fishing holes and get stuck on the way out this time of the year due to the ground thawing throughout the day.  Also if you are on a freestone stream know that as runoff occurs throughout the day it will discolor the water and turn the fishing off with the murky conditions.

Latest Flows

For up to date stream flows you can check out: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/current/?type=flow

Fishing

Good

Current Hatches

Midges and Baetis(BWO)

Best Techniques

Single dry fly or dry dropper rigs

Best Time Of Day

9 AM to 3 PM

View archived small streams fishing reports here.

Lower Provo River Fishing Report 10-5-2017

Location

Lower Provo River

Overview

The flow on the lower provo river has dropped 300 cfs since September.  With the cooler weather and class back in session, the tuber traffic has all but disappeared.  Now that the flow is hovering below 200 cfs, the river has started to become choked with weeds-meaning nymphing and streamer fishing will be a bit more difficult or tedious.  Our guides have been having success fishing sow bugs, midges and baetis patterns on an inline rig in areas with less vegetation.  The streamer bite is decent, but difficult due to de-weeding your fly every couple casts.  This time of year the Baetis or BWO hatch can be thick on the lower.  Focus on feeding fish near the banks if you are using dries.  A tandem rig with a more visible “point” fly trailed by a smaller emerger or nymph should produce fish in riffles.

As the season has truly switched from Summer to Fall, the brown trout are beginning to spawn.  Please watch out for spawning fish digging redds.  As common decency and good fishing etiquette require, please refrain from crossing over redds and fishing to actively spawning fish.  That being said, egg patterns should start working when fishing riffles to the rainbows sitting behind the brown trout.

Recent Flows

165 CFS

Fishing

Good

Current Hatches

Baetis(BWO), Midges, Caddis

Best Techniques

Nymphs: Size 18-22

Sow bugs, bling midge, disco midge, juju midge, bwo barr emerger, juju baetis, split case pmd, mayhem emerger, magic flies, birds nests, caddis pupae and san juan worms

Dry flies: Size 16-26

PMDs: CDC biot comparadun, last chance cripple, sparkle dun, hackle dun, BWO winger

Caddis: Olive/tan body elk hair caddis, ez caddis, x-caddis, Orange bodied October caddis

Streamers : Size 4-12

Zonker, wooly bugger, sculpzilla, sparkle minnow, baby sex-dungeon, slump buster,

Best Time Of Day

9 AM – 12 AM

3 PM – 7 PM

View archived lower Provo fishing reports here.

Middle Provo River Fishing Report 10-5-2017

Location

Middle Provo River

Overview

UPDATE: As of 10/1 the flows have decreased to 150 CFS

The Middle Provo has finally receded for the fall and winter flow.  The pressure from both guides and public anglers has drastically decreased so its a bit easier to find good water.  That being said, some of the other outfitters in town have a few more large groups going out this month so keep that in mind.   Usually the bigger trips get to the water around 9 and are off by 1 o’clock.

Now that the flows are down keep an eye out for spawning fish.  We are at the beginning of the brown trout spawn, and so far they haven’t really started digging, but bear in mind that redds will be forming over the coming weeks.  Please do you best to avoid trampling the redds and fishing to spawning fish.

As autumn has arrived so have some new hatches.  We love that when the foliage begins to move from green to orange, the caddis react similarly.  The monster olive caddis from Septmeber have petered out and now fat orange October Caddis’ are beginning to pop up and skitter clumsily across the surface attempting to take flight.  The trout generally find this action irresistible and will regularly take a swung or skittered caddis pattern.  The October caddis is one of the larger insects in the Caddis family so don’t shy away from using size 12-14 patterns.  We have also been noticing a good quantity of smaller olive and tan caddis laying their eggs on the water in the mornings and evenings.  Having some X-Caddis patterns is a good idea.

In addition to the caddis hatches the autumnal Baetis or Blue Winged Olive (BWO) and midges are hatching with good consistency.  The BWO’s hatching are typically very small-in the #22-#26 range.  We have been having success fishing a tandem dry fly rig for these smaller bugs.  A #18-#22 Parachute Adams trailed by an emerging midge or baetis has been proven fruitful.

If you are having trouble catching fish on the surface, the nymphing has been decent as well.  Try using small #22-#26 midge patterns, #22-24 baetis patterns as well as caddis larvae and San Juan worms.  When it comes to nymphing this time of year, think small and light weight-focusing attention on the seams and riffles.  Once the fish really get busy egg patterns should produce as well.  Keep in mind it is terrible juju to fish an egg on a redd or to target actively spawning fish.  It is tempting, but for the health of the river please avoid this temptation.  The angling community thanks you.

As if the fishing couldn’t get any more interesting, the streamer bite is ON!  We have been having a blast stripping streamers all over the middle provo and have been putting some quality fish in the net as well.  Best colors right now are white, ginger, gold and silver type streamers.  However, based on what we have been seeing just about any color should illicit a response from an aggressive fish.

Latest Flows

At the dam: 150 CFS

River Road: 131 CFS

Charleston: 135 CFS

Fishing

Good

Current Hatches

October Caddis, Caddis, Baetis and Midges

Best Patterns

 

-Dry Flies

  • Baetis:(#20-26) Sparkle Dun, Comparadun, Harroups Last Chance Cripple, Parachute Adams, Hackle Stacker Dun, Juju Baetis emerger, Mole Fly
  • Caddis:(#12-#18) October caddis patterns, Orange Stimi’s, Lawsons E-Z caddis, X-Caddis
  • Midges:(#22-26) Muther Shucker, Morgans midge, Silvey’s midge, CDC midge, Trailing shuck midge, Mole Fly

-Nymphs

  • Baetis:(#22-#26) Barr’s emerger, Juju baetis, Juju emerger, RS2, WD-40’s, Passages Magic Fly
  • Caddis:(#14-#20) Chartreuse larvae, birds nest, Translucent pupae, buckskin caddis, October Caddis pupae
  • Midges:(#22-26) Bling midge (tan, brown and cream), Tailwater tiny, zebra midge, juju midge (grey, tan, blue and olive) Cardinal midge, disco midge, mayhem midge
  •  Other: (#16-#22) Burgundy San Juan worms, Brown San Juans, Ray Charles (Grey,Tan) Fire bead ray charles, Rainbow sow, agees sow

-Streamers

  • Zonkers, white dungeon, Platte River spider, sculpzilla, thin mint bugger, slump buster

Best Time Of Day

 

9 AM – 6 PM  The nymphing is consistent throughout the day, as is the streamer fishing.  The dry fly fishing seems to pick up mid afternoon, but you should see some risers throughout the morning as well

View archived provo river fishing reports here.

Green River Fishing Report 8-1-2017

 

Location

Green River Below Flaming Gorge Dam

Overview

The Green is still fishing very well with large caddis hatches happening on the lower river and good nymphing on the upper. It has slowed down a bit since the flows dropped a couple weeks ago but there are still huge fishing being caught. The fish are selective but will eat a well presented fly. The river is running clear now all the way to the Colorado border. Large thunderstorms have caused Red Creek to blow out once this summer, making fishing on the end of the B section and C section extremely difficult. However, if you can time it correctly the fishing will be very good. It is also that time of year to start fishing terrestrials and attractor flies on the Green. This can be some of the most exciting fishing in Utah. There aren’t many things cooler in the world than watching a monster trout suck down your big foam fly in gin-clear water. This is a great year to head to the green as the fish are strong and healthy after the spring runoff. The flows are projected to remain at 2,400 cfs through September 30th. Give us a call at the shop to book your Green River float trip for the end of this summer or fall. We have availability and the fishing should be excellent through October!

Latest Flows

2400 CFS average

Fishing

Good to Excellent

Current Hatches

Caddis, Terrestrials

Best Techniques

Nymphing on the upper river with normal bugs (prince nymph, birds nest, caddis, etc)

Dry fly fishing on lower river with caddis

Best Time Of Day

7 am till Dusk

Small Streams Fishing Report 8-1-2017

Location

Area Small Streams

Overview

Most of the local small streams are fishing well and are in mid-summer form. We’re seeing good fishing around the state with water levels down and terrestrial bugs starting to show up. This window for terrestrial fishing wont last too long so make sure to get out there soon and fish your favorite secret spots. The freestone streams are in prime conditions right now with water levels down and runoff over for the most part. The smaller tail waters are also at normal flows and should continue to fish well into the fall with the amount of water in the reservoirs. Most of the early summer hatches are over on the smaller streams so fish are really starting to focus their attention on the big bugs. This is a lot of folks favorite time of year to fish the smaller streams in the area with big foam dry flies. Get out there and do some exploring!

For up to date stream flows you can check out http://data.cuwcd.com/data/reservoirs/index.htm or https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd

Latest Flows

 

Fishing

Great

Current Hatches

Terrestrials

Yellow Sally’s, PMD’s and Caddis.

Best Techniques

Single dry fly or dry dropper rigs

Best Time Of Day

10 AM to 6 PM

View archived small streams fishing reports here.