Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Northeastern Region report

Information compiled by Ron Stewart
Northeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager

Warnings: Several lakes in northeastern Utah may contain quagga and/or zebra mussels. Learn more about these destructive mussels and how to decontaminate your boat.

Whirling disease was found in the northeastern region of the state. Please make sure you clean, dry and sterilize waders, livewells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water.

Cleaning fish: Biologists now believe the disposal of fish parts, especially the head and skeleton, is one of the primary reasons whirling disease has spread to new waters. To avoid moving whirling disease and other undesired organisms, you should clean fish at home and send the parts to a landfill. If that isn't possible, please clean the fish and bury the parts at least 100 yards away from the water's edge. Do not move fish or fish parts from one water to another.

We need your input! Would you like to see a Utah fishing regulation change? Have an idea for a new rule? Division of Wildlife Resources biologists are already working on possible fishing changes for 2014 and we want to hear from you. Provide feedback on possible 2014 fishing changes.

Waterbody	Report
Big Sandwash Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Fishing is reported as good from the shore and from boats. Bass are now joining in the catch as well. Expect the good fishing to continue.
Brough Reservoir 2013-05-22 Fair	The warmer weather is improving fishing. There are special catch-and-release regulations. You must use flies and lures only — bait is not allowed. See the Utah Fishing Guidebook for details.
Browne Lake 2013-05-22 Fair	There haven't been any recent reports on fishing, but we do know the ice is off and the roads are accessible.
Bullock Reservoir 2013-05-22 Fair	Anglers are doing fair to good catching rainbows stocked early this spring, which included a few of the brood stock from Division hatcheries. Fishing is picking up with the warmer weather.
Calder Reservoir 2013-05-22 Fair	Calder is accessible fishing is fair. Try a leech, ant or a midge pattern. The reservoir has special catch-and-release regulations. You must use flies and lures only — bait is not allowed. See the Utah Fishing Guidebook for details.
Cottonwood Reservoir 2013-05-22 Slow	There haven't been any recent reports from anglers.
Crouse Reservoir 2013-05-22 Slow	Crouse is accessible on mostly dry roads. There haven't been any reports from anglers, and we haven't seen any signs of winterkill. The water level is very low.
Currant Creek Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Our last report was of good fishing. The roads were accessible prior to the last set of storms.
East Park Reservoir 2013-05-22 Unstable ice	The last mile or two of the paved road was still covered with snow ten days ago. Some tried to make it in, but you can see where they had to dig themselves out. The area did receive more snow, but it's likely to be ice free and accessible by Memorial Day.
Flaming Gorge 2013-05-22 Good	Even with the unsettled weather, water temperatures in the reservoir are in the upper 50s. These are the temperatures in which the magic begins on the Gorge. The reservoir is greening up with microscopic algae, and will soon be followed by zooplankton increases, providing essential food resources for kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and small lake trout. Most of the time, when food is present, fish activity increases. Here's Ryan Mosley's summary of successful fishing methods by species, which should provide a good start for the upcoming holiday and the first few weeks of June. Kokanee salmon: Kokanee salmon are most commonly caught while trolling spoons, dodger/squid combos and pop gear. Most kokanee are hanging close to the surface where the water is warmer and zooplankton densities are high. Target depths from 10-20 feet early in the morning, but watch the sonar for fish to drop deeper during the day. Vary your trolling speed by doing 'S' turns, and note if hits come on the outside (faster) or inside (slower) of a turn. I had the most success trolling around 1.8-2.0 mph with a Rocky Mountain Tackle dodger in watermelon, trailed by a squid in double-glow pink. Tip the bait with Gulp, mealworm, etc. for more enticement. Smallmouth bass: Smallmouths are starting to become more active in the shallows in preparation for the spawn. This is the time of the year when big smallies are more commonly caught. Releasing the big bass while harvesting the small ones (8-12 inches) is helpful for promoting a healthy bass fishery. Smallmouth bass in the Gorge make great table fare, too. Target bass using jigs, Senkos, jerk baits and deep running crankbaits. Where you find one bass, there are likely many. I used a Rapala Xrap, retrieving it with a jerk, jerk, pause (5-10 seconds). All of the hits came on the suspended pause, some of which were explosive. Jigs can be worked slowly across the bottom, and flipped to fish spotted in the shallows. Rainbow trout: Rainbows are probably providing the highest catch rates right now. They can be caught fishing from the bank, trolling, casting, vertically jigging and often enough are caught while fishing for other species. Big rainbow trout are concentrated in the shallows, attempting to spawn on shallow rocky points and where water flows into the reservoir. Once again, where you find one, you will find others. Try casting small three-inch tubes or marabou jigs in earth tone colors. Whites and blacks will also work well. Fly fishing can be very effective for rainbows this time of year, with abundant midge hatches throughout the day, and terrestrial species like flying ants and cicadas starting to show up. Lake trout: Small lake trout are biting more frequently on the north end of the reservoir; the catch on the south end is more incidental right now. Stable weather patterns will likely help. While trolling for rainbows or kokanee, watch the sonar for schools of small lake trout. Dropping the lure just above their depth can produce a lot of good fishing and some fine dining! You can also jig for them. Try small tube jigs (white with black flake) tipped with sucker meat. Look for schools of lake trout along rocky points and submerged ridges or islands in depths of 60-110 feet.
Green River below Flaming Gorge dam 2013-05-22 Good	Anglers report good fishing between storms. Now that the days have warmed up and the wind has mostly stopped, the good fishing has returned. Surface action is just starting, and so are the scuds; a combination might be the best bet. Try a cicada or pine beetle on top with a scud or midge larva as a trailer. Watch the hatches and match them whenever possible. Blue-winged olives and midge emergers seem to be the most productive flies. On windy days, anglers who use lures have been more successful because it's easier to cast. Try crankbaits, spinners, spoons and dark (black or crayfish) or white-colored jigs.
Long Park Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Fishing was reported as fair to good fishing as the ice came off. The ice should be gone and the roads accessible.
Matt Warner 2013-05-22 Good	Angler access is on mostly dry roads, and the fishing is good. All baits and lures are working well. The area recently received rain, snow and high winds.
Moose Pond 2013-05-22 Slow	There haven't been any recent reports from anglers. The pond is open water.
Pelican Lake 2013-05-22 Good	Fishing has been fair to good, depending on the winds and weather. Bluegill and bass are moving into the shallows. Watch the weather patterns and expect good fishing on about the third day after the weathers warms and the sun comes back out. For bass, try a sinking worm or un-weighted jig, spinner bait or crankbait fished deep. For bluegill, try a sinking fly, worm or PowerBait.
Red Fleet Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Anglers report fair to good fishing for rainbows from boats. Some are catching a few from shore as well. We're also receiving reports of a few bass and bluegill biting. Expect better fishing as the weather continues to warm up.
Sheep Creek Lake 2013-05-22 Slow	There haven't been any recent reports from anglers. The ice is off and the lake is accessible.
Spirit Lake 2013-05-22 Unstable ice	At 10,000 feet, the lake is frozen, but we haven't heard from any anglers. The lake was treated in September and restocked with roughly 5,000 tiger trout in early October. More fish are scheduled to be stocked this spring. Eventually, the lake and some nearby waterbodies will be restocked with Colorado River cutthroat trout, the only trout native to the area. The success of this treatment is a critical part of a management strategy to keep Colorado River cutthroat trout off of the endangered species list.
Starvation Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Recent reports indicate that the rainbow fishing is good to excellent. Anglers are also catching browns and walleye. Watch out for the wind; it can pick up suddenly and create cold and unsafe boating conditions. Expect the good fishing to continue as the weather warms up.
Steinaker Reservoir 2013-05-22 Good	Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing as the weather warms up. A slow troll in the deeper water near the dam seems to be the most effective technique. The lake level is very low. Shore anglers report fair to good fishing with lures and baits. Try worms with a marshmallow chaser, and PowerBait in sparkle rainbow with extra scent, and garlic with extra scent.