INDEX | NORTHERN | CENTRAL | NORTHEASTERN | SOUTHEASTERN | SOUTHERN | LAKE POWELL

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.

Waterbody	Report
Big Sandwash Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Fishing for rainbows has been good. With the return of summer, fishing is generally better in the early mornings and evenings when temperatures are cooler. Sandwash is part of the Fun Fishing Event, so check to see if your fish is marked with a winning tag. Local posters contain details.
Brough Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report variable success rates ranging from good to poor. The weather has also been highly variable with warm sunny days changing into sudden storms. Note: A recent news article reported that Brough is a good bass fishery, but it is not. Brough is stocked and managed as a trophy rainbow and brown trout fishery.
Browne Lake 2009-07-01 Fair	Anglers report spotty fishing. Generally, you'll find good access to Brownie and to Sheep Creek Reservoir but watch out for sudden storms.
Bullock Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report good fishing for bullheads. These catfish are large for their species and make a nice fillet. Some good-sized bass have also been reported.
Calder Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report fair to good fishing. They are catching some larger fish from both shore and boats. There are special regulations at this water; see the Utah Fishing Guidebook for details.
Cottonwood Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report good fishing for large bullhead catfish. Due to their size, they make a nice fillet.
Crouse Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report fair to good fishing for different sizes of rainbows. The reservoir had an incomplete winterkill due to last fall's low water conditions. It has now been restocked with catchable rainbows.
Currant Creek Reservoir 2009-07-01 Fair	Anglers report muddy conditions from the numerous rainstorms. In between storms, the fishing has been fair to good for trout. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and then plan your trip for a few days after the rains end. By then, the roads should be dry. The campground is open.
East Park Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	The most recent report was of good fishing.
Flaming Gorge 2009-07-01 Hot	The area received some highly changeable weather, which is common to the Uinta Mountains. Water temperatures have crept up to the 60s. Note the regulation changes for spearfishing in the Utah portion of the reservoir as of Jan. 1. See the Utah Fishing Guidebook for details. Lake trout: Anglers report good fishing for 12- to 24-inch lake trout in the Canyon, Antelope and Lucerne areas. Fishing for these smaller lake trout should continue to be good, and catch rates on larger fish have also improved. Try points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks, Jarvies Canyon, Hideout Canyon and in the Antelope Flat/Lucerne area. Fish are scattered down to around 150 feet, and anglers report that they are most active in the 70-foot range. Smaller fish are suspending off the bottom while feeding on zooplankton. If you are jigging, try tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown. Tipping your jig with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat may increase interest. Airplane jigs and jigging spoons are also working well. Using no-stretch line will help you feel strikes and set the hook better. Use a graph to see where fish are located and place the jig at the same depth. When trolling, check your graphs and use downriggers to get lures like needlefish, other spoons and Rapalas down near the bottom. Long-lining near the surface with small or large fish-imitating lures may produce large fish that are trying to fatten up on rainbows and kokanee near the surface. Let out a couple hundred feet of line behind the boat or use planer boards to get lures out to the side of the boat. This technique works best when surface temperatures remain cool. Kokanee salmon: Fishing is has been good but spotty, depending on the weather. Try fishing from the surface to the 25- to 35-foot range around Buckboard, Big Bend, Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. Downriggers, long-lining, lead weights and planer boards can get the small spoons (like needlefish, triple teasers or other erratic-moving lures) down to the right depths. Recommended trolling speed is from 1.5 to 2.5 miles per hour. Rainbow trout: Anglers continue to report good fishing for rainbows from boats and shore. Try fishing near the dam, Jarvies, Sheep Creek, Hideout and Antelope/Lucerne areas in Utah. We have also heard some good reports from the Wyoming end of the reservoir. Fish longer than 22 inches have been reported and seen in the trend netting. If you are fishing from a boat, try casting fish-imitation lures (like spoons or crankbaits) or jigs (like marabou or plastic grubs) to shore and letting them bounce on the bottom back to the boat. If you are shore fishing, try spoons, crankbaits or other lures or use a bobber/worm combo set 4 or five feet below the surface. PowerBait or a worm/marshmallow combo will also work on the bottom. Fish can be deep or shallow, so try different depths. Shore anglers should try areas like Mustang Ridge, Sheep Creek, Lucerne Bay and Antelope Flats. Don't be afraid of harvesting some rainbows. They are really tasty from the cold waters of the Gorge. Burbot: Anglers are catching a few burbot from boats and shore using the same techniques they used when ice fishing. Depths of 20–40 feet should hold the most fish from dusk until a couple hours after dark. Try to use glowing jigs and spoons at night or early in the morning off the points in areas like Antelope Flat, Linwood Bay or Sheep Creek in Utah. In Wyoming, you'll have the best success at Firehole, Lost Dog, Sage Creek, Confluence, Buckboard, Holmes Crossing, Anvil Draw, Skunk Cliffs and Marsh Creek. Tipping your lures with sucker or crayfish meat and using smelly jelly or similar scents in crayfish also seems to help. Smallmouth bass: Anglers are reporting hot fishing almost everywhere in the canyon area. Crayfish-colored grubs on leadhead jigs or small plastic worms, senkos, twitch and crankbaits are all working well because the fish are near the surface. If you are fishing in the canyon, keep a limit of 10 fish smaller than 10 inches to help thin out the population and increase growth on the remaining fish. Throw the big fish back, if possible — it takes many years for them to reach that size.
Green River below Flaming Gorge dam 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers are reporting spotty fishing, depending on the flows from the dam. Try fishing on top. Anglers should bring a variety of patterns. Although cicadas and flying ants recently supplied most of the action, their peak seems to be over. However, there are plenty of other hatches to match. Spin anglers should try Rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); spinners; spoons; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and plastic jigs.
Matt Warner 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report fair to good fishing from both shore and boats. Reports and a recent survey indicate that anglers can expect to catch several age classes of fish.
Moose Pond 2009-07-01 Good	The Moose Pond is refilled and stocked, and it offers some good fishing. The Pond was drained to make some needed enhancements. Now, anglers will find considerably more space from which to fish. Enhancements to the pond also deepened it and helped place some of the deepest areas near the angler access. Note: the pond now has paved handicapped access.
Pelican Lake 2009-07-01 Hot	Cold weather and high winds kept the waters cool for several months, but it has warmed up. Now, anglers are catching both bass and bluegill. Watch out for the high winds in the afternoon. Note: A new fishing pier has been placed in the northwest corner on DWR property.
Red Fleet Reservoir 2009-07-01 Hot	Anglers report good to excellent fishing for rainbows, bass and bluegill. Bass and bluegill anglers should target the shallows and the submerged brush. Rainbow fishing is best in the cooler temperatures of early morning and evening. Anglers have also caught a few walleye. Note: Boaters and other reservoir users will be asked to clean and dry their boats, toys and other equipment when leaving the reservoir. These efforts will help prevent the spread of quagga mussels.
Starvation Reservoir 2009-07-01 Good	Anglers report good fishing for small walleyes. They're also catching a few larger fish. The recommended technique seems to be bottom bouncing. Rig your line so it keeps your jig, crankbait or bait right on the bottom, stirring up some sediment as you bring it in.
Steinaker Reservoir 2009-07-01 Hot	Anglers report good to excellent fishing for trout, bass and bluegill from the shore and in boats. Bass and bluegill have been in the shallows and may be starting to move toward deeper water. Rainbow trout fishing is generally better during the cooler hours of early morning and evening. Steinaker is part of the Fun Fishing Event, so check to see if your fish is marked with a winning tag. Local posters contain details.