Posted Thursday, April 3, 2003

Don't wait — fish Utah's rivers and streams now

Editor's Note: The drought will provide challenges — and some interesting opportunities and advantages — to Utah's anglers this year. This is the first in a series of "Wildlife News" articles aimed at helping anglers take advantage of the drought).

Salt Lake City — Don't wait until July to fish Utah's rivers and streams — the best fishing of the year is happening now.

"There's some fantastic stream and river fishing in Utah now and it should continue through spring and early summer," said Tom Pettengill, sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

The reason is drought.

In a year with normal snowfall, high runoff from the mountains raises water in rivers and streams to levels that are almost unfishable by early May. Those high levels often remain until mid-July. That won't be the case this year. "Runoff will be much lower and that means rivers and streams should be fishable through the spring and summer," Pettengill said.

The only exception are stretches below dams, where releases for irrigation can raise water levels temporarily. "When this happens, head higher in elevation until you reach river and stream stretches that are above the reservoirs.

"With the warm weather we've had recently, insect hatches are already happening and fish are actively feeding," Pettengill said. "Some of the best flows of the year are happening now and the fish are comfortable and active."

Pettengill says many streams and rivers are accessible and others will be by late April or early May. He provides the following advice to anglers fishing Utah's rivers and streams during spring and early summer:

• Fish during the middle of the day. "The evenings and mornings are still fairly cold, but the weather warms up by mid-day and that's when the bugs start to hatch," he said.
   
• Check fishing reports, visit local tackle shops and talk with other anglers to learn which areas are fishable and where fish are being caught. The DWR's weekly fishing report can help. It's updated every Thursday and is available on this Web site or by calling toll free at (877) 592-5169.
   
• Fish at the heads of pools. This is where many of the active fish are waiting for their next meal.
   
• Consider using small spinners and spoons, which allow you to cover more water than bait does.
   
• If you haven't caught anything within 20 minutes, hop in your vehicle and visit a different reach of stream. "Bugs might be hatching on a different stretch, or the water might be clearer somewhere else," Pettengill said. "Move until you find the fish."
   
• Among Utah's more well-known rivers, the Provo, Weber and Green should provide excellent fishing this spring, Pettengill said.

Lesser known waters that should also provide great fishing include the Strawberry River below Solider Creek; Currant Creek, between Highway 40 and Currant Creek Reservoir; Jones Hole Creek, below the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery; Henry's Fork on the north slope of the Uinta Mountains; the East Fork of the Little Bear River; and the South Fork of the Ogden River, below Causey Reservoir.

"Many of these areas are flies and lures only, and some may not be accessible yet," he said.

When mid-summer arrives, Pettengill encourages river and stream anglers to switch their tactics. Water levels could be low in some areas, but good fishing should still be available. "Lower water levels will concentrate fish more, which is good for anglers, but it also makes fish more wary," he said.

To catch fish later in the summer, Pettengill advises anglers to approach streams and rivers quietly and to cast their lures or baits to the heads of pools, where fish are usually waiting. "Try and cast your lure or bait so it lands quietly on the surface, or cast into turbulent waters upstream from the pool and then let your lure or bait drift through it," he said.