Utah Fly Fishing

“Carpin’ Down the Man”

May 26,  2008 

Fly fishing in Utah has its glamour species that people come from around the world to experience.  Big browns, spooky cutthroats, and squirrelly rainbows are our bread and butter around here.  From time to time, when conditions are right we find ourselves going outside the box for some different types of action.  Right now on Deer Creek Reservoir there is a carp fishing opportunity that doesn’t come along everyday.  With the draining that occurred last summer a huge new flat area has emerged that the big carp are in love with.  When you find a wind blowing in a northeast direction and the currents are blowing into this flat the carp are feeding like mad.  There are big numbers of huge fish hitting the surface at any moment.  Getting them to eat is naturally a different story.  Wash the scent off your fly by rubbing it with mud and be as stealthy as you can.  Pick your spot and just wait for rising fish.  The ideal situation is to get in a spot where a forty foot cast will reach your target.  Fast moving crayfish patterns seem to work the best.  This may not seem like the best approach to

Those who spend any amount of time fishing in the dead of winter understand that sometimes a good day on the river comes at a price. We get anxious for those spring days when everything on the river is in perfect harmony. We put on our hat and gloves  and hit the river with the expectation that today is our day.We are fishemen afterall, and its not supposed to be easy.  On these days we may ask ourselves what we are doing standing in a frigid river in a snowstorm.  Most of us think about the days we’ve had when the river came to life for an hour or so on days just like this and it makes perfect sense.  Moments like these keep us coming back even though all logic tells us to go warm up with a cup of coffee. Our buddy Doug Lindhout had a day just like this last week. Doug was fishing with Four Seasons own Mark Forslund on a cold 14 degree morning.  The fishermen in these guys took them to the river for a challenging start to the day. The cold was intense but nothing a few trout couldn’t fix.   After catching a few fish, the focus turned from catching trout to a Heber Valley wildlife show.  Several mule deer digging in the snow kicked it off.  Then a family of resident bald eagles showed up and spent the day hunting trout as anxiously as our fishermen.  As the day went on and the temperature came up a little, Doug and Mark got to see something right out of the Wild Kingdom.  A red fox made its way across the field.  He paid no attention to the guys as he was on the hunt.  Without ever noticing them,  he began to stalk something under the snow.  Just before he pounced on his prey he looked over and saw the guys and quickly high tailed it out of there.  You just don’t get many chances to see a show like that.  It was a sign of good things to come.  The fish started eating and the guys blood warmed up.  After catching more than their share of trout on nymphs,  the hatch started and things got really interesting.  They spent the rest of the day throwing tiny dry flies to feeding fish.  The air stayed cold and the wildlife continued to show up.  This was the kind of day to remember the next time you’re talking yourself into going fishing in the wintertime. 

From Doug:

Mark,

ATTENTION: All you ‘long roders’, if you have not already dusted off your fly fishing equipment from Utah’s long cold winter you better do so. Just around the corner is one of the most prolific insect hatch cycles that those who fish Utah’s Provo River will experience. The little beauty I am speaking of is the Western United States BWO, (for those of you that do not know what the acronym BWO stands for, grab your notebook and pencil-I have to erase more than I like to admit!). Well it stands for Blue Wing Olive, yes that is correct. Now if you have a higher education than I do, you know this Mayfly by the Latin name Baetis (Baetidae family). Fortunately, I have not yet met a Trout that understands Latin.

             The coming of spring rises our river and streams water temperature, which in return, wakes up these sleeping trout delicacies. Imagine for just a moment that you are a 20 inch Brown Trout laying on the bottom of Utah’s Provo River, or any other great Fly Fishing Utah river. It has been a long cold winter with water temperatures maintaining around 36 degrees. All you have been able to snack on are those darn tiny midge. Within the last couple of weeks, the air temperature has began to warm, as well as the temperature in your big swimming pool. As the hog of the hole, you are feeling pretty good, spring fever is hard to beat. The previous night was overcast, the cloud cover has retained the warmest temperature of the passing day, the light level is low, the water temp is just right, and bam! At around 11am, swimming from the bottom of your home comes one, and then another, and in the blink of an eye multitude’s of emerging BWO’s are everywhere. Considering you are the big fish in the pond, it is time to start the daily activity of gorging on the emerging nymph. Taking in consideration just like any other living creature, it is time to relocate my position. Moving closer to the bank, just behind that perfect rock where the current seam acts just like the most efficient waiter that keeps it coming. In the following hour or two, and for that matter, four hours during the strongest hatch, Mr. Brown eats with a  rhythm similar to the perfect song.

            Ok, enough of swimming with the fish! It’s me, Mr. Fly Fisherman. I started my day around 7am. Hey its my day off, I am still up early enough to head to my favorite Fly Shop in Heber City, Four Seasons Fly Fishers. Upon entering I am greeted with a smile and the same comment I here every time I arrive, “How are you doing? Are you headed out?” Well let me help you with what you are going to need to break the rhythm of Mr. 20 inch Brownie that should be sitting behind the perfect rock- just above Hoovers Hole on the lower Provo River.

              After the staff at the shop sets me up for a day of success I say my goodbye’s and depart. I think for a moment, “I kind of feel bad for the person that just helped me”, (thinking they probably are wishing it was their turn to match the hatch). Instead, sending another angler to experience a days adventure matching the BWO hatch on the mighty Provo. One very important piece of information I received during my visit was that the hatch will begin around 11am. I think one more cup of coffee from the Local Grind Coffee shop, which sits across from Four Seasons, will complement a great start to the day. (Have you ever noticed how there seems to be a coffee shop next to every great flyshop?)

              Arriving at the river, I am experiencing the pre-fish excitement jitters. I love how this sport removes me from reality. All dressed now, away I go, I have one of my favorite tunes in my head, all is good. I have chosen the perfect day for a BWO emergence. It is cloudy and warm, and possibly, a threatening rain shower. Not to fear, I am wearing my new Patagonia rain jacket I did not know I owned until I left Four Seasons. Man those guys are good! Let it rain. I asked during the visit at the shop if the rain would be a problem? No I was informed, the fish are already wet!

               It is time, I am on the bank of the river as suggested by the guys at the shop. I take notice if their are any BWO’s flying around. I see none. Ok, let’s set up the deep rig. Starting with 9 ft leader, a strike indicator set deep tapering down to 5x tippet and a really cool looking set of nymphs the guys at the shop set me up with. I commence to fishing. Life is good. Sure enough, with the coaching I received from my visit to the shop, along with the patterns I purchased, I begin my quest for nirvana. Catching half a dozen fish in the first hour is great. Then out of the corner of my eye I see one, then another, and yes, a multitude of BWO adults flying by. I begin searching the river banks for the perfect rock, with the perfect seam breaking off. Suddenly I spot Mr. 20inch Brownie dining with a easy to read rhythm on the emerging nymphs. Every now and then he will stick that big nose of his out of the water and grab a mature adult dun. I frantically start the process of changing my rig to a shallow water set up. I enjoy this type of approach as much as dry fly fishing. All set up, I place myself in a position. I believe I can make the shot, first cast too far to the left. That’s Ok, better than landing on the perfect rock. Third cast, I lead my target by about four feet. I have a great drift. My fly has to be in the strike zone, wait…wait, he moves on my fly, I lift the rod, and what happens? Well with the biggest fish, this big guy doesn’t know he’s hooked immediately. That lasts for another second, off he goes ripping line as if the BWO he just ate had a stinger. Up stream he goes tearing up all the water in his path, then he stops, turns, and comes back as fast as he left. Down river he goes. As I have been taught, I begin my stumbling chase…who’s got who? Finally, I net him in my brand new Brobin Ghost Net I did not know I owned until my fly-shop visit! After admiring this perfection of a trout, I release him back into his world. I have achieved nirvana.

              During the remainder of my BWO day of fishing, I have caught fish from every possible approach. Starting on the bottom, moving to shallow water, site nymphing, and finally the icing on the cake… two hours of dry-fly fishing.

             Ok. I will stop with the stories. I am hoping that my reflections of a day of BWO fishing on Utah’s Provo River will help and excite my fellow anglers to experience this incredible annual happening. The BWO’s generally will begin mid March, and lasting some years until the end of May. If you would like to learn more about the Blue Wing Olives, along with other important Western Mayfly’s, I recommend the book ‘Western Mayfly Hatches From The Rockies To The Pacific’, written by Rick Hafele and Dave Huges. The volume leaves no stone unturned. A true American Fly Fishing classic.

Written by: Mark Forslund

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I’ve been fishing alot in the evenings lately.  With the late PMD hatches coming off and now Blue Wings,  I can’t get enough when the hatches end.  I’m finding that if you throw Caddis before they really start hatching you can take a few fish.  Streamers are working really well for me too.  The takes are violent and alot of fun.  Good streamer fishing is a great sign of the coming spawn.  I’m trying eggs everyday but so far no good.  There is a Stonefly hatch coming off which surprises me.  They are about 1/2 long and rusty colored.  This strikes me as strange,  but so has this whole year so far. 

Holy Cow! There are some big fish in the Middle River. 

I was out last night in that rain storm.  I never got to actually see the trout.  But… I have had the opportunity of having a couple of noteable trout on the line before and this one ranks right up there. 

He ate at the last moment of visable light.  I hit him on a downstream set which initially felt like setting on a submerged log.  Then the head shakes: slow, methodical, angry.  As soon as he confirmed that he was [in fact] hooked up; he exploded into an upstream arc towards the opposite bank.  After taking out 60+ feet of fly line he turned around and charged right back at me.  While I was fumbling around with stripping my line back in; he made another arcing turn directly into the downed tree back on the other side of the river.  This brute was just to big and strong to get his head turned.

Despite every trick I could think of at that particular moment… this is where the “fight” ended.  That trout left me with my reel smoking, the entire legnth of my fly line in a pile of submerged sticks, a frayed piece of 5x tippet and a stupified expression on my face… in the pouring rain no less.

Man! I love this pastime and the privelage of living right off the Middle Provo River.

September 5, 2007

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Fathers Day, as it turns out is a great day to fish the Middle Provo. In areas where I generally expect to see tons of fishermen I saw only two. What a great chance to fish at your own pace in holes of your choice. Fishing was good right from the start. The fish ate Split Case PMD’s consistantly all day long. We got a Green Drake hatch that lasted for about an hour and a half. It started around 12:30 and the fish took emergers pretty well. For the rest of the day the PMD’s were the star attraction. We walked the banks and threw to rising fish. Most of these fish weren’t huge but there were large numbers that would eat so it was a great time. Our fishing partner today was a newbie but he picked it up pretty quickly. He was throwing nymphs in fast water and landed a 19 to 20 inch brown. We had a productive day without many other anglers. Landed 25 or so fish in 8 hours.

The middle seems to be in prime form these days. We hit the river around 11:00 in the afternoon and immediately started seeing tons of Pale Morning Duns and both colors of Stoneflies. The fish seem to be fooled sometimes by the cattail fuzz drifting down the river. Even when there isn’t much hatching going on, sometimes you see risers that you could swear must be hitting the fuzz. Fishing was pretty productive with dry dropper setups using stonefly nymphs early. About 1:00 the fish moved into position on the banks and started feasting on big Yellow Sallies. They hit these immitations with reckless abandon. They weren’t just bumping these flies, they were attacking them. We had some success hitting the banks and twitching them off. Pull them off the bank, wait three seconds and wham! For about three hours the fishing was fantastic. We spent most of the day walking the banks and targeting each rising fish we spotted. The water was a little muddy because of a little construction project upstream, but the fish didn’t seem to mind. We did see some Green Drakes but there weren’t really enough to make a switch. It was a great day of fishing and it was especially nice to throw to rising fish.

The Lower Provo was roaring pretty hard today, but it was wadable so long as you were careful. The fish seem to have adjusted to the big water. They were stacked up along the banks and spooked easily as I approached them. I began the day fishing a double sow bug rig with a few BB split shots. I quickly took off one shot and fishing immediately improved. I took several fish this way, fishing drops and white water and drifting my indicator out of these. As the day progressed I switched one of my flies to a crystal hunchback PMD pattern in a size 20. This produced a few fish but the bug of the day was still the sowbug. There was a consistent midge hatch and I imagine that emerger patterns would have worked. Fishing was good enough, that I never even made that switch. I didn’t run into too many fishermen early. There were a few rafters who graciously stayed on the other side and waved as they floated by. The weather was beautiful and the wind cooperated so all in all it was a great day on the Lower.