Scofield Price river

[Catchall]

Can anyone tell me about the price river(lower fish creek) below Scofield dam? Since it is a tail water does it run clear and steady always? & How long does it take to get out there from SLC? Thanks for any info.
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[fishmagnet]

Clear? Mostly until it meets up with the White river. Steady? Not hardly. It's operated for irrigation so it's practically shut down all winter and runs very high all summer. The best time is in the Fall as the flows start to drop.

There was talk about the DWR buying water rights to even out the flows somewhat but the deal fell through and I haven't heard anything about it for a long time.

It's about a 2 hour drive to the dam.

FM
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[RiverRat77]

Ah....finally....something I can post on with authority......[laugh]. I have fished this river quite a bit. In fact, I will probably end up there on Wednesday, if you can get the time off to be there. It is about a two hour drive from SLC.The river used to run just a bit with releases from the dam. But, now, the dam has been shut off so the fish will be concentrated in pools. What a situation. I fish with soft bass plastics on a splitshot hook and catch and release all day long. Don't overlook the little shallow riffles between holes....sometimes even the smallest bit of cover will hold a fish. Its a great spot that is often overlooked by lake fishermen hitting the big water above. It would be well worth the trip and I've had many many fish days throwing a spinner. If you are a bug chucker, I really can't help you except to tell you that I see mostly fly fishing folks on the river these days...... Fish are definitely concentrated and I believe once the White river runs in, the water is anything but white...... more like a sludge brown color...... Best of luck. The offer to fish goes for anyone that can make it up on Wednesday. Its sposed to be nasty but I haven't ever seen that deter these fish....thats what we have rain gear for...... []
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[baetisman]

I have flyfished this river many times. I have fished the sections below the dam, and I have fished the sections next to highway 6, down the canyon into Price. As was stated, the river runs mostly clear, but often high, in the stretch above the confluence with the White River. Below that it usually runs off-colored, however, there are still a lot of nice fish all the way down the river. Its a very nice river, but it has been "discovered" in recent years.
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[Lonnie]

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[Bigcat]

I once very foolishly tried to kayak (in a home made kayak) down the price river (from just below the scolfield dam to about 8 miles down stream). I had previously fished the first 1-2 miles down stream from the dam with excellent success with spinners and both wet and dry flies. The first 1-2 miles of the river is a nice lazy flat water stretch with lots of fish surfacing for dry flys. I didn't realize that after about 2 miles from the dam the canyon gets steeper and the water goes from a calm float to some pretty good white water and boulder bouncing for a homemade plywood and canvas boat. We rounded one corner to find a huge tree downed across the river right at water level. We bailed out of our boats which got sucked under the tree and caught in the branches. We had a tough time getting them out. I hate to think if that was me or my buddy that got sucked under into the branches of that tree. We would have never had the strength to fight the strong current to get out. The are also places where barbed wire fences cross the river right at neck level for someone in a canoe or kayak. So the moral of the story is that the price river downstream from scolfield dam is not boat friendly. Hike and fish it from the shore and you'll catch plenty. Please also take a garbage bag and pick up some trash as you go. I have taken the scouts up there many times for service projects to clean up the stretch of river that almost took my life. There is always a ton of trash so please don't litter but even better pick something up that someone else left behind.

But to answer your question, it flows very good sometimes and other times it is just a trickle. Its because it has great potential as a fishery if they could maintain the water levels year round.

Bigcat
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[RuttCrazed]

Like everyone else has stated the flows are dependent on the irrigation needs in Carbon County. Scofield is basically the only water source for Price, Helper, Wellington, etc.. so they dictate when the water comes out. This could be a blue ribbon fishery if the flows were mangaged, but they can't be. The first mile below the dam is still water, chuck full of carp. From the dam to the White River the water is clear, after that you are at the mercy of the spring melts and rainstorm runoffs.

Rut
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