11-21-2007, 12:40 AM
BIG SAND WASH RESERVOIR: Anglers report fair to good fishing for rainbow trout. Most angling being done by boat as West side access was eliminated by the reconstruction of the dam. A new access site is being negotiated and hopefully open by next summer. Try fishing top water flies and lures or a floating bait to clear the submerged vegetation and boulders. Catchable-sized fish and fingerlings have been stocked to provide immediate and long-term fisheries.<br />
BULLOCK / COTTONWOOD RESERVOIRS: Cottonwood was drained to work on the outlet and is now being refilled. No new reports, water is murky due to refill. Remember tiger musky have a size limit, all fish under 40 inches must be released immediately. Use of heavy tackle and a steel leader to protect your line is advised for those fishing for tiger musky. Snagging is illegal. Small boats can be launched from undeveloped sites near the dams when the water level is high but with the present levels it's questionable. Reservoirs are located approximately five miles north of the town of Gusher.<br />
BROUGH RESERVOIR: Reports are of good fishing for a mix of large browns and rainbows. Most anglers fish from the bank or portable boats as there is no boat ramp or even a good place to launch due to the mud. The reservoir is managed under trophy catch and release regulations, please read proclamation. Use of heavier tackle to bring the fish in quickly and keeping the fish completely underwater when handling greatly increases odds of survival. Some water in the canal but it seems to be filling slowly and not murky as of last week. To get to Brough, take State Route 88 south from US Route 40 (Ouray Road). Turn west at the second dirt road past the high power lines. Follow this road approximately two miles staying to the left at each main fork. Road can be quite rutted.<br />
BROWNIE / SHEEP CREEK / SPIRIT LAKE: Last reports are good fishing for brook and rainbow trout with a few cutthroat also being taken. Area was receiving storms so access is questionable. Warning: whirling disease was found in this area, please do not clean fish or dump fish parts taken from one lake or stream to another. Also make sure to clean, dry and sterilize waders, live wells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water, as this will also move whirling disease.<br />
CALDER / CROUSE RESERVOIRS: Most reports are of good fishing. Some larger fish have been taken from both reservoirs. The new "trophy " regulation (flies and lures only, no baits) for Calder began January 1, 2007. Please read the proclamation for details on the new regulations.<br />
CURRANT CREEK RESERVOIR: We've been receiving reports of fair to good fishing from anglers. Cooler weather has brought the fish back up towards the surface. Last reports were roads are open and in good condition, however that can change at any time with winter storms. Please check with the ranger station at Strawberry.<br />
EAST PARK / OAKS PARK: Anglers have reported fair to good fishing. Oaks Park has more water than usual due to work on its pipeline, while East Park is quite low. Anglers are also reporting good fishing on some of the streams in the area. The entire Red Cloud Loop road system is open, however storms may make travel difficult so watch the weather.<br />
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR: Launching boats is possible on all ramps. Current surface water temp 46 to 50° F.<br />
Lake Trout Fishing: Good to excellent fishing for small lake trout on most areas of the reservoir. Fish are in traditional areas on underwater humps and points and also closer to shorelines. Fishing for smaller lake trout (less than eight pounds.) from the river arms south in 40 to 100 feet was good. The canyon area in UT was producing limits of fish with very fast catch rates. Use downriggers to troll spoons and minnow plugs within 10 to 20 feet of the bottom or look for suspended fish 40 to 70 feet Good colors for spoons and plugs include chartreuse, orange and white. If fish are concentrated try jigging. Good jig colors are white, brown and chartreuse. Try tipping jigs with a small chunk of sucker meat if you can see them on your graph but can't get them to bite with a plain jig. If you are seeing fish near structure in 100-plus feet, these will probably be lake trout. Use no stretch line to feel strikes and set the hook better. Unlike their larger relatives, the smaller lake trout are excellent table fair with orange flesh and taste as good or better than a rainbow when cooked up on the grill. There's an overabundance of lake trout under 28 inches in the Gorge so do your part to help the fishery and keep a limit of eight fish. Reports of slow to fair fishing for larger fish. Larger fish are finishing the spawn so fishing should pick up soon. For larger lake trout try trolling plugs on downriggers, steel or lead core in Jarvies, Sheep Creek, Linwood, Stateline, Antelope flat, Anvil Draw. Also jigging with three- to 10-inch jigs can work well. Big lake trout eat big food so lures and jigs can be big also. Long-lining crankbaits also works this time of year. Remember, only one fish over 28 inches may be kept.<br />
Kokanee fishing: Immediately release all kokanee caught from Sept. 10 to Nov. 30 to protect spawning fish. Kokanee may still be caught and released.<br />
Rainbow fishing: Good to excellent fishing for rainbows on most of the reservoir. If fishing from a boat try trolling spoons or rapalas with downriggers or try long lining with at least 100 feet of line behind boat. Running planer boards close to shore also works well. The fish range from shallow water close to shore to 50 feet deep so try fishing in several depths if having poor luck. Most colors of spoons and minnow lures will work but go with lures in the one to two inch size. If fishing on bottom, try a worm and marshmallow combo to keep the bait slightly off the bottom. Casting spoons, spinners or smaller crankbiats from shore also works well. In the Utah portion, Sheep Creek, Jarvies, Linwood Bay, Mustang Ridge and off the dam visitor center are all good locations to catch rainbows from shore.<br />
Burbot fishing: Try fishing with jigs late in the afternoon, early morning or at night on points coming into reservoir. Use white or glow tube jigs, two to three inches long and about 1/4 to 1/2 ounces. Tipping with sucker meat may help catch fish. These fish are fairly shallow (10 to 40 feet) in the Wyoming end of the reservoir. Reports of fast catch rates in 20 to 50 feet of water. Recent netting in the area north of Buckboard has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are 30 inches and up to four or five pounds. These fish must be harvested if caught in Utah to help control their population as they were illegally introduced to the upper Green River drainage and could have a major impact on other fish species. They are an excellent eating fish with white, flaky flesh that is similar to a perch. They can be breaded and fried or boiled and dipped in melted butter.<br />
Smallmouth bass fishing: Smallmouth fishing is slow as smallmouth tend not to bite well at temps near or below 50° F. Use twist tail grubs on lead head jigs or small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits in about five to 30 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Crayfish imitation colors will work the best. Drop shot techniques will also work.<br />
GREEN RIVER: (upper) - The flows on the river are currently 800 cfs. Due to low inflows into the reservoir in 2007, flows should remain steady at 800 cfs throughout the winter to conserve water. Good fishing on the river. The traffic on the river has dropped and fishing success has increased. Fishing will continue to improve through the fall and use on the river will continue to drop. Brown Trout are spawning so be aware of spawning redds when wading. Please remember the slot limit size range has changed from 13 to 20 inch to 15 to 22 inches to make regulations more consistent statewide. Dry fly fishing has slowed. Nymphing action was good to excellent. Flies to try include: midges and very small Baetis patterns. On occasion, Chernobyl's and caddis have been good too. Nymphing with glo-bugs and San Juan worms with smaller nymphs trailering was the workhorse. Streamers are working well and have been extremely good some days. Size 2 to 4 buggers such as Goldilox and patterns in olive, pink and white. Check out www.fishgreenriver.com for up-to-date fly info. Spin fishermen should try small rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); small spinners; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and small jigs. Please check to see that your plastic jigs contain no fish attracting scents or salts, as they are illegal to use in the river.<br />
GREEN RIVER: (lower) No new reports from anglers. Should be fair to good fishing for catfish, carp and other fish.<br />
MATT WARNER RESERVOIR: Anglers reported good fishing for three age classes of fish. Roads were dry and easily accessible from both Highway 191 and Diamond Mountain Road. Water level is holding up well considering the drought.<br />
MOON LAKE: Reports of fair to good fishing for several species. The lake contains a variety of trout and kokanee. Anglers reporting catching fish from both the shore and boats.<br />
PELICAN LAKE: Anglers are reporting slow fishing for bass and bluegill. The cold weather has mostly shut down the warm water fishing until the reservoir ices up. Waterfowl hunters are also using the area.<br />
RED FLEET RESERVOIR: Recent reports indicate good fishing for rainbows with an occasional brown trout. Bass and bluegill fishing was slow. Try fishing the shoreline areas with the most cover such as rocky points or submerged vegetation. The trout have moved back up into the surface waters and will often cruise the shorelines looking for minnows, crayfish and other prey.<br />
STARVATION RESERVOIR: Reports from anglers of slow fishing for yellow perch, walleye and bass. Brown and rainbow trout fishing has picked up due to cooler water temperatures. Trout will be found near rocky shoreline structures or along the weed beds looking for minnows and other prey.<br />
STEINAKER RESERVOIR: Anglers reported fair to good fishing for rainbows and slow for bass and bluegill. Try to find areas with cover such as rocks and submerged vegetation. The fish are moving into the shallows looking for minnows and other prey.<br />
UINTA MOUNTAIN LAKES AND STREAMS: Have heard of some fair to excellent fishing for all species of trout on clear-running streams and mid- to high-country lakes. Browns are fall spawners and are active in many of the larger streams and rivers. Brook trout are also fall spawners and can be found in many smaller streams and mountain lakes. Try brightly colored lures or jigs, trout baits like worms and putty baits or flies by matching the insect hatch. Fishing success on mountain lakes and streams can be spotty so if one hole or lake isn't producing try moving to another. With over 400 managed fisheries on the South Slope alone, it's easy to find a new place to fish. Some of the shallower waters are getting a film of ice during cold nights, usually melts the next day. Won't be long before these waters ice up. Always go prepared for serious weather, as the Uinta Mountains are well known for frequent unexpected storms and high winds. The Uinta Mountains have a four-trout limit with a bonus of four more brook trout - see proclamation for details
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BULLOCK / COTTONWOOD RESERVOIRS: Cottonwood was drained to work on the outlet and is now being refilled. No new reports, water is murky due to refill. Remember tiger musky have a size limit, all fish under 40 inches must be released immediately. Use of heavy tackle and a steel leader to protect your line is advised for those fishing for tiger musky. Snagging is illegal. Small boats can be launched from undeveloped sites near the dams when the water level is high but with the present levels it's questionable. Reservoirs are located approximately five miles north of the town of Gusher.<br />
BROUGH RESERVOIR: Reports are of good fishing for a mix of large browns and rainbows. Most anglers fish from the bank or portable boats as there is no boat ramp or even a good place to launch due to the mud. The reservoir is managed under trophy catch and release regulations, please read proclamation. Use of heavier tackle to bring the fish in quickly and keeping the fish completely underwater when handling greatly increases odds of survival. Some water in the canal but it seems to be filling slowly and not murky as of last week. To get to Brough, take State Route 88 south from US Route 40 (Ouray Road). Turn west at the second dirt road past the high power lines. Follow this road approximately two miles staying to the left at each main fork. Road can be quite rutted.<br />
BROWNIE / SHEEP CREEK / SPIRIT LAKE: Last reports are good fishing for brook and rainbow trout with a few cutthroat also being taken. Area was receiving storms so access is questionable. Warning: whirling disease was found in this area, please do not clean fish or dump fish parts taken from one lake or stream to another. Also make sure to clean, dry and sterilize waders, live wells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water, as this will also move whirling disease.<br />
CALDER / CROUSE RESERVOIRS: Most reports are of good fishing. Some larger fish have been taken from both reservoirs. The new "trophy " regulation (flies and lures only, no baits) for Calder began January 1, 2007. Please read the proclamation for details on the new regulations.<br />
CURRANT CREEK RESERVOIR: We've been receiving reports of fair to good fishing from anglers. Cooler weather has brought the fish back up towards the surface. Last reports were roads are open and in good condition, however that can change at any time with winter storms. Please check with the ranger station at Strawberry.<br />
EAST PARK / OAKS PARK: Anglers have reported fair to good fishing. Oaks Park has more water than usual due to work on its pipeline, while East Park is quite low. Anglers are also reporting good fishing on some of the streams in the area. The entire Red Cloud Loop road system is open, however storms may make travel difficult so watch the weather.<br />
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR: Launching boats is possible on all ramps. Current surface water temp 46 to 50° F.<br />
Lake Trout Fishing: Good to excellent fishing for small lake trout on most areas of the reservoir. Fish are in traditional areas on underwater humps and points and also closer to shorelines. Fishing for smaller lake trout (less than eight pounds.) from the river arms south in 40 to 100 feet was good. The canyon area in UT was producing limits of fish with very fast catch rates. Use downriggers to troll spoons and minnow plugs within 10 to 20 feet of the bottom or look for suspended fish 40 to 70 feet Good colors for spoons and plugs include chartreuse, orange and white. If fish are concentrated try jigging. Good jig colors are white, brown and chartreuse. Try tipping jigs with a small chunk of sucker meat if you can see them on your graph but can't get them to bite with a plain jig. If you are seeing fish near structure in 100-plus feet, these will probably be lake trout. Use no stretch line to feel strikes and set the hook better. Unlike their larger relatives, the smaller lake trout are excellent table fair with orange flesh and taste as good or better than a rainbow when cooked up on the grill. There's an overabundance of lake trout under 28 inches in the Gorge so do your part to help the fishery and keep a limit of eight fish. Reports of slow to fair fishing for larger fish. Larger fish are finishing the spawn so fishing should pick up soon. For larger lake trout try trolling plugs on downriggers, steel or lead core in Jarvies, Sheep Creek, Linwood, Stateline, Antelope flat, Anvil Draw. Also jigging with three- to 10-inch jigs can work well. Big lake trout eat big food so lures and jigs can be big also. Long-lining crankbaits also works this time of year. Remember, only one fish over 28 inches may be kept.<br />
Kokanee fishing: Immediately release all kokanee caught from Sept. 10 to Nov. 30 to protect spawning fish. Kokanee may still be caught and released.<br />
Rainbow fishing: Good to excellent fishing for rainbows on most of the reservoir. If fishing from a boat try trolling spoons or rapalas with downriggers or try long lining with at least 100 feet of line behind boat. Running planer boards close to shore also works well. The fish range from shallow water close to shore to 50 feet deep so try fishing in several depths if having poor luck. Most colors of spoons and minnow lures will work but go with lures in the one to two inch size. If fishing on bottom, try a worm and marshmallow combo to keep the bait slightly off the bottom. Casting spoons, spinners or smaller crankbiats from shore also works well. In the Utah portion, Sheep Creek, Jarvies, Linwood Bay, Mustang Ridge and off the dam visitor center are all good locations to catch rainbows from shore.<br />
Burbot fishing: Try fishing with jigs late in the afternoon, early morning or at night on points coming into reservoir. Use white or glow tube jigs, two to three inches long and about 1/4 to 1/2 ounces. Tipping with sucker meat may help catch fish. These fish are fairly shallow (10 to 40 feet) in the Wyoming end of the reservoir. Reports of fast catch rates in 20 to 50 feet of water. Recent netting in the area north of Buckboard has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are 30 inches and up to four or five pounds. These fish must be harvested if caught in Utah to help control their population as they were illegally introduced to the upper Green River drainage and could have a major impact on other fish species. They are an excellent eating fish with white, flaky flesh that is similar to a perch. They can be breaded and fried or boiled and dipped in melted butter.<br />
Smallmouth bass fishing: Smallmouth fishing is slow as smallmouth tend not to bite well at temps near or below 50° F. Use twist tail grubs on lead head jigs or small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits in about five to 30 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Crayfish imitation colors will work the best. Drop shot techniques will also work.<br />
GREEN RIVER: (upper) - The flows on the river are currently 800 cfs. Due to low inflows into the reservoir in 2007, flows should remain steady at 800 cfs throughout the winter to conserve water. Good fishing on the river. The traffic on the river has dropped and fishing success has increased. Fishing will continue to improve through the fall and use on the river will continue to drop. Brown Trout are spawning so be aware of spawning redds when wading. Please remember the slot limit size range has changed from 13 to 20 inch to 15 to 22 inches to make regulations more consistent statewide. Dry fly fishing has slowed. Nymphing action was good to excellent. Flies to try include: midges and very small Baetis patterns. On occasion, Chernobyl's and caddis have been good too. Nymphing with glo-bugs and San Juan worms with smaller nymphs trailering was the workhorse. Streamers are working well and have been extremely good some days. Size 2 to 4 buggers such as Goldilox and patterns in olive, pink and white. Check out www.fishgreenriver.com for up-to-date fly info. Spin fishermen should try small rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); small spinners; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and small jigs. Please check to see that your plastic jigs contain no fish attracting scents or salts, as they are illegal to use in the river.<br />
GREEN RIVER: (lower) No new reports from anglers. Should be fair to good fishing for catfish, carp and other fish.<br />
MATT WARNER RESERVOIR: Anglers reported good fishing for three age classes of fish. Roads were dry and easily accessible from both Highway 191 and Diamond Mountain Road. Water level is holding up well considering the drought.<br />
MOON LAKE: Reports of fair to good fishing for several species. The lake contains a variety of trout and kokanee. Anglers reporting catching fish from both the shore and boats.<br />
PELICAN LAKE: Anglers are reporting slow fishing for bass and bluegill. The cold weather has mostly shut down the warm water fishing until the reservoir ices up. Waterfowl hunters are also using the area.<br />
RED FLEET RESERVOIR: Recent reports indicate good fishing for rainbows with an occasional brown trout. Bass and bluegill fishing was slow. Try fishing the shoreline areas with the most cover such as rocky points or submerged vegetation. The trout have moved back up into the surface waters and will often cruise the shorelines looking for minnows, crayfish and other prey.<br />
STARVATION RESERVOIR: Reports from anglers of slow fishing for yellow perch, walleye and bass. Brown and rainbow trout fishing has picked up due to cooler water temperatures. Trout will be found near rocky shoreline structures or along the weed beds looking for minnows and other prey.<br />
STEINAKER RESERVOIR: Anglers reported fair to good fishing for rainbows and slow for bass and bluegill. Try to find areas with cover such as rocks and submerged vegetation. The fish are moving into the shallows looking for minnows and other prey.<br />
UINTA MOUNTAIN LAKES AND STREAMS: Have heard of some fair to excellent fishing for all species of trout on clear-running streams and mid- to high-country lakes. Browns are fall spawners and are active in many of the larger streams and rivers. Brook trout are also fall spawners and can be found in many smaller streams and mountain lakes. Try brightly colored lures or jigs, trout baits like worms and putty baits or flies by matching the insect hatch. Fishing success on mountain lakes and streams can be spotty so if one hole or lake isn't producing try moving to another. With over 400 managed fisheries on the South Slope alone, it's easy to find a new place to fish. Some of the shallower waters are getting a film of ice during cold nights, usually melts the next day. Won't be long before these waters ice up. Always go prepared for serious weather, as the Uinta Mountains are well known for frequent unexpected storms and high winds. The Uinta Mountains have a four-trout limit with a bonus of four more brook trout - see proclamation for details
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