Great Early Spring Stream Fishing Predicted

Photo by Phil Douglass, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

If you enjoy catching trout in rivers and streams in northern Utah, you won’t have to wait long to catch some this year.

Depending on how spring temperatures warm up, runoff this spring could be lower than normal. And that means some of the best fishing of the year on rivers and streams may kick off early.

“We will have some runoff this spring, but it won’t peak as high or last as long as it normally does,” says Roger Wilson, cold water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “If you like to fish rivers and streams, get your fishing poles ready. We should see some great early-season fishing.”

Not many challenges this spring
Wilson says river and stream anglers in northern Utah won’t face some of the challenges they usually face this time of the year.

“Because the water won’t be as high or as cold this spring, the trout should feed more actively,” Wilson says. He says the water won’t be as turbid either. “The clearer water will make it easier for trout to see your bait, lure or fly.”

And your offering won’t be competing with as much natural food for the attention of the fish. “The limited runoff won’t sweep a lot of natural food down with it because it’s not going to last as long this year,” he says. “Whatever you cast in or onto the water is going to stand out to the trout.”

The lower runoff will also affect when insect hatches occur. “It’s important that fly anglers watch the hatches closely, and then adjust their fly patterns and techniques to match the hatch,” Wilson says.

Wilson says you’ll also have safer and easier access to the water for a longer period of time this spring. “That’s another advantage to not having a lot of runoff,” he says.

Lots of rivers and streams
Wilson says northern Utah has more river and stream fishing opportunities than any other region in Utah. The Provo, Logan, Blacksmith Fork, Ogden, Weber (especially between Rockport and Echo reservoirs) and the Strawberry River below Solider Creek Reservoir are among the waters he encourages you to try this spring.

“There’s lots of public access on key reaches of all of these rivers,” he says. “And each of them should provide great fishing this spring.”

For more information, visit the DWR’s weekly fishing reports at www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/reports.php .