Southeastern Fishing Report

Duane Swasey holds the 10.74-lb., 31-inch splake he caught at Joes Valley Reservoir on May 23.

Photo by Brian Berggren

ABAJO MOUNTAINS: (May 26) Sergeant J. Shirley reports that poor weather and high winds have kept most anglers indoors. The three anglers who were checked had good success at Blanding #3 and Foy Reservoir.


CLEVELAND RESERVOIR: (May 26) The reservoir is mostly ice-free. Sergeant Stacey Jones reports slow fishing in the reservoir, but good fishing in the creek. Flies and lures were the most productive, and baits were not effective at all.


ELECTRIC LAKE: (May 26) The lake is now ice-free. Sergeant Stacey Jones reports fair fishing for all trout species. Try worms, spoons, chubs or chub meat. Aquatics Technician Bob Olson says the north tributary is receiving a lot of angler pressure. The road to the boat ramp is still snow-covered, but is expected to dry out in the next week or so.


GIGLIOTTI POND: (May 14) Try worms, marshmallows and PowerBait. The pond was restocked on Wednesday, April 14 with 2,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout. The limit is two fish.


HUNTINGTON CREEK: (May 20) On May 10, Tom Ogden flyfished below the forks with a floating line and a size 10 beadhead Montana. He had a split shot about a foot above the fly. Tom caught one cutthroat and several 6- to 13-inch browns. Flyfishing with nymphs should be good until the creek is muddied by runoff.


HUNTINGTON NORTH RESERVOIR: (May 20) On May 8, Aquatics Program Manager Paul Birdsey fished with two friends. Fishing was slow. Water temperatures ranged from 51 to 54 degrees. Birdsey caught a 16-inch largemouth using a green pumpkin seed tube jig on a light-action spinning rod. Other bites were too light to detect in time. Birdsey recommends light tackle. Anglers should look for the warmest water they can find. Fish will be moving into these areas to feed and to begin spawning.

The DWR stocked the reservoir with 350,000 wiper fry, which are less than one half-inch in size, on May 13. Biologists hope that a fraction of the fry will survive, grow to adult size, and contribute to the productive warmwater fishery in the years to come.


HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR: (May 26) The reservoir is still covered with ice.


JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: (May 26) On May 21, Aquatics Biologist Darek Elverud caught between 50 and 60 fish from daylight to 10 a.m. After 10, fishing slowed significantly. Elverud mostly caught splake, with a few cutthroats and tiger trout. Most of the fish ranged from 12 to 14 inches, and the biggest was 18 inches. Elverud used chub meat, silver spoons, Rapalas and tube jigs.

On May 21, Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Dan Keller fished the reservoir with several friends. They had their best success with Berkley white and gray Gulps—a minnow imitator. The Gulps outfished chub meat, Rapalas and everything else they tried. As a group, they caught 8 to 10 fish per hour in the 14- to 17-inch range.

On May 23, Division Lead Maintenance Specialist Duane Swasey took a 10.74-pound, 31-inch splake on a black and silver Cotton Cordell Walley Diver. Swasey use chub meat and caught 14 other splake and one tiger trout in the 14- to 16-inch range.


LA SAL MOUNTAINS: (May 26) Conservation Officer TJ Robertson reports that Hidden and Dons lakes are now accessible and have been stocked. Fishing is fair at both lakes. The water has been murky at both lakes, but lures that make a slight sound have been working. Bright colored baits are also popular. One angler reported good success with a small, bright-colored fly pattern.

Officer Robertson reports improved fishing at Kens Lake. The water level is still rising. The inlet is one of the best places to fish during the day. The west side of the lake has been fair to good in the evenings. Anglers have done well with small spinners and Jakes lures in float tubes and small crafts (battery-powered only). Fly anglers have done best with small nymphs and may fly imitators. Numerous aquatic insects are hatching. Try to match the hatch to have your best success.

Rattlesnake Ranch has recently been added to the angler access program. Anglers can drive to the lake, but most of the lake lies within private property. Please respect the rights of the property owner. Fishing is good because the lake was stocked a few weeks ago. All types of baits and lures have been working, including all colors of PowerBait, Jakes Spin-A-Lures and other spoons.


MILLSITE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (May 26) Due to the wind and poor weather, fishing is slow.


SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: (May 26) Last week, Roger Kerstetter and two companions caught 539 trout in five days. They fished the southend in 6 to 12 feet of water and trolled with the wind. The party fished from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day. Trout ranged from 14 to 21 inches. Try fishing with silver or gold Kastmasters, Krocodiles or other spoons. The weather has been windy and rainy. Kerstetter said his secret is to fish just after ice-off, when the water temperature is in the 50s and the trout are in shallow water. Scofield has special regulations. Make sure you read the Utah Fishing Guidebook before you head to the reservoir.


WRIGLEY SPRINGS RESERVOIR: (May 26) The reservoir may have winter-killed. Sargent Stacey Jones didn't find any anglers who had caught fish on her last check.

Southeastern Region Fishing Report

Two boys cleaning up at the end of their ice fishing trip to Scofield Reservoir.

Photo by Brent Stettler

 
ABAJO MOUNTAINS: (April 16) Sergeant J. Shirley reports that Recapture Reservoir, Blanding #3 and Blanding #4 are all open water. Loyds Lake, Monticello Lake and Foy Reservoir are either frozen or inaccessible.

GIGLIOTTI POND: (April 16) Two weeks ago, this Helper area pond was stocked with retired brood trout, which are using for spawning purposes, from the Eagan Hatchery. These trout averaged about a pound in size—although some two pound fish were among those planted. Try a variety of spinners and baits until you find a winner.


HUNTINGTON GAME FARM POND: (April 16) This pond, located at the Division's Huntington Game Bird Farm, was stocked with 1,000 catchable-sized (8- to 10-inch) rainbow trout on April 15. So fishing should be good." Huntington Reservoir,Brent Stettler,Slow,"The ice is still too thick to penetrate.

HUNTINGTON NORTH RESERVOIR: (April 16) The reservoir is ice-free. Aquatics Program Manager Paul Birdsey encourages anglers to fish along the rocky face of the dam when the water temperature is over 50. Once the water hits that temperature, largemouth bass will be vulnerable to plastic baits. As the water temperature climbs, the weedy north end should provide good bass fishing with spinnerbaits.

HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR: (April 15) The ice remains too thick to penetrate.

JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: (April 16) The ice is weak and beginning to recede from the shoreline. That means that ice fishing season is over. It may be a week before shoreline fishing becomes productive.

LA SAL MOUNTAINS: (April 16) Conservation Officer TJ Robertson reports slow fishing at Kens Lake, despite the recent trout stocking.

MILLSITE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (April 16) This reservoir is ice-free. Aquatics Technician Randall Stilson spoke with an angler who found fast fishing anchoring 75 feet from the dam and using a black marabou jig. The angler mostly caught 14- to 15-inch cutthroat trout. Another angler reported good fishing trolling with a red and silver Triple Teaser. His biggest fish was a two pound cutthroat.

On April 8, Tom Ogden flyfished from a tube and caught 14 trout, ranging from 12 to 16 inches. Tom caught the fish within casting distance from shore in 6 to 14 feet of water with a medium sink line and a size 8 beadhead black and green tinsel soft hackle fly.

Lieutenant Carl Gramlich fished Millsite last weekend and reported slow fishing from a boat and the bank. Gramlich spoke to an angler who caught a three pound fish on the north shore by the dame the day before. Gramlich recommends baits for best results.

SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: (April 16) On April 10, Desert Lake Superintendent Roy Marchant reports good success for tiger trout, cutthroats and rainbows. He caught a number of cutthroat and tiger trout ranging from 14 to 20 inches. The rainbows averaged 12 inches. Most fish were taken from the bottom. Marchant used a chartreuse jighead tipped with minnows. He fished in the dam cove and estimated the ice was 30 inches thick. He best action was between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The ice pack remains thick, except at the inlet. Water is not being released. The lake is filling only slightly, but that is still causing the edges to soften and leading to some open water.

One angler reported fast fishing. He said he had so many hits that he couldn't keep both of his poles in the water at the same time. Another angler reported fast fishing on April 11.

Scofield has special regulations. Read the Utah Fishing Guidebook for details.

Southeastern Region Fishing Report

Electric Lake Photo by Randall Stilson

ABAJO MOUNTAINS: (March 30) Sergeant J. Shirley reports that Recapture Reservoir, Blanding #3 and #4 and Lloyds Lake were frozen during the weekend of March 27–28. However, the shoreline ice may recede enough for bank fishing during the upcoming week.

GIGLIOTTI POND: (April 08) Last week, this Helper area pond was stocked with retired brood trout from the Egan Hatchery. The trout averaged about a pound in size, although some two-pound fish were planted. These large rainbows were used at the hatchery for spawning purposes. Aquatics Program Manager Paul Birdsey described fishing as fair over the weekend. He recommends baits or spinners, such as Kastmasters. At Gigliotti Pond, the limit is two fish.

HUNTINGTON GAME FARM POND: (April 08) By mid-April, this pond at the DWR's Huntington Game Bird Farm will be stocked with 1,000 catchable-sized (8–10 inches) rainbow trout. You should find some good fishing after the pond is stocked.

HUNTINGTON NORTH RESERVOIR: (April 08) State Park Manager Dan Richards reports that the reservoir is now ice-free. Aquatics Program Manager Paul Birdsey encourages anglers to fish along the rocky face of the dam when the water temperature reaches 50 degrees or higher. At that time, largemouth bass will become active and may be taken on plastic baits. On April 3, Aquatics Technician Ryan Leonard fished with spinners, but he couldn't get a trout to bite. He concluded that the water was too cold.

HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR: (April 08) Lieutenant Carl Gramlich attempted to fish last weekend and found the ice too thick to drill.

JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: (April 08) Fishing at Seely Creek Cove is extremely hazardous. Drowning is an imminent danger. Ice conditions elsewhere are unknown. Please observe ice-fishing safety precautions. At last report, anglers had success using a gold flasher above a chartreuse jighead tipped with chub meat. The limit at Joes Valley Reservoir is four trout. Only one may be over 18 inches.

LA SAL MOUNTAINS: (April 08) On April 4, Conservation Officer T.J. Robertson checked anglers at Kens Lake. Fishing was slow, despite the recent stocking of trout.

MILLSITE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (April 08) The ice is weak, unstable and breaking up. The ice-fishing season is over. On March 29, State Park Manager Dan Richards reported open water around the inlet. The shoreline should thaw quickly. As the shoreline opens, you'll find good bank fishing.

SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: (April 08) The ice thickness varies from 18–24 inches, depending on your location. Due to recent cold weather, there hasn't been slush on the surface, but that could change quickly. Fishing has been good for smaller trout (around 12 inches), with a few ranging up to 18 inches. The most popular rig continues to be a jighead tipped with chub meat or a nightcrawler. Some anglers find improved success by placing an attractor 12–18 inches above the jig. Spoons and Kastmasters have been the most popular lures. Scofield has special regulations. The limit is a combined total of four fish. No more than two may be cutthroat or tiger trout under 15 inches, and no more than one may be a cutthroat or tiger trout over 22 inches. All cutthroat and tiger trout from 15–22 inches must be immediately released. Trout may not be filleted and the heads or tails removed in the field or in transit. Any trout with cutthroat markings is considered to be a cutthroat.