Innovative and Creative use of CDC and other natural materials in an effective midge pattern

“In the course of a lifetime, I have heard the voices and met the ghosts who guard the sacred places. Although, forceful in their presence and insistent in their will, they have never told me what not to do. But sometimes, when I stray from what is important and what is real, they tell me who I am.”

– Renee Harrop

I won’t waste too much time explaining who Renee Harrop is, other than to say he is a legend. His technique is an such an innovative use of a CDC feather, and one we’re rather fond of. It’s fun to tie and something that may give you something to talk about in your flybox.

The pattern can be effective on our local tailwaters, especially if you are paying attention to size and color. It may be a good pattern to present to those picky trout that are tired of being fooled by your shucker or noseeum. It’s all natural to boot! Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

Location | Middle Section of the Provo River

Flows| 143.37 cfs release at Jordanelle Dam

Fishing | Good – Excellent

Hatches | Midges

Time of Day | 9-3pm

Flies | #20-#26 gray, black and brown

Tippet | 6-7 x

Techniques | Nymphing and Dry Fly Fishing

Midge activity is becoming more and more consistent. This activity, in turn, is correlating with greater trout activity. Fish are moving around a bit more and we’ve seen fish up on midges almost every morning for the past week. Focus your fly selection on patterns that emphasize a schuck and sit low in the water for best results. Please remember to be respectful, kind and considerate of your fellow anglers as the river starts to get more use.

Solid Dry Fly Fishing May Be Just Around The Corner

At the moment it may seem like winter, snow and colder temps are here to stay. However, it doesn’t mean that the fishing activity on the Provo River is going to stay frozen too.

As winter anglers on the Provo River we are all familiar with the unpredictable nature of the adventure. It can be hot and cold. Good fishing for an hour and then you’re ghosted for the rest of the day. There are so many variables, that sometimes it seems hardly worth the effort to tie on another fly.

There are also those moments that start to occur this time of year that point an optimistic finger to more prolific midge activity and top feeding brown trout.

We’re not saying those moments are definitively here, but we did just have a couple of great days. It may be a good time to check in on the river or book a guided trip.

We have recently introduced “Ice Fishing” to our quiver of guest services. We are offering half day trips in both the morning and afternoon. A trip is three hours on the ice. Morning trips begin at 9 a.m. and afternoon trips begin at 1 p.m. We have invested in some great infrastructure and have tried to include some details that make the experience unique. Included in our offerings are new large insulated ice shelters. They are big enough for six adults and provide plenty of space to move around. They are heated and will be setup on your arrival. All fishing equipment is included and you won’t have to worry about bringing your own rods, reels and lures. Beyond the basecamp we will also offer transportation from the boat ramp to the shelter. We will do this via sleds and a tracked vehicle called a “Snowdog”. It adds an extra element of fun and allows us to travel larger distances across the ice with ease. If you have any interest or any questions regarding this great new service, please reach out to us. We look forward to showing you a good time. Utah Ice Fishing is fantastic!

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Flow

Lower Provo -150 cfs and clear

Middle Provo – 183 cfs and clear

Weber River below Rockport – 77.5 cfs and clear

Fishing Conditions

Despite our dry winter, our local tail waters are maintaining at typical winter flows. The last week has been a great time to be on the water with warmer temps and sunny skies.  The Middle Provo River has been hosting great afternoon mid hatches. The window for a good fishing seems to be between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Nymphing in the morning and dry fly casting in the afternoon. Sunny days are best. We have seen some Buffalo Midge and BWO activity as well in certain spots.

The Lower Provo River has been nymphing well and we’re starting to see some hatches in the slower seams and soft water. Rainbows are actively feeding and seemed to be stacked up in the deeper pools. Smaller sow bugs are working best for us.

The Weber is at an ok flow currently. We wish we could find a way for them to keep a little more water in there during the winter. We haven’t fished on the Weber since the fall, but expect to in the next week or so.  I expect small sow bugs, midges and BWO’s. Streamers in low light conditions are currently recommended as well.

• Middle Provo River – Midges #20-#30, BWO #18-#22.
• Lower Provo River – Sow Bugs #16-#20, Midges #20-#30, BWO #18-#22.
• Weber River –  Sow Bugs #18-#20, Midges #20-#30, BWO #18-#22.

Conclusion

It’s a beginning to another season on the water here in Park City. The winter hasn’t been great, but we have a front coming in this weekend.  We expect spring skiing conditions to be stellar.  Be sure to give us a call if you want to diversify your skication experience.  Fly fishing is a great way to mix things up during your stay. We are offering 15% off our early season trips through the second week of May. Just mention the “special” while booking and we’ll make sure you’re taken care of. We have availability and are family friendly.

Take care, hope to see you out there!

 

Intuition and Imagination

Undoubtedly, we have all been faced with occasional fails and breakdowns of our gear. It may not be as common as a broken rod tip or a leaky pair of waders.  But, our fly lines suffer too.  From sharp rocks, misplaced steps or sometimes reckless door jams there are many things that can mangle your favorite fly line. Hell, I’ve even opened brand new fly lines with the loop to loop missing.  Obviously, there are alternatives and it’s not that I’m against the merits of a good nail knot. But, the loop to loop is so damn easy and convenient.

So, it caught my eye this morning when I saw this link on our Twitter feed. I’m not sure wether I should hate or love “Gink and Gasoline” for all the amazing content they share on their blog. However, I am always checking them out and they are definitely one of our favs.

So here it is reposted for your convenience.  A DIY, step by step repair of your loop to loop connection.

 

We’re not mentioning any names 😉! Something to be said for a good fish story every once in a while!

Wishing everyone a merry Xmas!

Flow

We apologize for the extended gap between reports.  We have been busy on the river and the fishing has been good! The Provo River has maintained an unbelievable amount of consistency in regards to both nymphing and dry fly fishing.  The only difficult aspect has been the number of people fishing on its banks.  We’ve had to start meeting people at 6 a.m. just to find some decent water to fish.  This said, the fish are healthy and the high water, earlier this summer, has helped most fish put on some lbs.

Lower Provo -444 cfs and clear

Middle Provo – 300 cfs and clear

Weber River below Rockport – 85 cfs and clear

Fishing Conditions

Rivers have been stable at their present flows for at least the past two weeks. We wish they would bring the Weber up, but time will tell. Flows and temps on many of the small and remote streams have been higher and cooler than usual. These conditions have been “PRIMO” for bank fishing with large terrestrials. The other notable condition worth mentioning is the evening caddis hatch on the Middle Provo River. It has been spectacular over the last three to four weeks.

• Middle Provo River – Midges #20-#24, PMD #18-#22, Caddis #12-#16, Hoppers #8-#12
• Lower Provo River – PMD #18, Sow Bugs #16-#20, Ants (any size as long as they’re two inches from the bank).
• Weber River – PMD #18-#20, Sow Bugs #18-#20, Leeches, Hoppers #8-#12
• Small Streams – “Nunyas” all day long, you really should book a trip 🙂

Conclusion

It’s been a great summer and it’s a shame to see it fly by so fast! But, fall is just around the corner and it really is one of our favorite times to fish. If you’re in town or have some free time it’s a good time to give us a call and let us get you out there on a guide trip. There are an amazing amount of different things we can do right now and like all good things, who knows how long they’ll last.

We have a few dates left for the last week of September on the Upper Green. If your interested, get in contact as soon as possible. The dates are disappearing fast! Due to the sensitivity and fragility of the fishery we will not be guiding beyond October 1st on the Upper Green River.

Looking forward to the rest of the season and hope to see you out there.  Cheers!

Contest

We’ve got some new swag and we want to share it with you!  An Instagram contest is in full effect, just follow @parkcityflyfishingguides and tag two friends for a chance to win.  In 7 days we will choose 3 winners and send you a great new lid!

Conditions

Park City is still in full winter mode.  So far, its been a good winter and one we really needed.  I believe most drainages in the region are approaching 200% of average snow pack and this means good things for the health of our fisheries moving forward. There are presently some good fly fishing opportunities out there if you can handle the cold.  We’re not afraid:).  If you’re game, give us a call and we’ll make it happen!