Fishing Forum

I live in Provo and have been hearing about the great fishing down at Otter Creek.  My dad was in town, so we wanted to try out the great Otter Creek and catch some of those famous fat rainbows.  

We all got up early and headed out before the sun came up. We picked up my brother in Salem and started the 3 hour drive south. Since my dad and step-mom are from out-of-state, we stopped in Richfield at the local Walmart and got a 3 day license for them (can you believe they are $25 bucks now!?).

Anyhow we made it down to Otter Creek around 10am, long before the best bit at 12:30 (according to the Solunar Table).   We started scoping out a place to fish in the west side. The first place we stopped, I met a fisherman who said they caught two little rainbow planters. They had been there since sunup (around 7am).  Anyhow we needed to find a place my dad, who is 83, could safely get close to shore and sit in a chair.  

We found a decent place we could get down and by 10:30 I had Dad comfortably set in a chair and our poles baited with rainbow colored garlic powerbait.  A boat was anchored about 60 to 80 feet from us and we just watched them fight a fish and loose it right at the side of the boat. Dad said, "I can tell we are going to catch some fish today."

Nothing bit and 12:30 came.  Nothing.  Fishermen trolled by and we asked if they had caught anything. Nothing.  Soon around 1pm, all the boats started zooming in and lining up at the launch ramp to pull their boats.  Around 1pm another fisherman drove up and asked how we were doing.  He had fished 3 hours and nothing. He was farther south by the dam and nobody in those groups had caught anything. No bites. Nothing.  We fished till 2pm and then put our rigs away.  Not a single bit.  

We went over to the state park and saw people fishing near their camping sites.  I saw one person who had their boat parked and clean on decent fish (about 16 inches) that was stiff. Obviously caught many hours ago.  

So, what happened. Why on a 4 star da did these big fat trout at Otter Creek have lock jaw?  Turning their noses up to the best recipe that Berkley had?  

Well, this is my theory.  I noticed as soon as we got there and were setting up our rigs the huge buzzing swarms of Buffalo gnats (black bodies and white wings).  Did these gnats just come out and the fish were full to their gills and were not hungry? That is the only explanation I have. 

I heard, through the grape vine and from a nice person in Richfield, that last week and two weeks ago, the fishing was great at Otter Creeks.  Something had happened...  The huge swarms of gnats may be the culprit.  The fish have fed well for several days and are not hungry.  

My suggestion..  If you are going to Otter Creek in the next week, try fishing early in the morning as the sun is coming up or in the evening as the sun goes down. Watch to see if the fish are surfacing and eating bugs on the surface.  Then find a black gnat pattern or a royal coachman and fish from shore or a boat with a fly and bubble or troll really slow with a fly pattern and a single split shot and see what bites.  

We only made the day trip. We didn't get skunked though. We stopped on the Severe River below Piute and landed a nice Tiger Trout and some super fat rainbow planters.  All in all, we had a good time and I learned where to go when I head down there again, which I will.  

Hope you all have a great time next time you go.

Outfishing13
Matthew: The Zebco guy

That is tough. Making the long drive for a skunk. I know some people fish those lunar table like the gospel but I have found it more effective to go when I can and fish early if possible. Mostly cause I am a morning person and most people are not, so the bank is less populated and the ski boats are not out yet.

Glad the other locations gave up a few for ya. Enjoyed the report.

Otter creek can be decent from shore, but in my experience a boat makes it so much better. The fish really seem to be schooled up In OC so if you can find them you're in for a great day. If your fishing where their not, well, it's gonna be tough. And my bet is those flys were midges. A zebra nymph or emerger pattern would probably work really well.

I hit the reservoir yesterday and did pretty well on my fly rod. I fished up by Angle from my pontoon boat and caught a number of 14-15 inchers on buggers...lots of fun. Sorry that your trip didn't pan out as well as it could have.

That's Otter Creek for ya now days...very hit and miss. Used to be money almost every time, but since the drought years it's changed IMO. Still plenty of big fish in there, but nowhere near what used to be in there. Boat does make all the difference, gotta cover lots of water to find some.

(04-24-2024, 04:24 PM)Outfishing13 Wrote: [ -> ]Well, this is my theory.  I noticed as soon as we got there and were setting up our rigs the huge buzzing swarms of Buffalo gnats (black bodies and white wings).  Did these gnats just come out and the fish were full to their gills and were not hungry? That is the only explanation I have. 

Those Buffalo Gnats are chironomids (large, stillwater midges) and they hatch every day from ice-off to ice-up and trout feed on them constantly. The swarms you were seeing are mating activity following the days hatch activity.

There can be a lull in fish activity following concentrated hatches, but typically just fish adjusting to other available food items. Small leech patterns can be very effective following a chironomid hatch. 

What I typically see in trout throat-samples this time of year in the absence of chironomids are Daphnia (zooplankton). These can be present in tremendous numbers as well and trout will "filter feed" on them like Whales sifting through Krill. In these cases, Blob flies really shine as they imitate the mating balls of Daphnia.

This is all from a fly fishing perspective by the way. 

(04-30-2024, 10:39 PM)Joe_Dizzy Wrote: [ -> ]What I typically see in trout throat-samples this time of year in the absence of chironomids are Daphnia (zooplankton). These can be present in tremendous numbers as well and trout will "filter feed" on them like Whales sifting through Krill. In these cases, Blob flies really shine as they imitate the mating balls of Daphnia.

This is all from a fly fishing perspective by the way. 

Great information.  Otter Creek produces some great fish.