Weber River Report

[Cowboypirate]

Due to questionable ice reports at Echo and justified concerns from parents the NS student Angler club abandoned its ice fish plans and instead went exploring on the Artificial lure only section between Rockport and Echo. Got access to a private section. Absolutely spectacular holes and runs. Great water clarity and ice was limited so we could access the majority of the river. Weather was great. Students were in high spirits with a wonderful collection of leaky muck boots. Beaver and deer activity kept it intresting. 

Fishing for brown and whitefish - well in my short span of existence I can say with all sincerity that my home turff river has never handed me a complete  skunk until today. The club students beat the water with jigs and every shinny thing in thier boxes. I whipped the water with every nymph patter I own. I got one flash on a size 16 sow bug and a bump on a Tubedude chub jig. But nothing locked on. I know shock surveys in that strech show really solid numbers so no question they were there. 

Might be we had so many face popping up over the bank to launch a spoon that  spooked them to quick. Best answer I can come up with cause them white fish always want a sow bug or beadhead when it drifts by. 

The good news is the kids had a good time and were asking where and when we are going again. 

Hopefully early Feb ice will be solid around us or I might have to drag them to the berry

[SkunkedAgain]

Good on ya Lance, way to give those youth a great experience... Like the saying goes, fishing isn't just about catching, but the experience you have while out... Nice job... J

[rgreenland]

Due to questionable ice reports at Echo and justified concerns from parents the NS student Angler club abandoned its ice fish plans and instead went exploring on the Artificial lure only section between Rockport and Echo. Got access to a private section. Absolutely spectacular holes and runs. Great water clarity and ice was limited so we could access the majority of the river. Weather was great. Students were in high spirits with a wonderful collection of leaky muck boots. Beaver and deer activity kept it intresting. 

Fishing for brown and whitefish - well in my short span of existence I can say with all sincerity that my home turff river has never handed me a complete  skunk until today. The club students beat the water with jigs and every shinny thing in thier boxes. I whipped the water with every nymph patter I own. I got one flash on a size 16 sow bug and a bump on a Tubedude chub jig. But nothing locked on. I know shock surveys in that strech show really solid numbers so no question they were there. 

Might be we had so many face popping up over the bank to launch a spoon that  spooked them to quick. Best answer I can come up with cause them white fish always want a sow bug or beadhead when it drifts by. 

The good news is the kids had a good time and were asking where and when we are going again. 

Hopefully early Feb ice will be solid around us or I might have to drag them to the berry

For me - the Weber has been pretty rotten since runoff.  For several years I hoped for a good runoff to scour out all the moss and weeds and kind of wake up the river.  We finally got it last year.....but it was such a huge runoff (at least the section I fish) that it seems to have pushed all the fish so far down stream that I have seen very few return!!!  Like you - its been years since I have seen a skunk on the Weber....but this past year I've hit a few and come close a few times too many.
I've tried to fish it during the last few months and it seems that they have been letting out a lot of water to make room for the new and the flows have been a lot higher for a lot longer than I have ever seen.  
I've been fishing the Weber for 30 years and I'd have to say that the past 8 months have been the worst I have ever seen on the Weber.
I still have high hopes that it will recover...hopefully sooner than later.  But it sure has been a disappointment for me lately.