05-26-2021, 10:41 PM
(05-26-2021, 09:17 PM)Outfishing13 Wrote: Pat,
"There was a good amount of harvest but the stream was healthy and could feed a lot of fish. In those days there were still abundant stone flies in the river."
What happened to all the stone flies? I made a screen to catch some. I could find nothing. My theory is the run off from Heber and Midway from lawns being sprayed with bug killer is destroying the hatch... I can't prove it, but the Provo below DC is sick when it should be healthy.
Matthew
Several of our formerly healthy Utah streams have seen a demise of the stonefly population. And on some streams the decline is directly related to the increase in human habitation and businesses in the drainage emptying into the streams. This is especially evident where there are still stoneflies above the "developed" stream surroundings. Yes, the lower Provo is a good example of an abused trout stream. Too many driveways and gutters spilling nasty stuff which ultimately ends up in the Provo. And I'm sure all of the rafters and tubers going down the river contribute some unhealthy additives.
There used to be stoneflies almost all the way to Utah Lake. In the early 1960's I actually caught a lot of catfish in the lower lower Provo, around Madsen bend, by bouncing a big stonefly nymph down into the holes below faster water. The cats would come up out of Utah Lake each spring...first to spawn and then to feast on the big bugs. They would quickly chomp not only a real insect but any good fly imitation. Occasionally a large brown would interrupt my cat quest for a little exercise. Caught several over 5 pounds one year. Even caught some post-spawn walleyes on the bugs.