Little Dell fish species

[Uintas_or_Bust]

Just a quick question...I have been fishing Little Dell for years now and have never caught anything but Bonneville Cutts. I have always heard the rumors of big brookies but I am not sure they still call Little Dell home. On Memorial Day I caught a Cuttbow, first non BCT I have ever seen in that reservoir. Anyone else have experience with Curtbows or other species at Little Dell? I can't imagine they want bows mixing with the Cutts there.
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[remo_5_0]

Rumor was DWR shocked some 5 Lb. Brookies up, but not sure when that was.
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[Joe_Dizzy]

Stories of brookies, but never seen/caught one there personally. It's only been BCT for me, and nothing over 15".

Last month my buddy caught this fish that we both believed could be a Cuttbow (if not a Rainbow)... 19"... note the white tips on the pelvic and anal fins.


I sent this picture with a description to the DWR a few weeks back, but no reply.
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[remo_5_0]

That looks like a straight Bow' to me, nice fish though, I need to make my 1st trip to little dell, maybe this week. Hey Joe, where should I try if I go? Inlet? Chronomids? Thanks!
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[Joe_Dizzy]

[quote remo_5_0]

Hey Joe, where should I try if I go? Inlet? Chronomids? Thanks!

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I usually start right around where that black matting is at the bottom of the hill (first light) and work my way towards the inlet. Once the sun gets up I'll switch to the far shoreline if the bite slows. Chironomids always my first choice until the weeds come in.

A couple mornings back in April the lake stayed like glass through noon, and starting around 10:00 you could wade the inlet area and cast dry flies to cruising fish. Adult midge patterns with a trailing shuck (or Sparkle Duns) worked well (size 14-16, tan or yellow).
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[Uintas_or_Bust]

That's about the same size as the one I pulled out. I call it a cutbow because it did have faint slash marks under the jaw(that was the only cut characteristic I could identify). Better size than most BCT's I have pulled out of there. Still I wonder if the presence of bows is problematic for the DWR.
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[remo_5_0]

Thanks for the info. Joe. Didn't you say that streamers/buggers haven't been effective up there? I may put some Damsel nymph's in the box though.
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[Joe_Dizzy]

[quote remo_5_0]

Didn't you say that streamers/buggers haven't been effective up there? I may put some Damsel nymph's in the box though.

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I am told that once the weeds start to come in the whole fly box opens up (scuds, leeches, damsels, Callibaetis, etc.)

For me Little Dell is a spring-fling... I have never fished it over the summer as I opt for the (relative) solitude of the alpine lakes in the Uintas.
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[fiveweight]

Remo,
I was up there Saturday morning (gate opens at 8). I would agree with Dizzy on where to fish. I was fishing small nymphs, and mid's (they have both been producing well.) I had only caught 4 or 5 in a couple hours, and was kicking back to shore to pack it up when I saw this little green fella swimming towards my tube. Put on a size 10 , and caught 6 fish in 8 casts. I would suggest staying fairly close to the bank, and casting towards it.
I will also be at the Berry this weekend, probably Soldier Creek side. I will look out for ya.
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[remo_5_0]

Thanks for the info. No pic though? What was the little green thing? I will be fishing the SC marina area tomorrow (Fri) say hi if you are up there.
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[fiveweight]

The little green fella was a Damsel BABY ! Hopefully they will be swimming around the Berry this weekend. My wife, and I should be around the marina as well. Bays northwest of the marina.
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[remo_5_0]

That's where i'll be also, guy with the cigar []
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[RiverHag]

Those brookies are definitely in there. But the only time I have glimpsed them is in the fall when they congregate by the inlet and up into the creek to spawn. There are some pigs too.

Not sure why they all but disappear in other months. Of course it has been a few years since I was down there and saw them last, but can't imagine why they wouldn't still be in it.
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[Uintas_or_Bust]

I am in the area of Little Dell a lot...The Lake has been so active in the evenings...just boiling as soon as the the sun gets low on the mountains. Trouble is the gate closes at 8:00 so I have never been on the water to see what all the fuss is about.
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[ScottyP]

I've only ever caught cutts there. I fished it Friday from 8-12:30. Landed 14 cutts and had plenty more hits. Fished a single size 14 pheasant tail the whole time 3' below a bubble from shore. All were 12-14 inches with the exception of the first fish that was about 16 inches, and one really nice 19-20 incher that looked like it belonged in strawberry. I also noticed for the first time that there are decent sized craw dads in there. A sporadic calabaetis hatch (size 16) came off from 11:30 to 12:30 but not enough surface activity for me to switch over.
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[remo_5_0]

Good info. Thanks. Glad you got into some, were you fishing near the inlet?
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[Uintas_or_Bust]

Thanks for the reply! I went up Saturday morning and had non stop action with a red chironimid. Three fish on the first three casts and steady action thereafter.
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[Joe_Dizzy]

[quote ScottyP]

I also noticed for the first time that there are decent sized craw dads in there.

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The crawfish are monsters up there. Big blue claws... tons of them near the inlet and around to the far shore.
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[ScottyP]

I wasn't by the inlet. I fished along the north shore between the east parking lot and the black plastic mats. Went back Sunday but had a late start (had to run all the way home to get my reel, doh!). Sunday there were a bunch of calabaetis spinners out but not many hatching. I only caught 7 fish from 11:30 to 14:30. One was a nice 17-18" so there are a few decent fish in the mix. Still used a nimph 3 feet below bubble.
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[downed_Phly]

[quote Joe_Dizzy][quote ScottyP]

I also noticed for the first time that there are decent sized craw dads in there.

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The crawfish are monsters up there. Big blue claws... tons of them near the inlet and around to the far shore.[/quote]

Seriously?! I've said for years that they should put 'dads in there, but figured they never would because it was watershed. Huh. Cool stuff. Have to find a way to catch them using artificial means though since it's all blue ribbon up there! [laugh]
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