09-13-2008, 11:10 AM
Warning: Whirling disease was found in the northeastern region of the state. Please make sure you clean, dry and sterilize waders, livewells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water.
Cleaning fish: Biologists now believe the disposal of fish parts, especially the head and skeleton, is one of the primary reasons whirling disease has spread to new waters. To avoid moving whirling disease and other undesired organisms, you should clean fish at home and send the parts to a landfill. If that isn't possible, please clean the fish and bury the parts at least 100 yards away from the water's edge. Do not move fish or fish parts from one water to another.
BIG SANDWASH RESERVOIR: Anglers continue to report good fishing. The trout, which had moved deeper, are near the surface longer due to the cooler weather. During the early mornings and evenings, try fishing top-water flies and lures, and use either a bubble or floating baits to clear the submerged vegetation and boulders. As the water warms, go deeper and use a floating bait or marshmallow to float your offering above the rocks and moss. The water is being drawn down, but there is still plenty of good fishing.
BULLOCK / COTTONWOOD RESERVOIRS: There are no recent reports. The last report was slow fishing for rainbows and fair success for warm water fish at Bullock. Few tiger muskie are being taken. Remember the special regulation on tiger muskie: You may keep one fish that's 40 inches or over; anything under 40 inches must be released. Division biologists moved smallmouth bass into Cottonwood in June to supplement the breeding population, which was decimated when the reservoir was drained. If you catch a smallmouth bass, please release it quickly. Small boats can be launched from undeveloped sites near the dams when the water is high. The reservoirs are located approximately five miles north of the town of Gusher.
BROUGH RESERVOIR: There are no recent reports. Until the waters begin to cool, fishing should be fair to good in the early morning and slow during the heat of the day. Catch rates are slower than most waters because Brough is being managed as a "trophy" fishery, but will improve as Fall progresses. To get large fish, management has to restrict the population numbers. To get to Brough, take SR-88 south from US-40 (Ouray Road). Turn west at the second dirt road past the high power lines; there should be a sign. Follow this road approximately two miles and pay attention to the signs. The road can be quite rutted.
BROWNIE / SPIRIT LAKE: Access to Brownie and to Spirit was quite muddy over the weekend, please give the roads time to dry out. Recent reports from Brownie are of fair fishing during the day with faster fishing in the early morning and evening. Success was fair to good at Spirit throughout the day. Stream fishing in the area is also good. Warning: whirling disease was found in this area. Please make sure you clean, dry and sterilize waders, livewells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water. Do not move fish or fish parts from one area to another. Cleaning fish: Biologists now believe the disposal of fish parts, especially the head and skeleton, is one of the primary reasons whirling disease has spread to new waters. To avoid moving whirling disease and other undesired organisms, you should clean fish at home and send the parts to a landfill. If that isn't possible, please clean the fish and bury the parts at least 100 yards away from the water's edge.
CALDER / CROUSE RESERVOIRS: Anglers report slow to fair fishing for some nice-sized, heavy fish. Calder is being managed with fewer fish so they will grow faster and larger. Remember these special regulations: you may use flies and lures only, no baits; all fish under 22 inches must be released immediately; the bag limit is one fish over 22 inches.
CURRANT CREEK RESERVOIR: Anglers report muddy roads, but good fishing if you stick around. Anglers report good catch rates fishing the nearby streams. All access roads are open, but watch for the mud.
EAST PARK / OAKS PARK: The roads are open to East Park and Oaks Park. Anglers reported fair to good fishing over the weekend.
FLAMING GORGE: Fishing is fair to good for the following species.
Lake trout: Some anglers report fishing is picking up due to the cooler weather. Anglers continue to report fair with occasional good fishing for 16- to 24-inch lake trout in the canyon in the early mornings and later in the evening. Try points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks and Jarvies Canyon. If you are jigging, try tipping tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat to increase interest. Airplane jigs and jigging spoons are also working well. No-stretch line will help anglers feel strikes and set the hook better. Use a graph to see suspended fish and put your jig right in front of them. If trolling, use downriggers to get lures like needlefish, other spoons and Rapalas down near the bottom. Try and keep the lure within 10 feet of the bottom unless you are seeing suspended fish on the graph. If you are seeing suspended fish, raise the lure to the correct depth. Fishing is usually best early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Unlike their larger relatives, the smaller lake trout are excellent table fare when grilled. There's an overabundance of lake trout under 28 inches in the Gorge so do your part to help the fishery and keep a limit of eight fish. Larger lake trout fishing was fair this summer at traditional structure spots from Big Bend south to Sheep Creek Bay. Big lake trout eat big food, so lures and jigs should be big also. Try larger tube jigs and jigging spoons, or if you're trolling, use large plugs, spoons or flatfish on a downrigger. Remember, only one fish over 28 inches may be kept.<br />
Kokanee salmon: Kokanee spawning regulations went into effect on September 10th with all fish (Kokanee) caught have to be released immediately through November 30. Anglers continued to report better catch rates this week as cooler temperatures perked up the fishing. Anglers can still fish for kokanee, they just have to be released. Try around the Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. While the waters remain warm, fish in depths of 40 55 feet or anywhere you see fish on the graph. Downriggers, long lining, lead weights and planer boards can get the small spoons like needlefish, triple teasers, or other erratic-moving lures down to the right depths. Troll at speeds from 1.5-2.5 miles per hour.<br />
Rainbow trout: There's fair to good fishing on most areas of the reservoir during the cooler hours. Try casting baits like PowerBait, worm/marshmallow combinations or deep sinking lures from shore. Trolling spoons, pop gear and spinners in deeper water is also effective. If you're fishing from a boat and looking for larger fish, try fishing in 30-40 feet with downriggers. Don't be afraid of harvesting some rainbows, as they are really tasty from the cold waters of the Gorge.<br />
Burbot (Ling): We've gotten a few reports of good fishing this summer from anglers specifically targeting burbot. For those interested in fishing for burbot, try the following techniques. Go out at night or early in the morning and fish waters from 30-50 feet. Try off the points in areas like Antelope Flat, Linwood Bay or Sheep Creek in Utah and Firehole, Lost Dog, Sage Creek, Confluence, Buckboard, Holmes Crossing, Anvil Draw, Skunk Cliffs and Marsh Creek in Wyoming. Use glow tube or curly tail jigs that are two to three inches in size and about 1/8 to 1/4 ounce in weight. Jigging spoons and jigging Rapalas also work well. Tipping with sucker or crayfish meat and using smelly jelly or similar scents in crayfish also seems to help. These fish are in depths from 30-90 feet but seem to be caught more in the 40-60 foot range. During the day, these fish will move deep (70-100 feet), so jigging in deep water may produce some fish during the day. Netting in the Wyoming end of the reservoir has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are more than 30 inches long and about four or five pounds. These fish must be harvested if caught in Utah to help control their population. They were illegally introduced to the upper Green River drainage and could have a major impact on other fish species. There is no limit on burbot. You cannot waste the burbot in the Wyoming end of the reservoir, and they can be released there. However, please don't release any of these fish. They have been eating large amounts of crayfish and are also consuming kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass and critical food sources for other fish species. They could have an extreme impact on the reservoir fishery and should be removed by fishermen whenever possible. Burbot are an excellent eating fish with white, flaky flesh that is similar to a perch. They can be breaded and fried, or boiled and dipped in melted butter.<br />
Smallmouth bass: Smallmouth fishing has been good for the last couple of months, but it will slow down as the water cools. Small fish can still be found near the surface, and the larger fish have dropped down to deeper structures. Try fishing the rocky areas where the crayfish will be and adjust depth until you find the fish. Crayfish-colored grubs on lead-head jigs or small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits have all been working in about 5-20 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Try adding drop shot techniques to your presentations if you can't find fish found in the upper waters. If you're fishing in the canyon, keep a limit of ten fish smaller than 10 inches to help thin out the population and increase growth on remaining fish.
GREEN RIVER (UPPER): Anglers report good fishing in most sections of the river. Please remember the slot-limit size range has changed from 13-20 inches to 15-22 inches to make regulations more consistent statewide. Imitation grasshoppers and other top-water fishing lures work well. Nymphs and streamers are also working. Try size 2-4 buggers such as Goldilox and patterns in olive, pink and white. Spin fishermen should try Rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); spinners; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and plastic jigs. Please check to see that your tube jigs do not contain fish-attracting scents; they are illegal to use in the river. The flows on the river have returned to normal with an average of 1,500 cfs with one peak per day. This should continue through September. Visit the Bureau of Reclamation Web site at www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/fgd.html for the latest information on flows. New Zealand mudsnail densities have dramatically increased in several localized areas near Little Hole, and have been documented in most areas of the river. Please thoroughly clean mud and vegetation from waders, boats and fishing gear. If possible, completely dry equipment before leaving the area. A hot water bath (120° F) will kill mudsnails, and spraying equipment with 409 or a similar soap solution before drying will increase effectiveness. Anglers also need to be aware of others floating the river and not block the passage of their boats by standing in the deepest passages. A little courtesy can go a long way to stopping a potentially hazardous encounter for both anglers and boaters.
GREEN RIVER (LOWER): The water level remains low with a few peaks due to the rains. Catfish anglers reported good fishing in the Jensen and Ouray areas.
MATT WARNER RESERVOIR: We are getting fewer reports this summer, likely because anglers found fishing was much slower than usual in the late spring and early summer (although the fish seemed to be larger). Exactly why the fishing was slow is a fishing mystery. Spring netting indicated a healthy population of fish survived the winter plus the population was further supplemented with additional catchable-sized rainbows.
MOON LAKE: The latest reports indicate fair to good fishing success. Moon Lake contains a variety of trout and kokanee, and fishing for all of these species should continue to be fair to good, especially in the cooler hours.
MOOSE POND: Moose Pond was drained to make some needed enhancements. The goal is to create a walking/fishing structure along the north end that provides safe access and places to fish, so visitors won't need to use the highway as a path. Part of this new walkway will be accessible to visitors with physical disabilities. In the process, the inlet and outlet structures will be rebuilt, the pond will be made deeper by dredging in some areas and stabilizing a crack in the bottom to create better fish habitat, and a nature/access trail will be created to the south. If everything goes as planned, the new Moose Pond access should be ready, the pond filled and fish stocked again by early next summer.
PELICAN LAKE: Anglers continue to report fair to excellent fishing for bass and bluegill. The fish are deeper, so it's generally a matter of finding the schools. The lake is cooling, so duck hunters will soon begin to replace the anglers.
RED FLEET RESERVOIR: Anglers are reported good fishing for trout, bass and bluegill over the weekend. Like the trout, bass and bluegill have moved into deeper waters. Try fishing off rocky points, moss beds and other structure during the cooler hours. Rainbows are also near the structure, but you should try fishing on the outside edge and in deeper waters. Note: During the warmer hours, there is an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves.
STARVATION RESERVOIR: Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. Try fishing off the walls and points for bass and walleye and near the moss beds for yellow perch. Best fishing is during the cooler hours.
STEINAKER RESERVOIR: Anglers report better fishing for rainbows, bass and bluegill due to the cooler weather. Try fishing in waters around 20-feet deep near rocky structures for bass and bluegill, and bottom fishing with baits or deep sinking lures for trout. During the mornings and evenings all the fish were also found feeding close to the surface. Note: During the warmer hours, there is an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves.
UINTA MOUNTAIN LAKES AND STREAMS: The mountain trails are accessible, and fishing success is usually good. There is new snow at the highest elevations. Fishing on mountain lakes and streams can be spotty, so if one isn't producing, try moving to another. With over 400 managed fisheries on the South Slope alone, it's easy to find a new place to fish. Bright shiny lures and dry flies have been producing well. Always go prepared for serious weather, as the Uinta Mountains are well known for frequent, unexpected storms and high winds. The Uinta Mountains have a four-trout limit with a bonus of four more brook trout-see the 2008 Fishing Guidebook for details.
Cleaning fish: Biologists now believe the disposal of fish parts, especially the head and skeleton, is one of the primary reasons whirling disease has spread to new waters. To avoid moving whirling disease and other undesired organisms, you should clean fish at home and send the parts to a landfill. If that isn't possible, please clean the fish and bury the parts at least 100 yards away from the water's edge. Do not move fish or fish parts from one water to another.
BIG SANDWASH RESERVOIR: Anglers continue to report good fishing. The trout, which had moved deeper, are near the surface longer due to the cooler weather. During the early mornings and evenings, try fishing top-water flies and lures, and use either a bubble or floating baits to clear the submerged vegetation and boulders. As the water warms, go deeper and use a floating bait or marshmallow to float your offering above the rocks and moss. The water is being drawn down, but there is still plenty of good fishing.
BULLOCK / COTTONWOOD RESERVOIRS: There are no recent reports. The last report was slow fishing for rainbows and fair success for warm water fish at Bullock. Few tiger muskie are being taken. Remember the special regulation on tiger muskie: You may keep one fish that's 40 inches or over; anything under 40 inches must be released. Division biologists moved smallmouth bass into Cottonwood in June to supplement the breeding population, which was decimated when the reservoir was drained. If you catch a smallmouth bass, please release it quickly. Small boats can be launched from undeveloped sites near the dams when the water is high. The reservoirs are located approximately five miles north of the town of Gusher.
BROUGH RESERVOIR: There are no recent reports. Until the waters begin to cool, fishing should be fair to good in the early morning and slow during the heat of the day. Catch rates are slower than most waters because Brough is being managed as a "trophy" fishery, but will improve as Fall progresses. To get large fish, management has to restrict the population numbers. To get to Brough, take SR-88 south from US-40 (Ouray Road). Turn west at the second dirt road past the high power lines; there should be a sign. Follow this road approximately two miles and pay attention to the signs. The road can be quite rutted.
BROWNIE / SPIRIT LAKE: Access to Brownie and to Spirit was quite muddy over the weekend, please give the roads time to dry out. Recent reports from Brownie are of fair fishing during the day with faster fishing in the early morning and evening. Success was fair to good at Spirit throughout the day. Stream fishing in the area is also good. Warning: whirling disease was found in this area. Please make sure you clean, dry and sterilize waders, livewells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water. Do not move fish or fish parts from one area to another. Cleaning fish: Biologists now believe the disposal of fish parts, especially the head and skeleton, is one of the primary reasons whirling disease has spread to new waters. To avoid moving whirling disease and other undesired organisms, you should clean fish at home and send the parts to a landfill. If that isn't possible, please clean the fish and bury the parts at least 100 yards away from the water's edge.
CALDER / CROUSE RESERVOIRS: Anglers report slow to fair fishing for some nice-sized, heavy fish. Calder is being managed with fewer fish so they will grow faster and larger. Remember these special regulations: you may use flies and lures only, no baits; all fish under 22 inches must be released immediately; the bag limit is one fish over 22 inches.
CURRANT CREEK RESERVOIR: Anglers report muddy roads, but good fishing if you stick around. Anglers report good catch rates fishing the nearby streams. All access roads are open, but watch for the mud.
EAST PARK / OAKS PARK: The roads are open to East Park and Oaks Park. Anglers reported fair to good fishing over the weekend.
FLAMING GORGE: Fishing is fair to good for the following species.
Lake trout: Some anglers report fishing is picking up due to the cooler weather. Anglers continue to report fair with occasional good fishing for 16- to 24-inch lake trout in the canyon in the early mornings and later in the evening. Try points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks and Jarvies Canyon. If you are jigging, try tipping tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat to increase interest. Airplane jigs and jigging spoons are also working well. No-stretch line will help anglers feel strikes and set the hook better. Use a graph to see suspended fish and put your jig right in front of them. If trolling, use downriggers to get lures like needlefish, other spoons and Rapalas down near the bottom. Try and keep the lure within 10 feet of the bottom unless you are seeing suspended fish on the graph. If you are seeing suspended fish, raise the lure to the correct depth. Fishing is usually best early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Unlike their larger relatives, the smaller lake trout are excellent table fare when grilled. There's an overabundance of lake trout under 28 inches in the Gorge so do your part to help the fishery and keep a limit of eight fish. Larger lake trout fishing was fair this summer at traditional structure spots from Big Bend south to Sheep Creek Bay. Big lake trout eat big food, so lures and jigs should be big also. Try larger tube jigs and jigging spoons, or if you're trolling, use large plugs, spoons or flatfish on a downrigger. Remember, only one fish over 28 inches may be kept.<br />
Kokanee salmon: Kokanee spawning regulations went into effect on September 10th with all fish (Kokanee) caught have to be released immediately through November 30. Anglers continued to report better catch rates this week as cooler temperatures perked up the fishing. Anglers can still fish for kokanee, they just have to be released. Try around the Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. While the waters remain warm, fish in depths of 40 55 feet or anywhere you see fish on the graph. Downriggers, long lining, lead weights and planer boards can get the small spoons like needlefish, triple teasers, or other erratic-moving lures down to the right depths. Troll at speeds from 1.5-2.5 miles per hour.<br />
Rainbow trout: There's fair to good fishing on most areas of the reservoir during the cooler hours. Try casting baits like PowerBait, worm/marshmallow combinations or deep sinking lures from shore. Trolling spoons, pop gear and spinners in deeper water is also effective. If you're fishing from a boat and looking for larger fish, try fishing in 30-40 feet with downriggers. Don't be afraid of harvesting some rainbows, as they are really tasty from the cold waters of the Gorge.<br />
Burbot (Ling): We've gotten a few reports of good fishing this summer from anglers specifically targeting burbot. For those interested in fishing for burbot, try the following techniques. Go out at night or early in the morning and fish waters from 30-50 feet. Try off the points in areas like Antelope Flat, Linwood Bay or Sheep Creek in Utah and Firehole, Lost Dog, Sage Creek, Confluence, Buckboard, Holmes Crossing, Anvil Draw, Skunk Cliffs and Marsh Creek in Wyoming. Use glow tube or curly tail jigs that are two to three inches in size and about 1/8 to 1/4 ounce in weight. Jigging spoons and jigging Rapalas also work well. Tipping with sucker or crayfish meat and using smelly jelly or similar scents in crayfish also seems to help. These fish are in depths from 30-90 feet but seem to be caught more in the 40-60 foot range. During the day, these fish will move deep (70-100 feet), so jigging in deep water may produce some fish during the day. Netting in the Wyoming end of the reservoir has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are more than 30 inches long and about four or five pounds. These fish must be harvested if caught in Utah to help control their population. They were illegally introduced to the upper Green River drainage and could have a major impact on other fish species. There is no limit on burbot. You cannot waste the burbot in the Wyoming end of the reservoir, and they can be released there. However, please don't release any of these fish. They have been eating large amounts of crayfish and are also consuming kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass and critical food sources for other fish species. They could have an extreme impact on the reservoir fishery and should be removed by fishermen whenever possible. Burbot are an excellent eating fish with white, flaky flesh that is similar to a perch. They can be breaded and fried, or boiled and dipped in melted butter.<br />
Smallmouth bass: Smallmouth fishing has been good for the last couple of months, but it will slow down as the water cools. Small fish can still be found near the surface, and the larger fish have dropped down to deeper structures. Try fishing the rocky areas where the crayfish will be and adjust depth until you find the fish. Crayfish-colored grubs on lead-head jigs or small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits have all been working in about 5-20 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Try adding drop shot techniques to your presentations if you can't find fish found in the upper waters. If you're fishing in the canyon, keep a limit of ten fish smaller than 10 inches to help thin out the population and increase growth on remaining fish.
GREEN RIVER (UPPER): Anglers report good fishing in most sections of the river. Please remember the slot-limit size range has changed from 13-20 inches to 15-22 inches to make regulations more consistent statewide. Imitation grasshoppers and other top-water fishing lures work well. Nymphs and streamers are also working. Try size 2-4 buggers such as Goldilox and patterns in olive, pink and white. Spin fishermen should try Rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); spinners; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and plastic jigs. Please check to see that your tube jigs do not contain fish-attracting scents; they are illegal to use in the river. The flows on the river have returned to normal with an average of 1,500 cfs with one peak per day. This should continue through September. Visit the Bureau of Reclamation Web site at www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/fgd.html for the latest information on flows. New Zealand mudsnail densities have dramatically increased in several localized areas near Little Hole, and have been documented in most areas of the river. Please thoroughly clean mud and vegetation from waders, boats and fishing gear. If possible, completely dry equipment before leaving the area. A hot water bath (120° F) will kill mudsnails, and spraying equipment with 409 or a similar soap solution before drying will increase effectiveness. Anglers also need to be aware of others floating the river and not block the passage of their boats by standing in the deepest passages. A little courtesy can go a long way to stopping a potentially hazardous encounter for both anglers and boaters.
GREEN RIVER (LOWER): The water level remains low with a few peaks due to the rains. Catfish anglers reported good fishing in the Jensen and Ouray areas.
MATT WARNER RESERVOIR: We are getting fewer reports this summer, likely because anglers found fishing was much slower than usual in the late spring and early summer (although the fish seemed to be larger). Exactly why the fishing was slow is a fishing mystery. Spring netting indicated a healthy population of fish survived the winter plus the population was further supplemented with additional catchable-sized rainbows.
MOON LAKE: The latest reports indicate fair to good fishing success. Moon Lake contains a variety of trout and kokanee, and fishing for all of these species should continue to be fair to good, especially in the cooler hours.
MOOSE POND: Moose Pond was drained to make some needed enhancements. The goal is to create a walking/fishing structure along the north end that provides safe access and places to fish, so visitors won't need to use the highway as a path. Part of this new walkway will be accessible to visitors with physical disabilities. In the process, the inlet and outlet structures will be rebuilt, the pond will be made deeper by dredging in some areas and stabilizing a crack in the bottom to create better fish habitat, and a nature/access trail will be created to the south. If everything goes as planned, the new Moose Pond access should be ready, the pond filled and fish stocked again by early next summer.
PELICAN LAKE: Anglers continue to report fair to excellent fishing for bass and bluegill. The fish are deeper, so it's generally a matter of finding the schools. The lake is cooling, so duck hunters will soon begin to replace the anglers.
RED FLEET RESERVOIR: Anglers are reported good fishing for trout, bass and bluegill over the weekend. Like the trout, bass and bluegill have moved into deeper waters. Try fishing off rocky points, moss beds and other structure during the cooler hours. Rainbows are also near the structure, but you should try fishing on the outside edge and in deeper waters. Note: During the warmer hours, there is an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves.
STARVATION RESERVOIR: Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. Try fishing off the walls and points for bass and walleye and near the moss beds for yellow perch. Best fishing is during the cooler hours.
STEINAKER RESERVOIR: Anglers report better fishing for rainbows, bass and bluegill due to the cooler weather. Try fishing in waters around 20-feet deep near rocky structures for bass and bluegill, and bottom fishing with baits or deep sinking lures for trout. During the mornings and evenings all the fish were also found feeding close to the surface. Note: During the warmer hours, there is an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves.
UINTA MOUNTAIN LAKES AND STREAMS: The mountain trails are accessible, and fishing success is usually good. There is new snow at the highest elevations. Fishing on mountain lakes and streams can be spotty, so if one isn't producing, try moving to another. With over 400 managed fisheries on the South Slope alone, it's easy to find a new place to fish. Bright shiny lures and dry flies have been producing well. Always go prepared for serious weather, as the Uinta Mountains are well known for frequent, unexpected storms and high winds. The Uinta Mountains have a four-trout limit with a bonus of four more brook trout-see the 2008 Fishing Guidebook for details.