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Post by dainw on Jun 5, 2015 10:28:08 GMT -6
So my girlfriend's best friend and her husband recently moved to Ogden, Utah which as I've come to find out is pretty close to some good fishing. Apparently we'll be making a trip out there before too long and I know some guys on this forum have fished out there and just wanted to ask for some general knowledge on the area. It looks like the Provo River is an hour from Ogden and I've heard that it comes pretty highly recommended. What can you guys tell me about the Provo? Do you think I need to hire a guide? I've been fly fishing about a year and a half now. This trip would potentially be next summer, so by then 2.5 to 3 years of experience under my belt. I generally do pretty good at the LMF by myself and the idea of exploring new water is intriguing to me, but I definitely don't want to get skunked either. If so is there a guide service that anyone would recommend? Also, are there any other rivers in the area that you guys like to fish? I've heard the Webber River can be good?
Thanks
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Post by golferjeff on Jun 8, 2015 7:59:47 GMT -6
Brad Bessett is pretty knowledgeable on the Provo - he goes every year. Hire a guide.... there is so much water out there. Pick his brain as well as fish with him.
The lower Provo is tougher to fish in my opinion. Summer time is 15 foot no-hackle time. Lots of rafts, beer floats and traffic. Middle Provo has more fish, but usually smaller. Less traffic. I have been out there twice with 2 so-so experiences. One time was lots of 10-12" fish, the next the moss was so bad and the flows were way up. Google ROCKY MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS.
HeberCity is a great place to stay. Lots of European influences and a very artsy place. Park City is close by too. Personally, I prefer to go over the mountain and fish the Strawberry and the Uintah Mountains and get away from people. But the Provo is world class, just a little finicky.
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Post by bradbessett on Jun 8, 2015 8:23:41 GMT -6
Plenty of time to talk shop but the Provo is an EXCELLENT fishery.
Yes, I recommend a guide - Not to instruct you, but to get you on to fish. There are 40 miles of water.
The Middle Provo is a lot of fun. Real open with tons of fish to be caught. The lower Provo is slightly more technical, with fewer fish - But the average fish is larger.
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Post by dainw on Jul 7, 2015 10:24:47 GMT -6
Ok so it looks this is turning into about a week long trip with girlfriend next summer. I think we're gonna road trip up there and maybe stop off in Rocky Mountain National Park on the way. I'm definitely planning on hiring a guide to fish the Provo for at least a day. Is there any good high country fishing to be done around there? Jeff I know you had mentioned the strawberry river and the Uintah mountains. Is there any advice you can give me on those rivers/areas? I'd like to fish for a day or two on my own exploring some new water. As I become more competent, I find that a lot of my enjoyment comes from trying to find fish and figure out new water.
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Post by golferjeff on Jul 7, 2015 13:54:48 GMT -6
If you are road tripping, there are endless possibilities. As you already know - a guide on the Provo is a must. RMNP is full of day hike lakes and small streams. Fishing near the main roads is so-so. The season there is short (July-Sept) so be mindful of that.
From RMNP going west - good lord. There is the Colorado river - best for floating July thru Sept. On I-70 alone there is the Blue River in Silverthorne (think fishing in an aquarium with an audience for 5+ lb rainbows), Gore Creek for Native Cutties, the Eagle River near Wolcott, the Gunnison/Colorado in Grand Junction, and then you hit the Utah border and the Green River (Yes, yes, yes), then the Uintah Mts, then the Duchesne River (My favorite), then the Strawberry (Yes, yes, Yes), and then finally you get to the Upper and Middle Provo. The Lower Provo is another 1/2 hour past that.
You can spend two weeks in the Uintahs and on the Duchesne and Strawberry and not cover 10% of the water. If I had a total of 3 days, I would let the girlfriend shop at the OUtlets in Silverthorne while you fished the Blue in town. There is a world famous hole just out the back door of the Nike OUtlet and the 7-11. Take lots of Mysis shrimp and size 24 midges there. If you have the time and the dough, float either the Colorado or Green below Flaming gorge. You can also find a few spots to wade the Green, but access can be difficult. If you like solitude and high mountain fishing - I recommend the Uintahs. I spent 7 days there and could not get enough. Stimmy's and hoppers are all you need, with PT or midge droppers. The duchesne is the drainage for all the south slope uintahs. I had the best fishing day of my life on the Duchesne last summer - just outside of Hanna, UT. SuperSlam - Brookie, rainbow, cuttbow, Colorado Cuttie, whitefish, and Brown. Just for giggles, we went and caught a Tiger to complete the day. If you want remoteness - try the Strawberry. Lots of 12-18" Browns that look like postcards. Google 'Strawberry Pinnacles' for access and info. Crystal clear water and you can stalk fish from the middle of the 'river'. Its more of a creek, barely 10 feet wide in places.
Also - if you like to read (I read everything I can get my hands on), I have several books on fishing in Utah and/or Colorado. They were a gold mine while planning my 11 day trip. Ask me if you want details.
Brad is the Provo guy - he knws a guide out there. I know he has some knowledge of the Duchesne too.
If I had to do it over - Blue River CO, Green River, UT, Duchesne River, UT, Strawberry River, UT, then find a way to get some Cutties, then head to the Provo. Within 2 hours of Ogden, you can catch 4 different species of Cutties (Bear Lake, Bonneville, Colorado, Westslope).
Good heavens - just have fun. You can actually enjoy planning it too. I know I did! |
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Post by dainw on Jul 7, 2015 15:23:24 GMT -6
I'm actually looking forward to it. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the main purpose of the trip is to go visit her friend in Ogden, but I think one of the activities that we'll be doing while we're out there is camping in the Uintah mountains, so most of my fishing time will probably be high country in the Uintahs. She's also allowed me to take one day to fish somewhere along the way. I'm almost thinking we should drive to Lake City and fish with Peter and Kevin for a day and then drive over to Ogden. If it were up to me, I'd just have her drop me off at the Green River and let her go visit her friends for a week and pick me up on the way back. I think there's a lot of possibilities to this though.
What are the names of the books that you'd recommend?
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