And so it begins! The team here at Trout Tales is excited for another great season on the Provo River, Weber River and beyond. Winter started out slow. Snow totals had us a little worried for the spring and summer flows on our local streams, but things have changed. We received and continue to stack up precipitation totals throughout the late winter and early spring. Our reservoirs are looking well fed as the thaw begins and our rivers get their first bumps in flows in 4-6 months.

Spring is in the air and for us guides, we've been taking full advantage of the first good fishing conditions of the year. If you made it out with us in March, you already know what I'm talking about, but for those who didn't...

Anyway... March is one of our favorite months on the Provo River. Both the Middle and the Lower produce great nymphing and dry fly opportunities for some of the largest trout of the season.

As we look towards May and June, we have a lot to look forward to. High water shouldn't be a big issue this year like it was last year. But as many of you know, us TT guides love those conditions, and are happy to guide through big flows. Fishing can be pretty insane during the big flushes as many of the trout move in close to the bank and are looking for all the junk food (worms, sow bugs, stoneflies) that's been kicked into the drift.

Other than the Provo and Weber, we have been poking around on several of our remote rivers and streams. Flows have bumped up on many of them and the fish are starting to key in on the first big hatches of the season. Spring, log distance trips out in the basin can be great options before the high water kicks on. All in all, our rivers look like they are in great shape going into summer, and we're excited to fish with both our long time friends and brand new clients.

Prime dates always book first, obviously. If you have dates in mind, a guide request or any specifics, don't wait until the last minute to call. We also have some opportunities for overnight trips as well as other new options that you may be interested in. Get in touch for details.

See you on the water!

FLOWS:
LOWER PROVO: 212 CFS from Deer Creek 
MIDDLE PROVO: 144 CFS from Jordanelle 

FLIES:

NYMPHS: 
- Sow Bugs (MOSTLY ON THE LOWER, BUT WILL WORK ON MIDDLE TOO. CLOSER TO JORDANELLE.) | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Colors: Dark, Light, Rainbow
- Midges (Buffalo and Small) | Size: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 | Colors: Olive, Black, Cream, Brown, Grey
- Blue Wing Olives | Size: 18, 20, 22 
- Caddis | Size: 18, 20 | Pupa and Larva Patterns.

DRY FLIES:
 - Midges (Buffalo and Small) | Size: 18, 20, 22, 24 | Patterns: Morgans Midge, CDC Midge, Transitional Midge, Bunny Midge, Griffiths Gnat, Double Midge, Midge emergers and adults
- Blue Wing Olives (March and April) | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Patterns: Last Chance Cripple BWO, Visidun BWO, Bars Emerger BWO, Comparadun BWO, Challenged Baetis. Cripples and Adults...
- Caddis (April and May) | Should start to see a few on the Middle and Weber as Mothers Day approaches. Small (18, 20) dark bodied and olive bodied caddis will work well.

STREAMERS: 
- Streamers will work well this time of year especially on the weather changing days. Look for the gloomy days, that no one else wants to be out fishing. You'll have the place to yourself too! 
- Brown, Olive, Black, White

Winter has taken a little break this year in Utah until recently, but it's made for some great fishing opportunities locally. Warmer than average temperatures have plenty  of insects buzzing around mid-morning and our resident trout are hungry. If you're in town to ski and enjoy the winter weather, don't miss out on some of the best fishing of the year. As the Rainbow's start to gear up for the spawn they start to pack on the pounds. Thats good news for us fly fisherman as February and March continue to produce some of the prettiest and largest fish of the year out of the Provo River.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets us fill you in on whats happening now and what we are looking forward to in February, March and April (our prime winter fishing months). We focus our energy during these months on the Middle and Lower Provo River as they are the most consistent tailwater fisheries we have. On the "Lower" the rainbows and browns continue to chow sow bugs and midges, but as temperatures start to rise so will the amount of insects we will be seeing in the drift. Blue Winged Olives are a great hatch. We start to see these small olive mayflies in April. Dry fly opportunities can be great, as these are the first "big bugs" the trout have seen in months.

Little bumps in the flows and air temperatures trigger some very aggressive feeding by the Rainbow trout as they stock up before their spring spawn. We don't actively target spawning fish, but the pre-spawn Rainbows are a blast to target with light nymph rigs and small midge and BWO dry patterns. The Brown Trout wont skip any meals either as they huddle into the slow moving runs and for the drifting buffet of bug life.

The Middle Provo fishes well throughout the winter as well. The river is pretty much all brown trout at this point and they are still very surface oriented. If you're into small flies and picky fish, the Middle can be a dry fly guy's paradise. These fish are very particular about what they eat, as even in the winter months they see a few anglers trudging on the banks. Nymphing will work as well, and so will streamers in the dark, slow runs. Fish the slow water, look for noses in the heads and tails of the runs and strip those streamers slowly as you work through the guts. Be sure to be extra stealthy as you approach each spot. Walk slowly, wade quietly and work your very hardest on those dead drifts. With low flows, these diva trout will see you coming from a mile away.

FLOWS:
LOWER PROVO: 100 CFS from Deer Creek (minimum winter flows)
MIDDLE PROVO: 148 CFS from Jordanelle (minimum winter flows)
FLIES:

NYMPHS: 
- Sow Bugs (MOSTLY ON THE LOWER, BUT WILL WORK ON MIDDLE TOO. CLOSER TO JORDANELLE. | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Colors: Dark, Light, Rainbow
- Midges | Size: 20, 22, 24, 26 | Colors: Olive, Black, Cream, Brown, Grey
- Blue Wing Olives | Size: 18, 20, 22 

DRY FLIES:
 - Midges | Size: 18, 20, 22, 24 | Patterns: Morgans Midge, CDC Midge, Transitional Midge, Bunny Midge, Griffiths Gnat, Double Midge, Midge emergers and adults
- Blue Wing Olives (March and April) | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Patterns: Last Chance Cripple BWO, Visidun BWO, Bars Emerger BWO, Comparadun BWO, Challenged Baetis. Cripples and Adults...

STREAMERS:
- Medium to small size streamers work best. Stay away from the big stuff when the water drops below 40 degrees.
- Brown, Olive, Black, White

​​It may not feel like Spring has hit the Heber Valley and beyond, but mixed into all this crazy wet weather we are having the fly fishing has stayed consistent on our local tail-waters. The Provo, both the Middle and the Lower are seeing prolific hatches of both midges and Blue Winged Olives. The midges seem to be the priority item on the menu in the morning on both rivers, with the BWO's popping from 11AM-4PM depending on the weather characteristics that day. Weather is our friend in the spring and fall when BWO's are fluttering around. The density of the hatches seem to correspond with shift in barometric pressure as weather systems move in and out of the state. If you want to hit a great BWO hatch and look for noses, keep your eyes peeled for stormy days where a weather system is approaching or vacating the valley.

​As many of you already know, we are coming out of a great winter. The Uinta's and other drainages that fuel our rivers with water are sitting at nearly 200% of normal snowpack! Some of you may be thinking, "high water is going to blow out the fishing opportunities". Let me redirect that thought process a little bit. Yes, we are going to see what is likely to be a longer period of high water, but our trout need it and the Trout Tales guides love guiding through those conditions. We would much rather have higher than normal conditions than fishing though a trickle come August/September. High water means lots of bugs in the drift, big fish have more room to move, and we will have enough water in the late summer months that water temps will stay cool. We love HIGH WATER!!!

If you have fished with us before, you know that were always up for an adventure. Get on the horn and give us a call about possibilities for trips throughout the summer months. We're super excited about the 2017 season and can't wait to make memories with all our clients on the water.

FLOWS:
LOWER PROVO: 505 CFS from Deer Creek 
MIDDLE PROVO: 199 CFS from Jordanelle 

FLIES
NYMPHS: 
- Sow Bugs (MOSTLY ON THE LOWER, BUT WILL WORK ON MIDDLE TOO. CLOSER TO JORDANELLE.) | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Colors: Dark, Rainbow
- Midges | Size: 20, 22, 24, 26 | Colors: Olive, Black, Cream, Brown, Grey, Red
- Blue Wing Olives | Size: 18, 20, 22 
- Caddis | 18, 20 | Colors: Larva, green and tan

DRY FLIES:
 - Midges | Size: 18, 20, 22, 24 | Patterns: Morgans Midge, CDC Midge, Transitional Midge, Bunny Midge, Griffiths Gnat, Double Midge, Midge emergers and adults
- Blue Wing Olives | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Patterns: Last Chance Cripple BWO, Visidun BWO, Bars Emerger BWO, Comparadun BWO, Challenged Baetis. Cripples and Adults...
- Caddis | 16-20 | Spent partridge, speckled winged, dark bodied.

STREAMERS: Medium to small size streamers work best. Stay away from the big stuff when the water drops below 40 degrees.

FLOWS:
205 CFS from Rockport
​​
FLIES

NYMPHS:
- PMD's (16, 18, 20)
​- Sow Bugs - Rainbow, Dark and Light (16, 18, 20)
- San Juan Worms (earthworm brown, red, wine) (small)
- Caddis Pupa, Larva (16, 18, 20)
- Midges: Grey, Black, Brown, Cream, Olive (20, 22, 24)

DRY FLIES
- Caddis - dark bodies, light wing: Hemingway, Henrys Fork, Elk Hair
- Blue Wing Olives | Size: 18, 20, 22 | Patterns: Last Chance Cripple BWO, Visidun BWO, Bars Emerger BWO, Comparadun BWO, Challenged Baetis. Cripples and Adults...

The new year is here and we have been greeted with an amazing sequence of winter storms! The weather phenomenon, known as the "Atmospheric River" has been dumping fresh  snow throughout the state, setting our rivers and streams up nicely for the coming spring and summer months. 2016 was a great season, and although we had yet another one of the hottest years on record, we are looking forward to the amount of water we will have throughout the 2017 prime fishing season.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets us fill you in on whats happening now and what we are looking forward to in February, March and April (our prime winter fishing months). We focus our energy during these months on the Middle and Lower Provo River as they are the most consistent tailwater fisheries we have. On the "Lower" the rainbows and browns continue to chow sow bugs and midges, but as temperatures start to rise so will the amount of insects we will be seeing in the drift.

Little bumps in water and air temperatures trigger some very aggressive feeding by the Rainbow trout as they stock up before their spring spawn. We don't actively target spawning fish, but the pre-spawn Rainbows are a blast to target with light nymph rigs and small midge and BWO dry patterns. The Brown Trout wont skip any meals either as they huddle into the slow moving runs and for the drifting buffet of bug life.

The Middle Provo fishes well throughout the winter as well. The river is pretty much all brown trout at this point and they are still very surface oriented. If you're into small flies and picky fish, the Middle can be a dry fly guy's paradise. These fish are very particular about what they eat, as even in the winter months they see a few anglers trudging on the banks. Nymphing will work as well, and so will streamers in the dark, slow runs. Fish the slow water, look for noses in the heads and tails of the runs and strip those streamers slowly as you work through the guts. Be sure to be extra stealthy as you approach each spot. Walk slowly, wade quietly and work your very hardest on those dead drifts. With low flows, these diva trout will see you coming from a  mile away.

FLOWS:
LOWER PROVO: 99 CFS from Deer Creek (minimum winter flows)
MIDDLE PROVO: 148 CFS from Jordanelle (minimum winter flows)

Drumroll please..... It's peak season, and the fish are in chow mode! Our local rivers are coming off a short stint of high water that flushed a fair amount of the winter grime out of the stream beds, got a bunch of bugs in the drift and started our resident trout off on the right foot.

The Middle Provo River and the Lower Provo River are fishing well. PMD's have started to emerge, caddis are fluttering in the late mornings and evenings and both the sub-surface and dry fly fishing has been consistent. The TT guides have been out on the water daily getting clients into fish and exploring some of the smaller water we love guiding in the early summer.

This is our favorite time of the year! Spirits are high with all the guys and we are excited to introduce you to your first fish on a fly, a new stream or that next big brown that wont get out of your mind. Conditions over the winter gave us plenty of water to keep our rivers in great shape through October. Utah is famous for its crystal clear, cold, clean tailwaters. Let the most professional and courteous guides in the state help you make some memories.

If you have dates that you know you'd like to get on the water with one of our guides, please don't hesitate to call and get it on the calendar. We try to accommodate the last minute bookings, but peak season fills up quickly and we want to make sure you get the dates requested.

The "Lower" is starting to see its first hatches of the small yellow mayflies known as PMD's. Emergences are generally mid-morning with spinners coming back tot he water in the evenings and early mornings. Water is still a bit high, but that will change quickly. That being said... we love high water. The fish are happy, there are lots of bugs in the drift and plenty of little places for trout to hold and eat.

Sow bugs continue to produce as per usual, along with midges and san juan's. The rainbows and browns are healthy! The winter treated them well and we are excited to see what fills our nets this year. If you haven't fished the "Lower", request it and we'd be happy to show you around.

The "Middle" is in great shape right now. The flows have stabilized and the trout are settling into the runs. Caddis have been buzzing around in the late mornings and evenings. They are usually 16's and 18's and mostly dark bodies. Pupa, larva and adult patterns have been working well.

PMD's are starting to pop as well. These bugs are smaller, otherwise known as "psuedocleons", but we just call them small PMD's (haha). The fish aren't really looking towards the surface quite yet for these guys, but they seem to be very interested in the little nymphs.

Midges are still on the menu as well. Grey, brown and black patterns have been our go-to's over the past few weeks. Still pretty small too: 20's 22's and 24's. If you don't already know, 6X is the name of the game on the middle.  We know it sucks tying on that tiny little tippet, but it greatly increases your catch rates when the fish get picky... and the Middle is notorious for snobby brown trout. 

We love this technical little fishery and are always happy to answer any questions you might have about how to fish it, what access fish the best and what hatches are happening.

The Weber is back! Last year was a little slow on the "Weebs", but the brown trout over-wintered well this past season and are on the bite. We mostly guide the middle Weber between Wanship and Coalville, but have done a few trips on the Lower section in Weber canyons. If you want to explore some of that water let us know and we can set you up with one of our guides that knows it well.

As far as bugs go... Caddis and PMD's are the name of the game. We are starting to see emergences in the mid mornings with spinners and egg laying caddis hitting the water in the evenings. The fish are eating the nymph really well right now and it seems like theres a ton of food in the drift. They bumped the flows from Rockport and the water is in great shape.

Come explore the Weber with us if you have been wanting to get over there. Big fish lurk in its depths are were happy to go hog hunting with our clients!

Spring is in the air! Our guides have been busy on the Provo with clients for the past month or so, and the fishing has really kicked into gear. Both the Middle and the Lower Provo are hovering around 100+ CFS and some of our favorite runs are coming into great shape.

As the weather heats up, the insects start to appear more frequently. The Lower is seeing plenty of action with midges and sow bugs, and the Middle has been having some plentiful buffalo midge emergences. Our guides have seen a few Blue Wing Olives fluttering around in the afternoon, but nothing to write home about quite yet. Give it another few weeks and both sections of the Provo will have plenty of Baetis slurping trout.

Don't be afraid to swing and strip some streamers as well! The Rainbows are going into the spawn and are super aggressive on the LP. We don't recommend the super big stuff (to each their own), but smaller sculpin and fry patterns will work. Strip slowly, let the fly sink well and cover the water effectively.

Spring is one of our favorite times to fish our local tailwaters. The crowds are thin, the air is crisp, and the fishing can be lights out. If you are getting that early season itch, give us a call and we can give it a scratch.

The Lower has been fishing consistently both on the surface and sub-surface. Midges are the name of the game. Mornings seem to be the most productive in some of the slower moving runs. Light nymph rigs, dry-dropper and straight dies will work well.

Fish the shallow water... The stuff right in front of you... It may seem weird, but the majority of the places we find fish are within a rods length. Small sow bugs will work well as point flies with small midges trailing behind. 

FLIES:

Nymphs (Point):
Dark Sow Bugs (18, 20, 22)
Baetis Nymphs (20, 22, 24)

Nymphs (Dropper):
Olive, Black, Grey, Brown, Cream Midge pupa (20 - 26)
Zebra midges - olive, grey, brown, black, cream

Dry Flies:
Mother Shucker (grey and brown) (18 - 24)
Harrop Midges
Morgans Midge
Magic Fly Baetis

​

This time of the year the MP is blowing up with Buffalo Midges. Buffalo Midges are the large cousin of the small midge we get on our local streams year round. The Buffalo Midges are dark and have been popping up from mid-morning to early afternoon.

We have also seen a few BWO's in the drift. The nymphs are piled up in the riffles right now and some of the bigger browns will be in the faster water chowing the stragglers. 

Fishing has been good from the dam down to river road, with some sections fishing a bit better than others day to day. Our guides spend their days off scouting all these sections to find where the hatch is concentrated. If you want to take advantage of this great dry fly fishing, give us a call.

Flies:

Nymphs (Point)
- Mini San Juan Worm (18, 20) - earthworm brown, red, wine
- Dark or Light Sow Bug (18, 20)
- Baetis Nymphs (18, 20, 22, 24) - magic fly, pheasant tail, crack back, wd-40

Nymphs (Dropper
- Midge Pupa (16-26) - brown, black, cream, red, grey, olive
- Baetis Nymphs (18, 20, 22, 24) - magic fly, pheasant tail, crack back, wd-40
- Sow Bugs (18-20)

Dry Flies: All Dark Colors
- Griffiths Gnat (16-20)
- Morgans Midge (18-22)
- BOB Midge (18-22)
- Double Midge (18-22)
- Mother Shucker (18-24)
- Flag Dun Baetis (18-24)
- Comparadun Baetis (18 - 24)


P.S. PRIME DATES ARE BOOKING. IF YOU HAVE SOME DATES IN MIND TO GET ON THE CALENDAR, DONT WAIT! GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN CHAT ABOUT AVAILABILITY AND GETTING YOU OUT ON THE WATER WITH OUR GUIDES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THIS YEAR!

​

TRADE IN YOUR SKI POLES FOR A FLY ROD THIS WINTER AND COME FISHING WITH TROUT TALES!

The holiday season is a great time to get out on the water. It is gorgeous on our local streams. Snow capped mountains, very low crowds and fish still feeding can make the peak winter months a fun time to go fish for a 1/2 day.

The peak winter months can be variable as far as fishing conditions go. Hatches really depend on weather with only a few bugs on the menu. Midges are the main course both subsurface and surface. Sow bugs, annelids, and other subsurface insects will work as well when the fish are on them. If you want to capitalize on the best days to hit the river contact us and we can look at the weather. We are generally looking for a change in temperature, a break in the storms or consistent sunshine.

The Provo River, both the lower and middle are really the only game in town and it is generally at their lowest flow of the season.  The Provo empties of its crowds during this time of year and the solitude on the river can be worth the trip within itself. The river transforms this time of year and most of the most popular runs are empty and ready to be fished with low water techniques. Stalking picky risers with size 20, 22, 24 midges can be a blast for experienced anglers. We also love throwing very lightweight nymph rigs in the riffles and slow runs for some of those bigger, hunkered down fish - a great technique for all abilities to catch fish.

If you want to capitalize on the best winter fishing of the year, March is when it all begins to come together! Both the Lower Provo and Middle Provo start to come alive as the Rainbow Trout begin their spawn. We do not target spawning fish, but we do target the aggressive pre-spawn fish that are eager to fill their bellies before they get frisky. We consistently land some of the biggest trout of the year during March and April on both midges and Blue Wing Olives, both subsurface and dry. If you've never hit the river in the early spring, you're missing out. Low crowds and hungry fish make this time of year our favorite, hands down.

So....Put down your ski poles for a day this winter and give us a call. We would love to show you one of our favorite places to fish at the most peaceful time of year!

Fishing Summary:

Summer is here! And so are all the great insects that make fly fishing in Utah so productive. Both the Lower and Middle provo are seeing PMD’s, one of our favorite hatches of the year. These small yellow mayflies seem to time their emergence in the late morning and early afternoon. For nymphing, the mornings have been very productive up until about noon. Dry fly fishing starts to bring fish towards the surface as the bugs emerge in numbers around the 1-2PM mark.

Drakes are the talk of the town right now. As they begin their journey up multiple rivers in the Park City area and beyond, the Trout Tales guides follow close behind. Small Green Drake nymphs have been productive on the lower portions of the Middle provo near Legacy Bridge. We have seen a few flyers around the Potters area, but the fish have not seen enough bugs to start keying in and really chowing down. Golden Stoneflies are also in full effect. Our small streams on the South Slope of the Uinta’s are seeing the bigs bugs and have been for the last week or so. Fishing dry dropper with stonefly and drake nymph has been very productive.

All in all, the fishing is really starting to heat up in Utah. Our rivers are in prime flow conditions, the fish are happy and ready to take your fly for a ride. Come hit the big hatches of the year with Trout Tales Guides. We will not only get you into fish, but we will shoe you new techniques, new places and give you and your group a great overall experience. COME FLY FISH UTAH WITH US!

MIDDLE PROVO RIVER:

 The Middle Provo River is one of Utah's premiere fly fishing rivers. Located only 20 minutes from Park City the "Middle" is known for its healthy population of wild Brown Trout. The Middle Provo is characterized by deep bends, shallow riffles, structured runs and smooth glides. Our fly fishing guides use all fly fishing techniques to catch fish here, including: Nymphing, dry fly fishing, dry-dropper and streamer fishing.

Water level: 170 CFS. 

RECOMMENDED FLIES:   

NYMPHS-POINT FLIES-  San Juan Worms brown, red. Size 18, 16. Midges in Red, Brown and Black, Size 18 - 24. PMD’s patterns like the Crystal Hunchback and Mayhem in sizes 16-20 will work well. Drake Nymphs and Stonefly Nymphs sizes 12-16 beaded or non beaded.

NYMPHS- DROPPER FLIES- Midge Emergers black, brown, olive size 22, 20. Midge larva gray, black, red size 20, 18, 16.  PMD’s like pheasant tails, rainbow warriors sizes 16 -20. Yellow Sally nymphs like the Sally Bird in a 16 and 18 have been very productive in the mornings. Caddis Larva and Cased caddis patterns will be productive in the mornings and evenings as well.

DRY FLIES- PMD’s: Comparaduns, Harrop Patterns, Emergers and cripples in the 16-20 size range. Green Drakes: Furimskies Foam Drake, hair wing Drake sizes 12, 14, 16. Stoneflies: Bullethead, Yellow Stimulators in 12-16. Caddis: dark bodies and light and dark wings. Spent Partridge, Henrys Fork Caddis, Egg Laying Caddis, Blooms Caddis 16-20.

STREAMeRS- Looks for cloudy days or early mornings and late nights to fish streamers. Patterns like the Platte River Spider, Goldie, Sheila Sculpin have worked well for bigger fish. But small zonkers and leeches like wooly boohoo's will work great too!

LOWER PROVO RIVER:   

The Lower Provo River is a tailwater that originates from the bottom of Deer Creek Dam. The Lower Provo is one our closest big fish fisheries with many of the Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout exceeding 18 inches and 3 pounds. The stream boasts large populations of wild Rainbow and Brown Trout with numbers beyond 3,500 in the first few miles below the dam. The "Low-Pro" as it is sometimes called has a vegetated stream bottom with far less boulders and structure than the middle. It almost resembles an Idaho or Montana spring creek in its behavior. The Lower Provo is home to large populations of mayflies and sow bugs which allow the resident trout to grow quickly and respond well to the fly.

Water Level/Flow: 330 CFS

RECOMMENDED FLIES: 

NYMPHS-POINT FLIES- Birds Nest and Sally Birds have been our flies of choice on the Lower. They are eating them for a Sow Bug, PMD, Crane Fly and Stonefly. BN’s in 16-20 have been great on the bounce and in-line. Sow bugs are still working and will continue throughout the summer in sizes 20, 18, 16, 14 both dark and light. Caddis larva size18, 20 olive, light green. San Juan worms brown, red size 18, 16. 

NYMPHS- DROPPER FLIES- Midges have still been productive in the mornings. Black, brown, olive, cream, grey size 20, 22, 20. We really like the Bling midge style chironimids.  PMD’s are the name of the game throughout the morning and afternoon. It seems we are getting fish on a variety of patterns int he 16-20 size range. Mayhems, Crystal Hunchbacks, Barrs Emergers beaded and un beaded and our own little twists on those patterns have found their way into plenty of fishes mouths.

DRY FLIES- PMD’s in the afternoon are really the only event that have fish looking towards the surface. They’re size range is all over the place. You will see big, 14 duns flying around and small, size 20 buzzers around as well. Look for the rise form to see what size fly to use. Fish will be in the back eddy’s, structure and glides. Be patient and scope out a rising fish before casting. They might be right off the bank, only 5 feet in front of you.

STREAMERS- Look for cloudy days or early mornings and late nights to fish streamers. Patterns like the Platte River Spider, Goldie, Sheila Sculpin have worked well for bigger fish. But small zonkers and leeches like wooly boohoo's will work great too!

WEBER RIVER:  

The Weber River has three sections - The Upper Weber, Middle Weber and Lower Weber. Park City Trout Tales focuses primarily on the Middle Weber River section in between the towns of Warship and Coalville. The Middle Weber River is a tailwater fishery originating from Rockport Reservoir near Wanship, Utah. The characteristics of the Weber are a blend of the both the Middle and Lower Provo. The Weber has super deep pools and bends, undercut banks, long shallow riffles, overhanging trees and bulbous structure. All of these structural characteristics make the Weber River a haven for large Brown Trout. The average fish size on the Weber tends to be bigger than the on the Provo River and the Brown Trout are sandy colored and generally have less spots. Historically a very productive Cutthroat Trout fishery, a few "Cutties" still lurk between the Browns, Rainbows and Whitefish.

Water Level: @Wanship 170 CFS, @Coalville 229 CFS

RECOMMENDED FLIES:

* The Weber has been fishing tough! We think that low water over the last few years have really stressed out the trout populations. The insects aren't around nearly as much as in previous years and the fish seem lethargic and un-responsive. That being said, we have had a few great days on the Weber this spring with Caddis. We hope to start fishing it more as the main hatches emerge and the trout get more hop in their step.

NYMPHS-POINT FLIES- Caddis Larva and Cased Caddis patters in sizes 16-20. PMD’s in the 16-20 range have been productive in the mornings and early afternoons. Stoneflies should be going any minute as well. Try a golden stone nymph in the 12-16 size range. San Juans and Sow Bugs will continue to produce.                         

NYMPHS-DROPPER FLIES- Midge Larva in red, purple, black, cream and grey will all work well in the mornings. PMD’s again will produce as a dropper. Caddis Larva like the “Booger Fly” will entice fish to come out of their slumber.

DRY FLIES- PMD’s and Stoneflies in the afternoon! They’re size range is all over the place. You will see big, 14 duns flying around and small, size 20 buzzers around as well. Look for the rise form to see what size fly to use. Stonefliers during the peak hours of the day will also work. Caddis will begin to congregate back on the water as the sun begins to set. Fish will be in the back eddy’s, structure and glides. Be patient and scope out a rising fish before casting. They might be right off the bank, only 5 feet in front of you.

STREAMERS- If you’re really not seeing anything happening and nymphing isn't producing. Throw a streamer! Look for cloudy days or early mornings and late nights to fish streamers. Patterns like the Platte River Spider, Goldie, Sheila Sculpin have worked well for bigger fish. But small zonkers and leeches like wooly boohoo's will work great too!

Fishing Summary:

May means HIGH WATER in Utah. As our temperatures warm up, our reservoirs start to fill and our tailwater fisheries like the Provo River and the Weber River start to see their first bumps in flow. Bigger water means a few things. Generally the first few days after the bump are tough fishing. High water kicks up gathered sediment, goup and rock snot turning the water off-color. Increased flows also kick-up serious amounts of insects like sow bugs, annelids, caddis nymphs, stonefly nymphs and mayfly nymphs. All that being said... fly fishing on the Provo and Weber have been relatively consistent. Nymphing and streamers have been the name of the game on both ditches with the exception of a few great dry-fly evenings on the Weber with Mothers Day Caddis. We are seeing some great precipitation this spring which is putting a smile on all of our faces here at Trout Tales. We need as much water as we can get coming out of our immensely dry winter. All in all, our local tailwaters are worth exploring during high-water. Trout are happy with high flows. They have more room to move and they are provided plenty of nutrients. Big fish come out to play this time of the year via streamer and nymph. If you're looking to explore some of our rivers that hold "toads" give us a call and we can make the necessary arrangements. Fish on!

PSA: ALWAYS CHECK THE FLOWS BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT! Don't be that guy that drives an hour to a stream running over it's banks!

MIDDLE PROVO RIVER:

The Middle Provo River is one of Utah's premiere fly fishing rivers. Located only 20 minutes from Park City the "Middle" is known for its healthy population of wild Brown Trout. The Middle Provo is characterized by deep bends, shallow riffles, structured runs and smooth glides. Our fly fishing guides use all fly fishing techniques to catch fish here, including: Nymphing, dry fly fishing, dry-dropper and streamer fishing.

Water Level: 220 CFS
* Flows this time of year will change daily. Be sure to check before you head out.


Recommended Flies:

NYMPHS - POINT FLIES: San Juan Worms: earthworm brown, red, wine, size 18, 16, 14. Sow Bugs: Dark sow, Rainbow Sow, Light Sow, size 18, 20. Stonefly Nymphs. Caddis Nymphs. Larva patterns, cased patterns.

NYMPHS- DROPPER FLIES- Blue Wing Olive Mayflies size 18, 20, 22. Midge emergers black, brown, olive size 22, 20. Midge larva gray, black, red size 20, 18, 16.  Annelids and Sow Bugs will work well here too!

DRY FLIES- Mothers Day Caddis: Dark bodies, dark wings. Size 18, 20. Patterns include: Blooms Caddis Dark, Spent Partridge Peacock. Still some BWO's around on the right days. They are small! Size 20. A few midges buzzing around in the mornings and evenings as well. Small sizes.

STREAMERS-  High water means big streamers. The meat eaters come out to play in off-color water. Try patterns like the Sex Dungeon, Home Invader, Goldie, Sparkle Minnow, Sculpin patterns, leech patterns etc... Put something with a big profile in front of a beastly brown and he will at least give it a chase!

LOWER PROVO RIVER:   

The Lower Provo River is a tailwater that originates from the bottom of Deer Creek Dam. The Lower Provo is one our closest big fish fisheries with many of the Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout exceeding 18 inches and 3 pounds. The stream boasts large populations of wild Rainbow and Brown Trout with numbers beyond 3,500 in the first few miles below the dam. The "Low-Pro" as it is sometimes called has a vegetated stream bottom with far less boulders and structure than the middle. It almost resembles an Idaho or Montana spring creek in its behavior. The Lower Provo is home to large populations of mayflies and sow bugs which allow the resident trout to grow quickly and respond well to the fly.

Water Level/Flow: 500 CFS
* Flows this time of year will change daily. Be sure to check before you head out.

RECOMMENDED FLIES: 

NYMPHS-POINT FLIES- San Juan Worms: earthworm brown, red, wine, size 18, 16, 14. Sow Bugs: Dark sow, Rainbow Sow, Light Sow, size 18, 20. Stonefly Nymphs. Caddis Nymphs. Larva patterns, cased patterns, chartreuse, olive, brown. Try a PMD or two... They just might be in the drift with this high flow.

NYMPHS- DROPPER FLIES- Blue Wing Olive Mayflies 18, 20, 22. Midges black, brown, olive, cream, grey size 22, 20. Patterns like the Bling Midge have been working well. Micro scuds size 22, 20 grey,orange. Large Sow Bugs work well this time of year, size 16 light and dark. 

DRY FLIES- Not much happening on this front with this high-flow. The fish aren't looking up as much as they are opening their mouths to the never ending conveyer belt of food that is being kicked up by increased CFS. You may still see some BWO's and Midges on the cloudy days, but it's a crap shoot.

STREAMERS- High water means big streamers. The meat eaters come out to play in off-color water. Try patterns like the Sex Dungeon, Home Invader, Goldie, Sparkle Minnow, Sculpin patterns, leech patterns etc... Put something with a big profile in front of a beastly brown and he will at least give it a chase!

WEBER RIVER:  

The Weber River has three sections - The Upper Weber, Middle Weber and Lower Weber. Park City Trout Tales focuses primarily on the Middle Weber River section in between the towns of Warship and Coalville. The Middle Weber River is a tailwater fishery originating from Rockport Reservoir near Wanship, Utah. The characteristics of the Weber are a blend of the both the Middle and Lower Provo. The Weber has super deep pools and bends, undercut banks, long shallow riffles, overhanging trees and bulbous structure. All of these structural characteristics make the Weber River a haven for large Brown Trout. The average fish size on the Weber tends to be bigger than the on the Provo River and the Brown Trout are sandy colored and generally have less spots. Historically a very productive Cutthroat Trout fishery, a few "Cutties" still lurk between the Browns, Rainbows and Whitefish.

Water Level: 178 CFS @ Coalville
* Flows this time of year will change daily. Be sure to check before you head out.

RECOMMENDED FLIES:

NYMPHS-POINT FLIES- Bead head caddis olive, brown size 16, 14. Sow bugs size 18, 16, 14. San Juan worms brown, red size 16, 14 . Stonefly nymphs size 14, 16.                         

NYMPHS-DROPPER FLIES- Blue Wing Olive Mayflies sizez, 18, 20, 22. Midge larva black, brown, purple, blue, grey and red. size 18, 20, 22. 

DRY FLIES- Mothers Day Caddis. Small dark bodies dark winged caddis will be buzzing around the mornings and evenings. Look for those warm days with sun on the water to hit the hatch! Blue Wing Olive Mayflies will continue to produce, sz, 18, 20, 22. Midges are still around as well, black, olive, cream size 22, 20. Comparaduns, Harrop CDC Flies, Smokejumper Baetis, Morgans Midge, Skittering midge.

STREAMERS- High water means big streamers. The meat eaters come out to play in off-color water. Try patterns like the Sex Dungeon, Home Invader, Goldie, Sparkle Minnow, Sculpin patterns, leech patterns etc... Put something with a big profile in front of a beastly brown and he will at least give it a chase!

Final Note: Don't let high water scare you. We catch some of our biggest fish of the year in the chocolate milk! If you want to go big fish hunting, this is great time of year to do it. You may not catch many, but the ones that will eat the fly might be the fish of a lifetime!