Utah Bass Fishing Reports

COMMENTS

Utah Bass Fishing Reports Revised 08-20-08 Hypertext gives a description of the lake and facilities available. Check proclamtion for details on restrictions as some may not be listed here. Bear River Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Cutthroat Trout, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Whitefish, Yellow Perch No recent reports. Brough Reservoir Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass (Aug 14) Fishing was fair to good in the early morning and slow during the heat of the day. Fish have moved deeper to avoid the warm surface waters. (Aug 7) Fishing has continued to remain slow for rainbows and browns. Fish have moved deeper to avoid the warm surface waters. The best time to fish seems to be early morning, when the waters are cool. (Jul 23) Fishing has continued to remain slow for rainbows and browns. Fish have moved deeper to avoid the warm surface waters. The best time to fish seems to be early morning when the waters are cool. You may see slow catch rates on this "trophy" fishery because to get large fish, management has to restrict the population numbers. Regulations Bullock Reservoir Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Musky (hybred) (Aug 14) The few reports we get indicate slow fishing for rainbows and fair success for warm water fish. (Aug 7) We have only had a few reports, and they indicate slow fishing for rainbows. Small boats can be launched from undeveloped sites near the dam. (Jul 23) The few reports we get indicate slow fishing for rainbows and fair success for warm water fish. Few tiger muskie are being taken. Regulations Clinton City Park Pond Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout No recent reports. Regulations Cottonwood Reservoir Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass (Jul 23) Division biologists recently moved smallmouth bass into Cottonwood to supplement the breeding population, which was decimated when the reservoir was drained. If you catch a smallmouth bass, please release it quickly. Regulations Cutler Reservoir Bass, Catfish, Crappie, Sunfish No recent reports. Regulations Deer Creek Reservoir Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch (Aug 20) School is now in session, and the boat traffic should lighten up a bit. Anglers report decent success for the three main species of fish: trout, walleye and bass. Many anglers are trolling very slowly, jigging or simply bottom fishing with bait. The key zone for trout and walleye is in 20–40 feet of water. Smallmouth bass tend to be a little shallower. (Aug 13) Water level still down a bit but no problems reported for launching. Many recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9:00 a.m. due to the continued warm weather. Once school begins and the weather cools over the next few weeks, the reservoir should be less crowded and fishing will pick up. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using powerbait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." (Jul 31) There were lots of recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9 a.m. due to the hot weather. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using PowerBait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." Regulations East Canyon Reservoir Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Tiger Trout (hybrid) (Aug 5) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports that anglers are having success catching 12- to 14-inch rainbows using worms. Another group had success catching rainbows using green PowerBait. (Jul 25) Conservation Officer Jonathan Moser reports that PowerBait seems to be the bait of choice for most shore anglers. Try using rainbow, chartreuse or the salmon-egg variety. Zeke's gold was also popular. Boaters had success trolling at depths of 25–30 feet and using various kinds of pop-gear trailed by bait or lures. The surface water temperature was about 72° F during the heat of the day. Both shore anglers and boaters were having some success with bass. Bass were hitting tube jigs (four-inch) and smaller Rapalas. There was one report of an angler catching a crappie up by the inlet with a power grub bait. Lots of boaters on the water make it difficult to fish during the heat of the day. Try hitting the reservoir early in the morning or later in the evening for the calmest fishing waters. Boaters must certify that they are quagga-free before launching. Self-certification forms are available at the boat ramp or at the State Park office. Echo Reservoir Bass, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Scott Houston reports most anglers had some success early in the day (right after sunrise). Rainbows caught were between eight and 14 inches. (Aug 5) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples talked to anglers who weren't having much success. The water was a little choppy, making it difficult to fish. Water conditions were better earlier in the week. No fish were caught during the time of the interviews. (Jul 23) Anel M. of Salt Lake fished around the dock in a group of 5. "we got some bites on salmon eggs i think it was carp cuz we saw 2 big carp swim by the dock. There is some branches between the ties thats where i caught the smallmouth on a red n black spinner also a guy next to us caught a smalmouth on a black worm." Regulations Enterprise Reservoirs Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (Aug 14) Catchable rainbows have been stocked in the lower reservoir. The upper reservoir will not be stocked this year due to continued repair work on the dam. Extra fish have been stocked in the lower reservoir to help compensate for the loss of the upper reservoir this year. (Aug 1) Catchable rainbows have been stocked in the lower reservoir. The upper reservoir will not be stocked this year due to continued repair work on the dam. Extra fish have been stocked in the lower reservoir to help compensate for the loss of the upper reservoir this year. Farmington Pond Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Jul 28) Joe R. of West Bountiful fished with a partner using worms and PowerBait without catching anything. "Bites On Worms Around Noon But Nothing Took." Regulations Flaming Gorge Reservoir Brown Trout, Burbot, Channel Catfish, Crayfish, Kokanee Salmon, Mackinaw (Lake Trout), Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass (Aug 14) Surface water temps range from 68–71° F. Please be sure your boat and equipment are free of aquatic invasive species before you launch in the reservoir. With the recent spread of quagga and zebra mussels in the West, it is important that you do not transport these destructive species into new waters. Lake trout fishing: Anglers continue to report good to excellent fishing for 16- to 24-inch lake trout in the canyon. Areas to try are points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks and Jarvies Canyon. Lures to try include tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown—all tipped with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat. 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 to good 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. Kokanee fishing: Anglers report good fishing around the Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. For the month of July, 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. Kokanee will move deeper as water temperatures warm. Once the surface reaches 70° F, the fish will be in more than 45 feet of water, so look for them on your graph. Rainbow fishing: There's good fishing on most areas of the reservoir. Almost 400,000 rainbows were recently stocked here. These fish are about eight inches long and can be caught easily by casting from shore or trolling spoons, pop gear and spinners in shallow water. Anglers can use marshmallows and worms, flies such as woolly buggers, minnow-imitation plugs, spinners and jigs to catch fish from shore. 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. Burbot (Ling) fishing: There have been reports of good fishing from a few anglers. They specifically targeted burbot and fished at night off points in Wyoming. 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 40–90 feet but seem to be caught in 40–60 feet, mostly in the Wyoming end of the reservoir. 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 30 inches and up to 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. Smallmouth bass fishing: Smallmouth fishing was very good for the last couple of months. Small fish can still be found near the surface, and the larger fish have dropped down to deeper structures. Fish early in the shallow, rocky areas where crayfish will be and then move deeper as the surface waters warm. Use twist-tail grubs on lead head jigs or try small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits in about 5–20 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Crayfish-imitation colors will work the best. Drop-shot techniques will also work. If you're fishing in the canyon, keep a limit of 10 fish smaller than 10 inches to help thin out the population and increase growth on remaining fish. (Aug 7) Surface water temps range from 68–71° F. Please be sure your boat and equipment are free of aquatic nuisance species before you launch in the reservoir. With the recent spread of quagga and zebra mussels in the West, it is important that you do not transport these destructive species into new waters. Lake trout fishing: Anglers continue to report good to excellent fishing for 16- to 24-inch lake trout in the canyon. Areas to try are points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks and Jarvies Canyon. Lures to try include tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown—all tipped with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat. 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 see suspended fish on the graph. If you see 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 to good 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. Kokanee fishing: Anglers report good fishing around the Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. Try fishing 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. Kokanee will move deeper as water temperatures warm. Once the surface temperature reaches 70°F, the fish will be in more than 45 feet of water, so look for them on your graph. Rainbow fishing: There's good fishing on most areas of the reservoir. Almost 400,000 rainbows were recently stocked here. These fish are about eight inches long and can easily be caught by casting from shore or by trolling spoons, pop gear and spinners in shallow water. Anglers can use marshmallows and worms, flies such as woolly buggers, minnow imitation plugs, spinners and jigs to catch fish from shore. 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. Burbot (Ling) fishing: For those interested in fishing for burbot, try the following techniques. If you're fishing from a boat, go out at night in water from 20–50 feet using glow jigs. Areas like Firehole, Lost Dog, Sage Creek, Confluence, Buckboard, Holmes Crossing, Anvil Draw, Skunk Cliffs and Marsh Creek are good places to try. Try fishing with jigs late in the afternoon, early morning or at night on points coming into reservoir. 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 40–90 feet but seem to be caught in 40–60 feet, mostly in the Wyoming end of the reservoir. During the day, these fish will move deep (70–100 feet), so jigging in deep water may produce some fish during the day. If you're fishing in Utah, try rocky points on Antelope Flat, Linwood Bay or Sheep Creek. Netting in the Wyoming end of the reservoir has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are 30 inches and up to 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. Smallmouth bass fishing: Smallmouth fishing is very good now that water temps are up. Fish early in the shallow, rocky areas where crayfish will be and then move deeper as the surface waters warm. Use twist-tail grubs on lead-head jigs or try small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits in about 5–20 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Crayfish imitation colors will work the best. Drop shot techniques will also work. If you're fishing in the canyon, keep a limit of 10 fish smaller than 10 inches to help thin out the population and increase growth on remaining fish. (Jul 23) Surface water temps range from 68–71 degrees. Lake trout fishing: Anglers continue to report good to excellent fishing for 16- to 24-inch lake trout in the canyon. Areas to try are points next to deep water in Sheep Creek, Red Canyon, the Skull Creeks and Jarvies Canyon. Lures to try include tube jigs in white, chartreuse, glow or brown—all tipped with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat. 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 to good 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. Kokanee fishing: Anglers report good fishing around the Pipeline, Sheep Creek and Jarvies Canyon. For the month of July, 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. Kokanee will move deeper as water temperatures warm. Once the surface reaches 70 degrees, the fish will be in more than 45 feet of water, so look for them on your graph. Rainbow fishing: There's good fishing on most areas of the reservoir. Almost 400,000 rainbows were recently stocked here. These fish are about eight inches and can easily be caught by trolling spoons, pop gear and spinners in shallow water. Anglers can use marshmallows and worms, flies such as woolly buggers, minnow imitation plugs, spinners and jigs to catch fish from shore. 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. Burbot (Ling) fishing: If you want to go after these fish, try the following techniques. If you're fishing from a boat, go out at night in water from 20–50 feet using glow jigs. Areas like Firehole, Lost Dog, Sage Creek, Confluence, Buckboard, Holmes Crossing, Anvil Draw, Skunk Cliffs and Marsh Creek are good places to try. Try fishing with jigs late in the afternoon, early morning or at night on points coming into reservoir. 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 40–90 feet but seem to be caught in 40–60 feet, mostly in the Wyoming end of the reservoir. During the day, these fish will move deep (70–100 feet), so jigging in deep water may produce some fish during the day. If you're fishing in Utah, try rocky points on Antelope Flat, Linwood Bay or Sheep Creek. Netting in the Wyoming end of the reservoir has shown a large increase in the number of burbot present. Larger fish are 30 inches and up to 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. Smallmouth bass fishing: Smallmouth fishing is very good now that water temps are up. Fish shallow and early in rocky areas where crayfish will be and move deeper as the surface waters warm. Use twist-tail grubs on lead head jigs or try small plastic worms, sinkos, twitch and crankbaits in about 5–20 feet of water off rocky shorelines and points. Crayfish imitation colors will work the best. Drop shot techniques will also work. 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. Regulations Gigliotti Pond Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Jul 31) Aquatics Manager Paul Birdsey recommends worms and salmon eggs. He notes that the west side is better in the morning, while fishing off the pavilions is better in the afternoon or evening. (Jul 25) Aquatics Manager Paul Birdsey fished here this week and reported good luck with worms and salmon eggs. The west side is better in the morning, while fishing off the pavilions is better in the afternoon or evening. Regulations Glassman's Pond Bluegill, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout No recent reports. Regulations Gunlock Reservoir Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (Aug 14) The water level is dropping in preparation for draining this fall. Because the fishery will be lost with the draining, the daily bag and possession limits at Gunlock have been increased to twelve largemouth bass without size restrictions, sixteen channel catfish, one hundred bluegill and green sunfish in the aggregate, and one hundred crappie. (Aug 1) The water level is dropping in preparation for draining this fall. Regulations Gunnison Bend Reservoir Catfish, Largemouth Bass, White Bass No recent reports. Holmes Creek Reservoir Bluegill, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye No recent reports. Regulations Huntington North Reservoir Crayfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Slow fishing continues for trout and bass. For the best results, fish from a boat at daybreak. (Aug 6) Trout and bass fishing have been slow. Try angling in the early morning from a boat for the best success. Bass will be found at breaks, where shallow water plunges into deep water. Bluegills can be caught on a worm and bobber or on a small lure. (Jul 31) State Park Manager Dan Richards reports a slowdown in bass fishing. Bass have moved out of the shallow weed beds and into deeper water. Some fishermen have had success in the south cove, where weedy areas lay adjacent to deeper water. Bluegills have also been biting on a worm and bobber or on smaller lures. DWR Fisheries Technician Ryan Leonard caught a few bass from shore a week ago, using a jointed Rapala with a black back and silver sides. He found that a silver crankbait or spinner was also effective. (Jul 25) State Park Manager Dan Richards reports a slowdown in bass fishing. Bass have moved out of the shallow weed beds and into deeper water. Some anglers have had success in the south cove, where weedy areas are adjacent to deeper water. Bluegills have also been biting on a worm and bobber or small lure. Try fishing the shallow water on the north end of the reservoir. DWR Fisheries Technician Ryan Leonard caught a few bass from shore this past week. He used a jointed Rapala with a black back and silver sides. He found that a silver crankbait or spinner was also effective. Ryan forecasts improved fishing as the moon wanes. Regulations Hyrum Reservoir Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout (hybrid), Yellow Perch STOP WHIRLING DISEASE (Aug 5) Anglers Ty Anderson and Colten Wuerthrich report fishing conditions are slow. Watersport recreation use is high. (Jul 25) Fishing has slowed down. Jordan River Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Sunfish, Walleye, White Bass No recent reports. Jordanelle Reservoir Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch STOP WHIRLING DISEASE (Aug 20) Bass anglers report mixed success. Move around and try deeper water if the traditional shallow areas don't produce. Trout anglers report "fair" success from both shoreline and boat for both browns and rainbows. (Aug 13) Bass anglers still reporting good success along brushy or rocky shoreline by casting jigs or other minnow-imitating lures. Trout anglers report "fair" success from both shoreline and boat. (Jul 31) Another popular reservoir for recreational boaters. Most of the boating traffic near Rock Cliff are looking for fish. Rock Cliff was a good spot for bass, perch and trout. Bass anglers report good success along brushy or rocky shoreline by casting jigs or other minnow-imitating lures. Trout anglers report "fair" success from both shoreline and boat. The bass limit is six fish, and you should immediately release all bass over 12 inches long. Please remember not to fillet bass or remove their heads or tails because of the size restriction (for law enforcement purposes). Perch success is slow, but the perch limit is 50. Regulations Kaysville Ponds Black bullhead, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout No recent reports. Regulations Lake Powell Bluegill, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout, Walleye STOP QUAGGAG MUSCLE (Aug 20) By Wayne Gustaveson Lake Elevation: 3631 Water Temp: 78-83 F It's beginning! The southern lake is starting to boil after a 3 week quiet spell where fishing was very tough. The northern lake has had sustained striper boils over the same period. Now it appears the whole lake will provide excellent fishing. Dark moon in August bodes well for anglers who like topwater fishing. Yesterday there were sustained striper boils at the dam from 6 to 8 AM. Today we ran a circuit around Antelope Island to see how extensive the boiling stripers were. At 6 AM scattered stripers were seen chasing shad from Buoy 1 to the dam. A rattletrap cranked down would catch an occasional fish. But that wasn't fast enough so we raced uplake. At Buoy 3 we joined another boat fishing the first real boil of the day. Surface lures worked great with these tightly packed fish that were jumping high out of the water Just cast into or beyond the school for multiple hook ups. This school moved rapidly from Buoy 1 to Buoy 3 in one half hour. They went down and we preceded uplake. No striper schools were seen in Antelope Marina. Scattered fish started to pop near Buoy 9 but we could only catch an occasional fish on slowly cranked crankbaits. So we continued the circuit. At the confluence of Warm Creel and the main channel (Buoy 12) a huge boil blew up at 7:45 AM. We caught multiple fish on surface lures and crankbaits. One boil was right in the middle of the travel lane while another one was going on shore. We had a really great time with this bunch and placed multiple fish in the cooler. We expected all the fish to stay down after 8 AM but made a token run around Warm Creek hoping for one more school. That was a seemingly futile gesture so we headed the boat for Castle Rock Cut and home. With the Cut in sight we were detoured by the largest boil of the day. We finished filling the cooler and headed in at 9 AM. Boils are even better between Rock Creek and San Juan. The lake from San Juan to Bullfrog is starting to boil as well. Topwater striper fishing will be the big news on the lake from now until the end of September. Most boils in the lower lake are in the channel but there will be many boils in coves as well. Most boils will happen at dusk and dawn but daytime boils will become more common with time. Don't be surprised to catch bass in the boils with the stripers. As surface temperature drops bass will come shallow as well. September will be the best fishing month that Lake Powell has seen for many years. Catfish are still prowling the shoreline around camp and bluegill are in the brush but it will be very hard to pass up the boils for the more sedate forms of fishing. (Aug 13) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake Elevation: 3632 Water Temp: 80-87 F The dreaded full moon effect is closing in fast. The weekend will feature bright nights which may have a negative effect on fishing success. To counteract the negative vibes go to those locations where forage populations are "bigger than an August moon". Of course that means Hite and the upper San Juan. Hite remains the best fishing destination this week. Bright moon will further compress dwindling boils to evening events only. Slurps begin about 2 PM but they are quick. It is very difficult to get the boat in position to cast while the fish are still on top. The last hour of light is prime time and that event alone will be worth the trip as many fish can be caught in a short time on surface lures. The stretch between Buoy 129 -131 has many surfacing schools. During the rest of the day stripers can still be caught in big numbers. Trolling a shallow running crankbait prompts a hookup every time a striper school is seen on the graph. There are many schools to be seen so this is quite a productive technique. Plastic swim baits, shad colored crankbaits and your favorite trolling bait all work very well. The Thinfin by Cordell worked great for one recently returning fishing party. I am sure spoons will work just as good. There are many stripers to catch in the 1.5 pound range that are fat and prime for table fare. Take plenty of ice to keep the fillets cool. Bass are picked up incidentally while trolling. Targeting bass would be very productive as well. The San Juan is good but takes second place to Hite. Boils are not common. Surfacing stripers have been reported at the confluence of the San Juan and main channel. These were larger fish that stayed up for a long time. Unfortunately they come up at random times making it hard to predict the event. With full moon, Jacks Arch Cove would be a good place to spend an evening. Piute Canyon is the hotspot for boils but competition with houseboats and skiers may detract. In late summer and fall the spot where river joins lake, Spencers Camp, is always a dependable fish catching spot on the San Juan. Over the rest of the lake, look for random boils at infrequent times. Two-fish-slurps happen often but fish are not easy to approach or catch. When boils do come up they often have staying power and catching many fish is possible. Finding the random boil is the hard part. Bass fishing continues to improve particularly in the above mentioned inflow areas. But smallmouth are caught on rock structure away from brush at 25 plus feet. Catfishing is excellent and big bluegill are ready for anyone that wants to toss a live worm into brushy cover. (Aug 6) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake elevation: 3,632 ft., water temperature: 81–87° F. Fishing is improving all across the lake. Last week's report indicated dismal prospects for the main lake, and those predictions were confirmed. Now, we've turned the corner, and fishing success will build each week until it hits a grand peak in late September. he biggest news is shad are abundant, and predators are living large on the buffet circuit. The few fish being caught now are fat. Shad abundance is one of the main factors in past poor-fishing results. The other negative factors are warm surface temperatures and vast forests of submerged tree habitat that have fish goggle-eyed. Fishing prospects for the southern third of the lake remain tough; the most cooperative fish are catfish and bluegill. For nice-sized panfish, try fishing with live worms near brush in the backs of canyons. Catfish are in the sandy shallows near campsites. Use live worms, shrimp or chicken liver for the best chance to catch fish for supper. The midsection of the lake, from Rock Creek to Bullfrog (including the San Juan), boasts some decent striper boils early in the morning and late in the evening. Boils are hard to find as shad have moved out of the channel and are now in the coves. Cruise the shoreline at first light to find scattered single stripers surfacing. Scattered individual stripers will group up as the sun climbs and then school up to create some real boils. The action quits abruptly at 8 a.m. (MDT). The most productive habitat is slick-rock coves without brush. Stripers trap shad in rock coves and hold them there for a week or more at a time. Shad are more abundant in the backs of canyons, but brushy cover inhibits feeding. Boils are in the open coves instead of along brushy shorelines. The northern lake is the place to be. Nothing even comes close to fishing success in the northern reaches of the lake. Boils may be found throughout the day. You'll have more success early and late, but boils can spring up anytime. Shad are still in the channel uplake, making stripers easier to find. Cruise the main channel from White Canyon all the way to buoy 110 for excellent fishing opportunities. That is 25 miles of potential striper boils! Bass fishing patterns play off shad behavior. Shad schools are often in the channel. That places bass on rock structures close to shad and "looking up" to eat. Bass waiting for a shad swim-by are susceptible to mid-range shad crankbaits or lipless vibrators. Dragging a rattletrap along the 20-foot breaking edge of structure will catch more bass than other methods. Instead of fishing the shoreline and brushy coves, cast crankbaits to the open channel for more consistent bass action. A slow retrieve is still the best way to consistently catch fish. (Jul 31) By Wayne Gustaveson Lake Elevation: 3633 Water Temp: 80-85 F Fishing in main Lake Powell is as tough as it gets right now. It is mid summer with surface water temperature at its peak. The lake has stabilized at 3633 which is maximum elevation for the year. Fish hiding cover is more numerous than it has been in over 5 years. The easy answer is fisherman just don't have what it takes this week to catch fish in the trees. Fish can't be bothered to respond to lures with tiny shad and sunfish forage so plentiful in their front room. The only way to catch a bass now is to put on a heavy plastic grub (one ounce lead head) and drag that along the bottom contour at 20-35 feet. Bass are sulking in the depths waiting for cooling and shad to grow larger. It is tedious fishing but a few quality bass will be taken with this method while other means will be unproductive. Stripers have all but quit boiling. There is an occasional swirl where a single striper chases two tiny shad. By the time the swirl is recognized the striper is gone. There is little fishing success and not much more fishing pressure. This is tough but I have to categorize fishing success at Lake Powell. I have never had to classify fishing as poor before except in the deadest of winter. So here goes: Fishing at Lake Powell is Red Hot! How can I say that? The lake is so darn big that there is always a place that excels. The spot this time is the inflow area around Hite and in the upper San Juan. Stripers are boiling mid day from Hite to the Horn. It is possible to catch 50-100 fish per day - all on topwater lures. That is awesome fishing in anyone's book. Average size is 15 inches and fish are strong and acrobatic. In the upper San Juan there are occasional decent sized striper boils. Bass fishing is super - again for the smaller fish. Bait fish are prevalent in the coves and bass are working them over. Plastic grubs, senkos, surface lures and crankbaits are all being readily accepted. Fish the Great Bend area and above for the best action. Stripers will provide infrequent big boils but the abundance of shad limits number of boils. Stripers that can catch shad individually do not have to work together as a group to eat. Therefore, boils do not always occur in high forage situations. So fishing is Hot - if in the right spot! (Jul 23) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake Elevation: 3633 Water Temp: 80-85 F Lake Powell has topped out at 3633. It was great run while filling 45 feet and we are sorry to see it stop, BUT there are some good things that come with stability and falling water levels. When the lake declines a foot, camping and beach use will be so much better. It will be all right to go barefoot again without the threat of tumbleweed stickers. Beaches will feature much more sand for playing and parking boats. Fishing will improve for bass that have found a home in flooded green brush. Stability will allow a definitive pattern to develop and make anglers more successful when fishing around brush. It will help that shad have grown larger and are hiding in that brush alongside sunfish. Fishing with surface lures will be the rule instead of the exception. Shad imitating baits of all kinds will work each morning and evening. Smallmouth fishing around rocks, points and ledges will continue to be good. It will be easier to define spots where bass may be holding. Once a good spot is found it will be possible to return there and find the same fish holding there for a week or two. In the past, fishing spots were gone within a day when the lake rose over a foot. Bass fishing is going to be very good during August and September. There is no waiting for great striper fishing. Stability has allowed the water to clear up in the northern lake. Stripers have found shad and boils have commenced in grand fashion. From Bullfrog upstream and in the San Juan expect to find boils every morning and evening, weather permitting. Wind will often blow the boils away but they return in larger magnitude as soon as the wind stops. These are real boils now in the northern lake. That means shad are larger and stripers have to work harder to capture their prey. School behavior is more aggressive. Casting precision is not quite as important. Long casts are still required. A full size surface lure landing in the middle of the melee will no longer spook the entire school. A big lure will be readily accepted and fought over if the first fish misses. Schools will not be quite as boat shy but it will still require knowing how close the boat can be to feeding fish without putting them down. Boils are still small and scattered in the southern lake. Hopefully, these boils will get bigger and stronger with darker nights now that the moon is waning. This week expect to see small groups of stripers surfacing quickly and moving rapidly. These will more likely be "ghost boils" (can see but not catch) and not the real thing. A recent report of trolling with shad raps and hot-n-tots in the back of Navajo Canyon produced walleye, bass and crappie. The depth was 20 feet and water was murky. It seems like a spring time pattern may be paying off in the back of the canyons. It may be worth a try. Regulations LaSal Mountains Albino Trout, Bluegill, Grayling, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Splake (hybrid) (Aug 14) On Aug. 11, Conservation Officer TJ Robertson submitted the following: Colorado River: Catfish are still hopping near Negro Bill campground and near the portal. Shrimp and large nightcrawlers seem to be doing well. Anglers have reported using squid and scoring well with the cats. Dark Canyon: Most anglers have been bait fishing with rainbow PowerBait. Early morning anglers have also done quite well with fly patterns. Dons Lake: This lake is clogged with moss, making fishing much more difficult. Angler pressure is way down. Hidden Lake: Fishing is still good with either green-and-gold Jake's spinners and spoons; or green and rainbow PowerBait. Worms, salmon eggs and garlic marshmallows also work well. Medicine Lake: This lake gave anglers great opportunities to take some nice fish. Flies have been the ticket as well as the ever-popular Jake's lures. Bait fishermen have been scoring some nice bows using nightcrawlers tipped with salmon eggs or green PowerBait. Oowah Lake: Fishing continues to range from good to excellent. Gold Jake's with green spots have been working well. Different fly patterns behind a bubble have also been effective. Bait fishing was good with rainbow, orange and green PowerBait. Nightcrawlers and salmon eggs have been bringing in some fish as well. The U.S. Forest Service has made Oowah a fee area ($5.00 per night). Day use is still free. Anglers are encouraged to pack out their trash as well as that left by others. We can keep the lakes clean, if everyone pitches in. Warner: Fishing was good with traditional baits and spinners. The campground features lots of empty spots that are available most of the time. Escape the heat of the valley and go camping; you can enjoy lots of shade and cooler temperatures! (Aug 6) On Aug. 4, Conservation Officer TJ Robertson sent in the following: Colorado River: Anglers have had good fishing near the portal with all kinds of catfish bait. Last Sunday, TJ checked a couple of anglers who had caught two 25- to 30-inch catfish in a very short time. Fishing was especially good near Negro Bill Campground and just upriver from the take-out beach. Dark Canyon: Fishing was good with a variety of baits. Success seems to be a matter of location rather than bait or presentation. If one spot seems unproductive, try somewhere else. If the bite stops, move to another spot. A combination of salmon egg and PowerBait was effective last weekend. Dons Lake: Fishing success was spotty due to heavy moss growth. Small brook trout continue to be caught with small spinners or flies. Hidden Lake: Fishing has ranged from good to excellent. The best baits have been PowerBait, or a combination of salmon eggs and marshmallows. Most types of spinners have been effective. The best angling occurs in the morning and evening. The bite stops during the heat of the day. Kens Lake: Bass fishermen have had the best luck by boat, angling in the channel near the inlet. Sunfish are being caught with small pink-and-white crappie jigs cast into the weeds. Medicine Lake: Angler success was good with small flies or bait. Green PowerBait, shaped like a worm, was especially good. Oowah Lake: Fishing was good over the weekend with orange, rainbow or green PowerBait. The best fishing occurs on the east side in the morning and west side in the evening. A fly and bubble have been especially effective in the evening. (Jul 31) Conservation Officer TJ Robertson provided the following report: Hidden Lake was fair to good with worms and PowerBait. Last Sunday, TJ watched one angler pull them in with a red-and-white spoon. Fishing was fair at Dons Lake, where pressure was light. Oowah continues to be good, "where everything was working," added TJ. There was no report from Warner this week. Dark Canyon was good with spinners and bait. At Medicine Lake, fishing was good for anglers throwing spinners and flies. TJ says the Jake's Spin-a-Lure was the best-performing spinner. (Jul 25) A week ago, Conservation Officer TJ Robertson provided the following report: Hidden Lake offered good fishing with traditional baits, small spoons and spinners, especially in the morning and evening. Dons Lake was good in the early morning or evening. Small flies or Jake's lures have been working well. Oowah was good, except during the heat of the day. Warner was fair. Fishing was best in the morning or evening with small nymphs, mosquito patterns or small spoons. Dark Canyon was good with a variety of spinners and lures, as well as traditional baits, such as salmon eggs or PowerBait. Medicine Lake has offered good fishing with artificial flies. Locomotive Springs Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout No recent reports. Mabey Pond Crappie, Catfish, Largemouth Bass No recent reports. Regulations Mantua Reservoir Bluegill, Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports anglers had success catching bluegill, largemouth bass and perch. Anglers used jigs and nightcrawlers with a bobber. Most of the fish were smaller in size. (Jul 25) Anglers report having good success using black or yellow jigs tipped with a worm. Regulations Minersville Reservoir Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass STOP WHIRLING DISEASE (Aug 14) Smallmouth bass fishing is good to excellent. Work the rocky shorelines with curly-tail jigs or lures that imitate crayfish and chubs. Trout fishing is generally slow. The fish are skinny and easily stressed due to warm water. Please reduce playing and handling time to avoid hooking mortality. (Aug 1) Trout fishing is generally slow. The fish are skinny and easily stressed due to warm water. Please reduce playing and handling time to avoid hooking mortality. Smallmouth bass fishing is good. Work the rocky shorelines with curly-tail jigs or lures that imitate crayfish and chubs. Regulations Newcastle Reservoir Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Wiper (hybrid) FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (Aug 14) Best success for wipers is at sunrise and a little after. Slow through most of the day, when most anglers are fishing. Best success trolling or casting gold crankbaits (Frenzies, Rapalas, etc.) or wooly buggers. If fishing from shore work the dam and nearby shorelines. Smallmouth fishing is fair to good for small to medium-sized fish, with several fish over two pounds. Try a variety of soft plastics, crankbaits, and even streamers. Keep switching tactics until you find something that works. Recent sampling has found that three- to four-pound wipers are abundant and spread out through various depths. Try trolling minnow-imitating lures for wipers. Experiment with various speeds and depths. Please remember that golden shiners are not approved for use as fresh or frozen bait. (Aug 1) Lots of pressure lately. Wiper success is good to excellent if you fish at the right time. Best times for large fish are before sunrise and at sundown. Smaller fish are being caught just after sunrise and in the evening. Slow through most of the day, when most anglers are fishing. Best success trolling gold crankbaits (Frenzies, Rapalas, etc.). Some small fish are being caught on popgear. Also try wooly buggers. Smallmouth fishing is fair to good for small to medium-sized fish. Try a variety of soft plastics, crankbaits, and even streamers. Keep switching tactics until you find something that works. Recent sampling has found that three- to four-pound wipers are abundant and spread out through various depths. Try trolling minnow-imitating lures for wipers. Experiment with various speeds and depths. Regulations Newton Reservoir Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Musky (hybrid), Yellow Perch (Aug 14) Conservation Officer Matt Burgess reports the reservoir is full of crappie, bluegill, perch and bass. Worms are the best bet with small jigs and a float. The water is very murky and there is a low catch rate on muskie. (Aug 5) Dedicated Hunter Scott Harris reports that anglers are using sinkers and a worm to catch pan-sized bluegill and crappie. Success is high. Anglers were fishing from six to 10 feet off of the bank. Three other anglers had success catching tiger muskies. The muskies were released. (Jul 25) Conservation Officer Matt Burgess reports fishing conditions are still really good for warmwater fish. Regulations Pelican Lake Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass (Aug 14) Anglers continue to report fair to excellent fishing for bass and bluegill. The fish are moving deeper, so it's generally a matter of finding the schools. (Aug 7) Anglers continue to report fair to excellent fishing for bass and bluegill. The fish are moving deeper, so it's generally a matter of finding the schools. (Jul 23) Anglers continue to report fair to excellent fishing for bass and bluegill. The fish are moving deeper, so it's generally a matter of finding the schools. Regulations Pineview Reservoir Bluegill, Bullhead Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Tiger Musky (hybrid), Trout, Yellow Perch (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports fishing is slow. Anglers didn't land many fish. (Aug 5) Pineview Port Ramp will be closed beginning at 9:30 p.m. on Monday (and lasting through Thursday) for an equipment demonstration as part of the Outdoor Retailers Show. Both Bluff and Anderson Cove Campground ramps will remain open. They, however, do not open until 7:00 each morning. Please plan accordingly. Water continues to drop due to irrigation demands. Temperatures seem to have stabilized at about 77°F; it's unlikely they will climb significantly as overnight lows are now normally in the lower 60s. Angling pressure seems to have declined a bit as the "hot bite" for both smallies and tigers is apparently over. Fish can still be caught, though. Panfish are normally staging off main lake points in deeper water as well as some of the flats adjacent to the inlet coves. Please be aware that tiger muskies are now a catch-and-release species. Be sure you have the proper tools to enable a quick release and enhance survival of the fish. (Jul 31) Dedicated Hunter Scott Walker reports fishing is a little slower on the weekend due to heavier boat traffic. Some anglers are having success catching smallmouth bass (from six to eight inches) using small jigs and spinners. Another angler reports catching a few tiger muskies using a three-inch tube jig. Remember, tiger muskies are catch and release only. Anglers are having better success in the morning and evening hours. Many of the inlet bays are full of moss and weeds, making it harder to fish. The lake level is still high, but there are many places to fish from shore. The best fishing seems to be from boats and float tubes (due to better access around the water) and from the rocky shores near the dam. Regulations Pioneer Park Pond Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout No recent reports. Regulations Piute Reservoir Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass (Aug 14) The water level has dropped quite a bit and fishing has slowed for trout. Fishing is good for smallmouth bass. Work the rocky shorelines with soft plastics and crankbaits. (Aug 1) Fishing from boats both trolling and bait fishing is good to excellent for 14- to 18-inch rainbows. Shore fishing has picked up a little. Fishing is good for smaller smallmouth bass. Work the rocky shorelines with soft plastics and crankbaits. Quail Creek Reservoir Bluegill, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Fishing is fair. Fish early and late to avoid the heat. (Aug 1) Fishing is fair. Fish early and late to avoid the heat. Regulations Red Fleet Reservoir Bluegill, Brown Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing for trout, bass and bluegill, although it looks like the fish are moving into deeper waters. Try fishing off rocky points, moss beds and other structures. 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 was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves. (Aug 7) Anglers are reporting good fishing for trout, bass and bluegill. Bass and bluegill are moving into deeper waters. Try fishing off rocky points, moss beds and other structures. 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 was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves. Redfleet is one of three reservoirs participating in The Fox Family Fishing Event. Specially marked fish may be turned in for a prize. If you catch a fish marked with a red tag, bring the fish or its clipped tag (if you caught and released the fish) to one of the following locations: the main gate at Steinaker State Park, one of several local businesses advertised on the radio or the Division office in Vernal. For more information, contact KIFX radio at 435-789-5101. (Jul 23) Anglers are reporting good fishing for trout, bass and bluegill. High water has flooded the vegetation, which is a good place to start fishing for bass and bluegill. 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 was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities, so be prepared for large waves. Redfleet is one of three reservoirs participating in The Fox Family Fishing Event. Specially marked fish may be turned in for a prize. If you catch a fish marked with a red tag, bring the fish or its clipped tag (if you caught and released the fish) to one of the following locations: the main gate at Steinaker State Park, one of several local businesses advertised on the radio or the Division office in Vernal. For more information, contact KIFX radio at 435-789-5101. Regulations Redmond Reservoir Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike No recent reports. Rockport Reservoir Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout (hybrid), Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch STOP WHIRLING DISEASE (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Scott Houston interviewed one fly fisherman who caught two cutbows on dry flies. Other anglers reported having a few bites on worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait. (Aug 5) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports that anglers were having some success catching 12- to 15-inch rainbows using worms, marshmallows and PowerBait. Water conditions were a little choppy due to the wind. Regulations Sand Cove Reservoirs Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Good numbers of largemouth bass and bluegill in both reservoirs and fishing is fair to good. (Aug 1) Good numbers of largemouth bass and bluegill in both reservoirs and fishing is fair to good. Sand Hollow Reservoir Bluegill, Largemouth Bass (Aug 14) Bass fishing is good to excellent. Small fish are found just about everywhere while large fish are found closer to brush, rock edges, or in deeper water. Dark-colored senkos are a popular bait. Also try deep-diving crankbaits for larger fish. Bluegill have moved deeper again, but are still being caught with a worm and bobber. Try fishing early and late to avoid the heat and water skiers. (Aug 1) Bass fishing is good to excellent. Small fish are found just about everywhere while large fish are found closer to brush, rock edges, or in deeper water. Dark-colored senkos are a popular bait. Also try deep-diving crankbaits for larger fish. Bluegill have moved deeper again, but are still being caught with a worm and bobber. Try fishing early and late to avoid the heat and water skiers. Regulations Starvation Reservoir Brown Trout, Crayfish, Smouthmouth Bass, Walleye (Aug 14) 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. You'll find the best fishing during the cooler hours. (Aug 7) Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. (Jul 23) Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. Regulations Steinaker Reservoir Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Anglers report fair fishing for rainbows and good fishing for small bass and bluegill. Try fishing in about 20 feet of water near rocky structures for bass and bluegill, and use bottom-fishing baits for trout. Note: During the warmer hours, there was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves. (Aug 7) Anglers report good fishing for rainbows, bass and bluegill. Fishing was hot in and around the submerged vegetation and rocky structures. Note: During the warmer hours, there was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities this summer, so be prepared for large waves. Steinaker is one of three reservoirs participating in The Fox Family Fishing Event. Specially marked fish may be turned in for a prize. If you catch a fish marked with a red tag, bring the fish or its clipped tag (if you caught and released the fish) to one of the following locations: the main gate at Steinaker State Park, one of several local businesses advertised on the radio or the Division office in Vernal. For more information, contact KIFX radio at 435-789-5101. (Jul 23) Anglers report good fishing for rainbows, bass and bluegill. Fishing was hot in and around the submerged vegetation and rocky structures. Note: During the warmer hours, there was an increase in waterskiing, wake boarding and jet ski activities, so be prepared for large waves. Steinaker is one of three reservoirs participating in The Fox Family Fishing Event. Specially marked fish may be turned in for a prize. If you catch a fish marked with a red tag, bring the fish or its clipped tag (if you caught and released the fish) to one of the following locations: the main gate at Steinaker State Park, one of several local businesses advertised on the radio or the Division office in Vernal. For more information, contact KIFX radio at 435-789-5101. Regulations Strawberry Reservoir Crayfish, Cutthroat Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass (Aug 20) Several anglers are looking for kokanee, which are preparing to spawn. Anglers who reported fair success for kokanee found a school and jigged in about 30–50 feet of water. Other anglers are trying to target the kokes as they stage near the inlets. Many different lures, flies and baits are working for the trout. Try white tube jigs or dark woolly patterns (flies) from a pontoon boat or float tube. PowerBait, a worm/marshmallow combo or a dead minnow work well for bait anglers. If those strategies don't work, try another location. (Aug 15) Johnny W. of Orem fished Chicken Creek East with a partner and caught 1 rainbow. (Aug 13) Still receiving mixed reports of success for trout. Fair success for kokanee by those that find the school and jig for the kokes in about 30 to 50 feet of water. The narrows or the Soldier Creek side of the reservoir are good places to look for the salmon. Downriggers are a good help in trolling for kokanee. They help get your kokanee lures deep enough for these soft-mouthed fish reel them in carefully or they will get off elastic-like "rubber snubbers" are good to have on your line to help your odds of losing kokanee. Pink, Silver or white are good colors for kokanee lures. Many different lures, flies and baits are working for the trout. Try white tube jigs or dark wooly patterns (flies) from pontoon boat or float tube. Power Bait or a worm/marshmallow combo or dead minnow for the bait anglers. If success is not found go to another location. (Jul 31) Varied reports of success for trout most anglers report "fair" success. I am still getting an occasional report of "fair" to "good" success for kokanee by those that find the school and jig for the kokes in about 30 to 50 feet of water. The narrows or the Soldier Creek side of the reservoir are good places to look for the salmon. Downriggers are a good help in trolling for kokanee. They help get your kokanee lures deep enough for these soft-mouthed fish reel them in carefully or they will get off elastic-like "rubber snubbers" are good to have on your line to help your odds of losing kokanee. Pink, Silver or white are good colors for kokanee lures. Many different lures, flies and baits are working for the trout. Try white tube jigs or dark wooly patterns (flies) from pontoon boat or float tube. PowerBait or a worm/marshmallow combo or dead minnow for the bait anglers. If success is not found go to another location. Regulations Utah Lake Bluegill, Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Smouthmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (Aug 20) Conditions are similar to those in last week's report. Anglers report fair success for white bass using action lures and good success for channel cats using stink baits or worms. Walleye fishing is slow. (Aug 13) Fair success for white bass using action lures, good success for channel cats by using stink baits or worms. Walleye fishing is slow. (Jul 31) Anglers still report fair success for white bass, fair success for largemouth bass (look for edges of vegetation along inlets or along the vegetative shorelines in the lake) and good success for channel cats. Walleye fishing is slow. (Jul 28) Chris of Lehi fished Lincoln Beach in a group of 5 and caught 5 white bass and 5 channel cats using worms. "Action was fair, and fairly consistent. Not bad fishing for white bass with a bobber and 2-3 feet of line, and good for catfish on the bottom out 20-30 feet from shore." Regulations Wide Hollow Reservoir Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout (Aug 14) Boats cannot be launched at the state park due to extremely low water. Bass are bunched up in any deep water you can find. Top water lures are best. (Aug 1) Catchable rainbows have been stocked. Fishing is fast for bluegill and small largemouth bass using small jigs and worms. Try crankbaits and larger jigs for bigger bass. Willard Bay Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Wipers (hybrid), Yellow Perch (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports a few anglers had success catching catfish between 10–14 inches using nightcrawlers. Another group of anglers had success catching crappie and bluegill using jigs and nightcrawlers. (Jul 31) Anglers are still reporting good fishing for wipers. Regulations