Middle Provo River, Below Jordanelle Reservoir, Midway, Utah April 22, 2011

Fly Fishing the West
Vol. 24, Issue 1
April 22, 2011

Middle Provo River, Below Jordanelle Reservoir, Midway, Utah

Friday, April 22, 2011—Alan and I arrived at the Middle Provo River at about 10:00 am at the Utah Fish and Game Parking area several miles north of Midway, Utah. There were about 6 cars there already. The weather was sunny and comfortable. The water level was up a little (maybe about a foot at the bank) from the normal summer flow. We hiked upstream about a mile or so, passing a number of fishermen along the way. (This is the first nice day that was not raining or snowing in several weeks, hence a lot of fisherman seemed to be out.) The water in this area of the stream is fast with few obvious pools or holes. We fished the water between the bank and the faster flow in the main stream, which could be 3-5 feet deep in places. Alan fished just below me. I caught a brown trout nymphing about 14” long on a size ~14 ‘silver spider’ tied by Tyson. (It is simply a long shank hook with a thin silver body and a small amount of hackle training back along the body of the hook.) We moved down lower after about an hour to a place where the stream pooled (about 7 feet deep) near and under several fallen trees paralleling the stream. I caught two ~ 10 inch browns on the streamer pole (sinking tip fly line) stripping line in with a size 20-22 bead-head zebra midge. We then moved just below this pool to a long stretch that was deep (maybe ~10 feet deep). I caught two ~12 inch browns nymphing on the bottom on a size ~20 midge with a red body and brown head. I tried a number of flies nymphing here before catching these two, i. e., sow bug, and silver spider described above, flash-back midges, mating midge dry on the bottom. We tried down lower on the stream where the earlier fishermen were gone, but with no luck. Just before we left I found 3 what looked like earth worms under a large rock with mud underneath it in a small side stream flowing into the main flow. May want to try a San Juan worm or similar pattern the next time.

We left about 4:00 pm.

Other Miscellaneous Information/Observations:
1. We saw a large sandhill crane and several ospreys. Last year the fish and game department released several otters into this part of the Provo River. We did not see any.
2. Weather was sunny and surprisingly warm before a small breeze picked up in the afternoon.
3. Non-resident Utah fishing license for 2010 is $70 for a 1-year license. The annual license is good for the 365 days subsequent to the day it is purchased.
4. Utah Legislature just passed a law in March 2010 that will restrict fishermen’s’ use of streams in the state if the streams run through private property. So far I see no impact of this law on fishing the ‘normal places’ we fish on the Middle Provo River.