04 May The Water is High AND the Fishing is Good!

A High Water Brown

Our local papers and even TV news have a daily “Flood Watch” this year. Locals will remember the flooding in downtown Salt Lake City in 1983 as record snow pack melted faster than the streams and rivers could handle. There’s more water in the mountains this year than back in the infamous year, and we are certain to have some flooding. The effects of the flooding should be mitigated this year in part because of some lessons learned in ’83 as well as by the addition of some new reservoirs since 1983 should help lesson the impact.

More important than any streets and basements fill, the rivers are all full and they are going to overflow their banks. (Note the sarcasm here.) I’ve heard some people already say that the rivers are unfishable. Don’t believe it, at least not all of them. The fishing can be tough and you have to fish differently than you would with lower water, but there are still fish to be had.

The Larvae Bomb

I’ve been out twice on the Middle Provo in the last three days. I haven’t crossed the river, and in fact today, I only got in over my knees once, and that was completely out of the current. Staying out of current is especially important when water is high. You just don’t want to take chances. Going in during summer low water is dangerous, but most times it will only cost you your pride and whatever you happen to drop. In high water, the chances that it will cost your life are simply too high.

The good news is that you don’t need to take those risks. The furthest cast any of us made during these two days is probably 20 feet. The fish are pushed along the edges, with a lot of nice ones sitting in deep pools and up against grass banks that are normally exposed. They are all but ignoring the BWO duns floating all around them, but they are still eating below the surface.

High water is a great time to try new techniques like Czech nymphing. And don’t be afraid to use some big crazy bugs. I’ve been playing with crane fly larvae. Today I used one I’ve

The Larvae Bomb fooled this Middle Provo Rainbow

dubbed the Larvae Bomb. It’s on a size 4 hook which allows me to load it down with enough weight to get down fast in heavy water. (Enough here being two layers of .30 wire!)

Of course, this time of year is also a great time to access really big fish in still waters. So whether you have an itch to cast to pigs in still water or to try your hand at some new techniques on the river, give us a call and book a trip. The weather is great.

Bryan Eldredge, Co-Owner and Guide