21 May High Water Can Actually Help Fly Fishing
Big Trout Move Into Accessible Locations During High River Flows
Provo River Brown Trout
The Lower Provo River is flowing pretty high right now, somewhere around 500 – 600 CFS. Normal summer flows are in the 200 to 300 CFS. However, the fly fishing has actually been pretty darn good. Even though the water flow is up, luckily, flows have stabilized and the water clarity is great. This kind of situation, high clear water, can actually really help you to find big trout.
Big fish are often big because the lies that they choose in the river are inaccessible to most anglers. They either hang out in the depths of the deepest holes on the river, or under some crazy obstacle like a log, or sometimes they just don’t eat during the day when most fly fishermen are fishing for them. However, when the river flows high and fast it often pushes these big boys out of their usual hiding spots and up against the banks where they are accessible. Another advantage for the angler is that during high water lots of food, often big nymphs, scuds, sow bugs, and both aquatic and terrestrial worms, are flushed into the current. With this kind of a smorgasbord available, big fish feed with abandon.
Recent reports from the Provo River indicate that some huge browns and rainbows are being pushed up against the banks and that, even though the numbers of fish being caught are lower than they were during last month’s Blue Winged Olive hatch, the size of the fish being caught right now is impressive. Now is a great time to get out on the water if you’re looking for a real trophy trout. Combine that with the smaller crowds and lack of a defined hatch to make the trout picky and you have a recipe for success.
Book your last minute Provo River fly fishing trip with Utah Fly Guides today and find out for yourself why we keep fishing even when the river is up.
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