Utah DWT fishing report by region 11-19

[Fishing Report]

BEAR LAKE: (November 18) Biologist Scott Tolentino encourages anglers to target whitefish. Fishing should improve from around Thanksgiving until early December. For current updates on weather and fishing conditions, call the recorded information line at 435–946-8501 after 6:00 p.m.

BIRCH CREEK RESERVOIR: (November 18) Overnight temperatures have been in the teens for the past week, so ice is likely forming. Use caution.

BLACKSMITH FORK RIVER: (November 18) Hardware ranch Manager Dan Christensen reports good fishing. Try using egg and streamer patterns.

BOUNTIFUL LAKE: (November 04) The lake was recently stocked with albino rainbow trout.

EAST CANYON RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (November 04) Park Ranger Jeff Dale reports that the fishing has been really good. Anglers caught lot of smaller rainbows after the recent stockings.

ECHO RESERVOIR: (November 04) More than 13,000 rainbow trout were stocked this fall.

FARMINGTON POND: (November 04) Albino rainbow trout were recently stocked.

HOLMES CREEK RESERVOIR: (November 04) Water levels are low, and fishing access is good.

HYRUM RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (November 18) Park Manager Chris Haramoto reports that fishing has been hot, for shore and boat anglers. The reservoir has been heavily stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout.

JENSEN NATURE PARK POND: (November 18) Biologist Wes Pearce reports more brood stock were released into the pond. Fishing should be good.

KAYSVILLE PONDS: (November 04) Albino rainbow trout were recently stocked.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR: (November 18) Overnight temperatures have been in the teens for the past week, so ice is most likely forming. Use extreme caution.

MIRROR LAKE: (November 18) Anglers report good fishing. The Uinta lakes have frozen over. Biologist Weston Pearce reports that there is about five inches of good ice. Try using anything tipped with meal or wax worms. The road over the top of Bald Mountain is still being plowed, but there is a lot of snow up there so be prepared for any kind of emergency.

NEWTON RESERVOIR: (November 18) Anglers reported good success for tiger muskies before the recent storms. Check out Division biologists Phil Tuttle and Paul Thompson in this video about fly fishing for tiger muskie.

OGDEN RIVER: (November 18) The river flows are low and clear, but fishing activity has tapered off.

ROCKPORT RESERVOIR: (November 18) Joseph Hamby reports good fishing. The lake is still ice free, but the shallow south end has been getting ice in the mornings. Boater anglers have had success with pop gear, lures and baits. Shore anglers are doing well with worms and marshmallows, and PowerBait. Fish are usually active and biting all day when the weather is cool. The wedge dock is still in the lake and the Marina restroom is open and heated (and will be all winter). The fish cleaning station, however, is closed to prevent frozen pipes.

WEBER RIVER: (November 18) Biologist Paul Thompson reports stream flows in the Weber River have dropped to where the entire river is fishing well. Water flow releases from Echo Reservoir are quite low, so the river is quite clear downstream from the reservoir. Try fishing with small black or brown wooly buggers, glo bugs, and size 12 to 14 nymphs. Spinners and crankbaits also have been working well because brown trout are aggressive during their spawning time period.

Because brown trout are in the middle of their spawn, please avoid walking through gravels that have been cleared of algae to protect recently-deposited eggs.

WILLARD BAY RESERVOIR: (November 04) Anglers report slow fishing.

[Fishing Report]

BURRASTON PONDS: (November 18) Some large hatchery brood fish (trout) were planted in the ponds last week. You'll have the best success with traditional baits and lures.

CANYON VIEW PARK POND: (November 18) Trout fishing is slow right now. Your best bet is to go up the road to Spanish Oaks Reservoir.

DEER CREEK RESERVOIR: (November 18) More than 70,000 catchable rainbow trout were stocked in the reservoir this month, and anglers have had success catching them. Flashy spinners and other lures are your best bet. Some anglers are catching perch with bait-tipped jigs. A fish finder is helpful in locating the schools of perch along the bottom.

DIAMOND FORK RIVER: (November 18) We are at the peak of the brown trout spawn. There aren't many anglers on the river. Try using small, dark nymphs or dry flies. Spinners are also a great choice.

GRANTSVILLE RESERVOIR: (November 18) Anglers report fair fishing with traditional baits and lures.

HIGHLAND GLEN PARK: (November 18) Large brood trout (browns, rainbows and albino rainbows) from DWR hatcheries were recently stocked in Highland Glen. These fish can weigh more than three or four pounds! Remember that there's a two-fish limit at all community fisheries.

JORDANELLE RESERVOIR: (November 18) Bass fishing has slowed, but we stocked approximately 100,000 rainbow trout in the reservoir last week. Trout fishing is fair from the shoreline with traditional baits and lures. Boat anglers report fair to good fishing.

KIDNEY POND: (November 18) There haven't been many people at the pond, and anglers report slow to fair fishing with traditional baits.

MIDAS POND: (November 18) Fishing pressure is light, and anglers report slow to fair fishing with traditional baits.

MILL HOLLOW RESERVOIR: (November 18) Winter conditions and unsafe ice make this an unsafe fishing location right now.

NINE MILE RESERVOIR: (November 18) Anglers report fair fishing with flies, lures and traditional baits.

PALISADE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (November 18) Traditional baits and lures will deliver fair fishing for trout.

PAYSON LAKE: (November 18) Loyal Clark of the U.S. Forest Service reports that the gates to many canyons are now closed. You can only get up the Nebo Loop Road to Maple Dell.

PROVO RIVER, LOWER: (November 18) The brown trout are spawning, and they will hit flashy lures and flies quite aggressively. It is important to use smaller flies (size 20 or smaller). In addition to spinners, blue-winged olives, midges or glo bugs are good patterns. Stretches of this river have special regulations. Please read the Utah Fishing Guidebook.

PROVO RIVER, MIDDLE: (November 18) The fishing is only hot if you find the right small fly. The browns are on the surface in large numbers during the early afternoon hours. Try a small blue-winged olive, glo bug or midge pattern (size 20 or smaller). Bait is allowed from above Charleston Bridge to the Legacy Bridge. Harvest of legal-sized fish is encouraged. Please read the Utah Fishing Guidebook for the special regulations on this river.

SALEM POND: (November 18) Most anglers report fair to good fishing with PowerBait or worms. Fishing is slow for catfish, and there's not much pressure at the pond.

SETTLEMENT CANYON RESERVOIR: (November 18) The few anglers who've visited the reservoir in recent weeks report slow to fair fishing.

SILVER LAKE: (November 18) The lake is getting snowy and icy. It may be unsafe to fish here.

SPANISH OAKS RESERVOIR: (November 18) Call Spanish Fork City for more information about when the parking-area gate will close. There are still some large trout in the reservoir.

SPRING LAKE: (November 18) Last week, we stocked the lake with large, hatchery brood trout. This is a great place to go because fishing pressure is light this time of year. Catfish success has slowed.

STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR: (November 18) One angler reported catching and releasing more than 100 trout this week! Most anglers report fair to good fishing with white tube jigs or pointer minnows cast toward the shoreline or the weed beds. Shoreline anglers have found fair to good fishing with traditional baits and lures. This past week, Tom Ogden and two friends fished the Jakes Bay area from 8:30 to 1:30. They were in kick boats and used slow- to medium-sink lines. The flies that worked the best were green woolly buggers, black/green soft hackle, and white leech patterns in sizes 6 and 8. They caught 25 fish (six rainbows and 19 cutthroats). The rainbows ranged from 8 to 18 inches, and the cutthroats were from 16 to 22 inches long. There are special regulations in effect at Strawberry: the limit is four trout or kokanee salmon in the aggregate. No more than two may be cutthroat trout under 15 inches, and no more than one may be a cutthroat trout over 22 inches. All cutthroat trout from 15 to 22 inches must be immediately released. Trout and salmon may not be filleted, and the heads or tails may not be removed in the field or in transit. Check the Utah Fishing Guidebook for more regulations. For help differentiating the Bear Lake cutthroat trout from the rainbow trout, visit wildlife.utah.gov/strawberry/pdf/strawberry_brochure.pdf.

THISTLE CREEK: (November 18) Fishing pressure is light, so it's a great time to fish this brown trout stream. You'll find good fishing for brown trout with worms, flies or spinners. The water is low and clear.

TIBBLE FORK RESERVOIR: (November 18) The road to the reservoir is still open, but the gate is locked at the reservoir. There's not much fishing pressure at the reservoir or on American Fork Creek. Shoreline and float tube anglers report fair fishing. Get your bait above the vegetation on the bottom of the reservoir. Worms or spinners are most popular method on the creek.

UTAH LAKE: (November 18) You'll find good fishing for white bass if you can locate a school. Most bass and catfish anglers report slower fishing with the colder weather. For bass, use small action lures tipped with bait. Anglers are catching the occasional walleye on twist-tail grubs, dead minnows or worms.

VERNON RESERVOIR: (November 18) Fishing is fair with traditional baits and lures at this desert reservoir. Float tubes are a great way to increase your success. Access can be difficult if it snows.

VIVIAN PARK POND: (November 18) There isn't much fishing pressure. You'll find fair fishing for trout with spinners or worms.

WILLOW POND: (November 18) Large trout were stocked in Willow Pond last week. Fishing is good with traditional baits and lures.

YUBA RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (November 18) Walleye and northern pike anglers report slow to fair fishing. A large northern pike is reported every once in a while. Several people are camping at the state park and fishing from the shoreline with occasional success. Some anglers report good fishing for hard-fighting carp.

[Fishing Report]

ABAJO MOUNTAINS: (November 18) Conservation Officer Dennis Shumway reported good fishing for trout with worms or PowerBait. Shumway suspects good fishing for bass at Recapture Reservoir.

ACADEMY MILL RESERVOIR: (November 18) Access to the reservoir is difficult. The reservoir has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

BENCHES POND: (November 18) The reservoir has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

BOULGER RESERVOIR: (November 18) The reservoir has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

DUCK FORK RESERVOIR: (November 18) Access to the reservoir is difficult. The reservoir has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

FAIRVIEW LAKES: (November 18) Both lakes have iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

FERRON RESERVOIR: (November 18) The reservoir has been treated to kill the fish population. Ferron will not be stocked with fish until next summer.

GOOSEBERRY RESERVOIR: (November 18) The reservoir has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

HUNTINGTON CREEK: (November 18) Fly fisherman Tom Ogden fished the creek on Nov. 9 and caught one 14-inch cutthroat and 15 brown trout, which ranged from 10 to 12 inches. He used floating line with a size 12 bead head Montana with split shot 12 inches above the fly. The banks are beginning to freeze.

HUNTINGTON NORTH RESERVOIR: (November 10) Anglers who trolled with Rapalas reported catching rainbow trout up to 16 inches long.

JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: (November 10) Joes Valley Reservoir is closed to fishing until the second Saturday in December. This closure protects splake during their annual spawning period.

MILLER FLAT RESERVOIR: (November 18) The U.S. Forest Service closes the road around Thanksgiving to prevent road damage.

SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: (November 18) Angler Tom Ogden fly fished on Nov. 16 from a kick boat. He used slow sinking line and sizes 2–6 wet flies. He ahd success with various color combinations of bead head wooly buggers, a blue bead head leech and a soft hackle fly. He and his partner caught 36 cutthroats, nine rainbows and two tiger trout in five hours.

WILLOW LAKE: (November 18) The lake has iced over, but there are no reports on ice thickness.

WRIGLEY SPRINGS RESERVOIR: (November 18) This reservoir is covered with ice, but there are no reports on ice thickness.