4 reasons to fish the Green River in fall

4 reasons to fish the Green River in fall

(Ryan Kelly)


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THE GREAT OUTDOORS — When the leaves turn and the air gets crisp, many Utahns eagerly await the beginning of ski season. Quite a few fishermen exchange their rods and reels for ski poles and parkas and miss out on one of Utah's best late-season fishing destinations — the Green River.

In the spring and early summer, the Green is one the best — and busiest — rivers in the West. The fishing usually slows down in mid-August, not picking up again until mid-September. The fishing supposedly tapers off when the first snow flies— but that's just not the case.

The short window between mid-September and the first really cold weather of the year (Dutch John gets absolutely frigid in the winter) provides some incredible fishing.

Here's a look at just a few of the highlights of visiting the Green River in the fall.

Big streamers, big fish

I normally don't enjoy fishing streamers (I'm a dry fly fisherman,) but two weeks ago while floating the Green River that's all the fish would eat. For anglers who love throwing streamers and "feeling the tug," the Green provides ample opportunity to catch big trout on streamers.

Some of the biggest fish that live in the Green are caught in the fall. Before the brown trout begin their annual spawn, they get incredibly aggressive. The biggest trout that are still able to spawn (some trout quit reproducing after a certain age) will actively chase anything perceived as a threat or annoyance — and large streamers definitely fit that bill.

Photo credit: Ryan Kelly

Brilliant colors

The A Section of the Green, from the Flaming Gorge Dam to Little Hole, is often described as one of the most scenic trout destinations in the world.

Photo credit: Ryan Kelly

The fall foliage isn't the only colorful part of the Green this time of year, however. The trout get colored up as well, looking prettier the closer the season gets to winter.

Solitude

The warmer months of the year bring hordes of rafters to the Green. While it's a large river, most anglers feel a bit crowded during June and July.

As soon as the cold weather hits, however, the crowds thin as rafters leave for warmer climes. You likely won't be the only boat or wade fishermen on the water, but you'll see far fewer people on the Green River this time of year than if you go during summer. In fact, two weeks ago we didn't see another angler until we reached the Little Hole boat ramp just after noon — on a Saturday.

Photo credit: Ryan Kelly

Tips for fishing

If you decide to go to the Green, this is one of the best times of the year to hire a guide. The river flows lower, giving you more opportunities to catch fish, and a good guide can put you on great feeding lanes all day long.

Dutch John, the small town just east of the Flaming Gorge Dam, is home to a plethora of guiding outfitters, and their late-season rates are fairly reasonable. Dutch John also provides lodging, food and gas.

You'll want to pack your heavier fly rods and streamers, but keep a light rod with some small mayflies ready as well. Late-season mayfly hatches bring trout to the surface if the day's just right, and these are some of the best hatches of the year.

Do you ever fly fish the Green River this time of year? If so, what do you like most about it? Let us know in the comments below.


![Spencer Durrant](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2583/258385/25838585\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Spencer Durrant \---------------------------------

Spencer is an outdoors columnist and novelist from Utah. His debut novel, Learning to Fly, was an Amazon bestseller. Connect with him on Twitter @Spencer_Durrant or on Facebook.

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