Fishing Line for 9/17/2011

NORTH REPORT:**BEAR LAKE:**(September 14) One angler recently caught a 17.5-pound lake trout. Anglers report good fishing success for lake trout by trolling Rapalas on the east side of the lake.

BIRCH CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 14) While we haven't heard any recent reports from anglers, a recent population survey indicated the tiger trout populations were in great shape. Fall is one of the best times to fish this reservoir.

BLACKSMITH FORK RIVER: (September 14) Hoppers are still abundant, although many are small. Try using a #14 elk hair caddis or stimulator pattern. The water is still running high and is a little off-color for this time of year.

BOUNTIFUL LAKE:(September 14) Fishing should be fair. Channel catfish were recently stocked. Rainbow trout stockings should resume when the weather cools down.

CAUSEY RESERVOIR: (September 14) Conservation Officer David Beveridgereports slow fishing. Salmon are running in the upper tributaries. Anglers have reported fair and consistent success for tiger trout with worms, spinners or Rapalas. Try fishing with a countdown Rapalain brown trout colors. To see hundreds of spawning salmon, hike to tributaries. To access these areas, park at the Skull Crack Gate area, which is on the far south side, across the dam, and hike approximately 2.5 miles. There are also several red kokanee salmon below the dam in the South Fork River. It is illegal to snag these kokanee. If you're within the high-water mark of the reservoir, you may not possess kokanee salmon with any red color from Aug. 15 through 6 a.m. on Sept. 24

EAST CANYON RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (September 14) Conservation Officer Jonathan Moser reports that shore anglers are catching fish with PowerBait. Try mixing green or orange PowerBaitwith white then floating it up off of the bottom. Anglers are catching some bass with worms. Try fishing early in the day or just before evening.

ECHO RESERVOIR: (September 14) Dedicated Hunter Todd Strong reports fair fishing trolling in a boat with black and yellow Meppsfor brown and rainbow trout up to 18 inches. Fishing was much slower from the shore using PowerBait, worms, eggs and cheese for smaller rainbows up to 12 inches. The few anglers that caught their limit took half a day to do so.

FARMINGTON POND:(September 14) Fishing should be fair. Channel catfish were recently stocked. Rainbow trout stockings should resume when the weather cools down.

HOLMES CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 01) Conservation Officer Wyatt Bubackreports that the water has dropped a little, and vegetation is starting to grow in the back coves. However, people are still catching a fair number of fish, using green or yellow PowerBait and fishing off the bottom. This combination has worked well throughout the spring and summer.

HYRUM RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (September 01) Dedicated Hunter Clark Shaw reports that anglers used worms and PowerBait to catch smallmouth bass while fishing from the dam. Due to the heat and large number of recreational boaters, fishing was slow.

JENSEN NATURE PARK POND: (September 14) Channel catfish were recently stocked. Check the fishing report for rainbow trout stockings that usually resume when the weather cools down.

KAYSVILLE PONDS:(September 14) Conservation Officer Wyatt Bubackreports fair fishing for bluegill using worms and a bobber. Anglers are having some success catching a catfish using the same method.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report good fishing. This reservoir is just the perfect place to escape crowds, sit back and enjoy fishing at its lazy best.

LOGAN RIVER:(September 14) Anglers report good fishing. The lower river impoundments were recently stocked.

LOST CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 14) Conservation Officer Jonathan Moser reports slow fishing. Try trolling with a wedding ring or a Jake's lure with a gold and red pattern in the early hours of the day. Shore anglers had their best success using PowerBait or worms and a marshmallow. Bring a picnic and relax away from cell phone coverage.

MANTUA RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report great fishing for bass and bluegill.

MIRROR LAKE:(September 14) Dedicated Hunter Todd Strong reports for the following:

Lilly Lake: Fishing from shore was very good for small cut throat trout and brook trout under 10 inches. Angler report the most success using green and yellow PowerBait, cheese and worms. Fly anglers were having moderate success from the shore. Many anglers were catching their limit within a few hours. Mirror Lake: Fishing from was excellent form the shore or a boat. Many anglers were catching their limits in only a few hours. Most of the success happened with green and yellow PowerBait. Anglers were catching 8- to 16-inch tiger trout off of the bottom with green PowerBait. 6- to 16-inch rainbow trout were hitting PowerBait, worms and cheese. An occasional angler reported catching small brook trout from the shore using an assortment of baits. Boat anglers found similar success with flies and Mepps. MoosehornLake: Anglers report poor fishing from the shore for 10- to 14-inch rainbow trout using green PowerBait and worms. Most of the fish were caught off of the bottom. No anglers reported success with lures, flies or other baits. Trial Lake: Fishing from shore has been very good fishing green PowerBait off of the bottom. Anglers were catching 6- to 16-inch tiger trout and 6- to 12-inch rainbow trout all around the lake. You'll probably catch smaller fish close to the shore and bigger fish in the deeper water, farther . Boat anglers report good success using flies. Washington Lake: Fishing was slow and sporadic from the shore for 12- to 16-inch fish. For tiger tourt, try using worms, cheese and PowerBait. Anglers have had success catching an occasional rainbow trout from the bottom. Artificial lures and flies were not successful. Whitney Reservoir: Boat and shore anglers reported very good success for tiger and cutthroat trout. From the shore, try using PowerBaitand worms. Fly angler reported good success until 10 a.m. using a variety flies. Some anglers caught their limit after a few hours.

OGDEN RIVER:(September 14) Conservation Officer David Beveridgereports slow fishing.

PINEVIEW RESERVOIR: (September 14) Conservation Officer David Beveridgereports some success for bass and tiger muskie. Bass jigs seem to work best. Fish near structures in the water and move along the shore trying different spots.

PORCUPINE RESERVOIR: (September 01) Dedicated Hunter Clark Shaw interviewed anglers who were using worms but not getting a single bite. There were a lot of people recreating in canoes, tubes and smaller fishing boats. Porcupine is closed to the possession of kokanee salmon with any red color from Aug. 15 through 6 a.m. on Sept. 24. There are special regulations at both Porcupine and the East Fork of the Little Bear River.

ROCKPORT RESERVOIR: (September 14) Dedicated Hunter Todd Strong reports very good fishing from a boat for brown and rainbow trout up to 20 inches and 10- inch tiger trout. Try trolling with popgear tipped with a worm. Shore anglers had good success for smaller fish using green PowerBait, worms and cheese. Most anglers were catching their limits within a few hours.

WEBER RIVER:(September 14) Biologist Paul Thompson reports that the water flows are down and fishing has been good. Recent releases from Echo Reservoir have reduced the water clarity downstream, but fishing is still good. Spinners and crankbaits should work well. Try using nymphs (including pheasant tails), prince nymphs, zugbugs and hares ears in sizes #12–14.

WILLARD BAY RESERVOIR:(September 14) Anglers report good fishing, but have had to spend a lot of time locating and chasing wiper boils.

CENTRAL REPORT:

BURRASTON PONDS:(September 14) Anglers report fair fishing for trout with traditional baits and lures.

CANYON VIEW PARK POND: (September 14) Anglers report slow to fair fishing with traditional baits and lures. The southwest end is the deepest and best spot to catch trout.

DEER CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 14) Shoreline anglers are starting to catch more trout. Most of those anglers are using PowerBait or worms. Mornings are best time to fish. Boat anglers are trolling lures to catch trout. Several anglers report fair fishing for smallmouth bass.

DIAMOND FORK RIVER: (September 14) You'll find light pressure and good fishing. Grasshopper imitations are still working fairly well. Small, dark nymphs or dry flies are also a good bet.

GRANTSVILLE RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report fair fishing with traditional baits and lures.

HIGHLAND GLEN PARK: (September 14) Traditional baits (such as worms or PowerBait) are a good choice. There's a two-fish limit at all community fisheries. Most anglers report fair fishing.

JORDANELLE RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report fair to good bass fishing. Trout fishing is fair from the shoreline with traditional baits and lures. There are still quite a few recreational boaters who visit Jordanelleon the weekends.

KIDNEY POND:(September 14) Anglers report fair fishing with traditional baits.

MIDAS POND:(September 14) Most anglers are using traditional baits and have found fair fishing.

MILL HOLLOW RESERVOIR: (September 14) Traditional baits and lures are producing limits of trout.

NINE MILE RESERVOIR: (September 14) There haven't been any recent reports. Expect slow to fair fishing with traditional baits and lures.

PALISADE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (September 14) You'll find slow to fair fishing, and most trout will be in the 12- to 16-inch range. Most anglers are using traditional baits and lures.

PAYSON LAKE:(September 14) Payson Lake anglers are still reporting good fishing with flies, spinners or traditional baits. A small boat or raft can help you reach the fish in the middle of the lake.

PROVO RIVER, LOWER: (September 14) Dry flies continue to provide good fishing. Caddis and Pale morning duns are still a good bet. Spinners are also catching fish. Stretches of this river have special regulations.

PROVO RIVER, MIDDLE: (September 14) Size 18 or smaller nymphs and dry flies are working well. Grasshopper imitations, blue-wing olives, midges, sow bugs, caddis and other patterns are good bets. Bait is allowed from above Charleston Bridge to the Legacy Bridge. Harvest of legal-sized fish is encouraged.

SALEM POND:(September 14) Most anglers report fair fishing for trout with PowerBait or worms. You'll find slower fishing for catfish.

SETTLEMENT CANYON RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report fair fishing and light fishing pressure.

SILVER LAKE:(September 14) This is a beautiful location to take the family! Anglers report good fishing for 10- to 12-inch trout with traditional baits and lures. Small flies and flashy lures work here as well.

SPANISH OAKS RESERVOIR: (September 14) There are fewer swimmers now that the water temperature is dropping, so anglers will have more room at the reservoir. Most anglers report fair to good fishing with traditional baits and lures. There's a two-fish daily limit. This water has a fish-cleaning station and bathroom facilities. Call Spanish Fork City for more information.

SPRING LAKE:(September 14) You'll find fair trout fishing with traditional baits and lures. Catfish success has tapered off.

STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR: (September 14) Shoreline anglers report fair fishing, while boat anglers report good fishing. To see the spawning kokanee salmon, stop by the Strawberry Visitor Center. Our annual Kokanee Viewing Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. 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.

THISTLE CREEK:(September 14) There's not much fishing pressure. Anglers report fair fishing with worms, flies or spinners. Brown trout are the primary catch.

TIBBLE FORK RESERVOIR: (September 14) Shoreline and float tube anglers report fair fishing. Keep your bait above the vegetation on the bottom of the reservoir.

UTAH LAKE:(September 14) Anglers are catching some large channel cats, and several anglers are catching white bass. Try using action lures tipped with bait for the white bass. For the catfish, nightcrawlers or stink baits work well. Reports of success have come from all over the lake. It's a good place to visit if you want to catch fish this week!

VERNON RESERVOIR: (September 14) Anglers report fair fishing with traditional baits and lures. Float tubes are a great way to increase your success.

VIVIAN PARK POND: (September 14) You'll find slow to fair fishing for rainbow trout. Many anglers are using PowerBait.

WILLOW POND:(September 14) Trout fishing is fair to good, and traditional baits and lures are your best bet.

YUBA RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (September 14) You'll find slow fishing for all species, and there's not much fishing pressure.

NORTHEASTERN REPORT:

BIG SANDWASH RESERVOIR: (September 09) Anglers report fair to good fishing. The bass fishing remains good, and the trout are getting a bit more active due to some colder nights. The trout move to deeper waters during the day. Try fishing early or late, when the air temperatures are cooler. Deep-diving, brightly colored spoons and crayfish- or minnow-colored crank or stick baits are your best bet. Worms and commercial baits are also good choices. Send them deep and float the bait two or three feet above the bottom. The bass are still accessible in the shallows and some deeper water, at depths of around 20 feet. Try crayfish-colored jigs or topwater plugs in the early morning and deeper jigs during the middle of the day. You can access the reservoir from the boat ramp and from a new public-access point on the northeast corner.

BROUGH RESERVOIR: (September 09) Anglers report fair, hit-or-miss fishing. Try fishing in the cool early-morning and evening hours when the fish are active and closer to the surface. Remember, no baits can be used at Brough. You may keep one trout over 22 inches, but all others must be released. During this warm weather, please catch and release fish quickly and efficiently — they are under a lot of stress. For proper catch-and-release technique, please see the Flaming Gorge kokanee report.

BROWNE LAKE:(September 09) Fishing has been fair to good. Try worms or other trout baits, use small brightly-colored lures or match the insect hatches. Watch out for storms — the weather can change very quickly in the Uinta Mountains.

BULLOCK RESERVOIR: (September 09) There haven't been any recent reports, but people have been fishing the reservoir. You'll likely find fair to good fishing for bass and rainbows.

CALDER RESERVOIR: (September 09) Anglers report fair to good fishing. This reservoir is managed for larger fish, so there are fewer of them and the catch rates will be slower. If you want faster fishing, try a waterwith more abundant, smaller fish. Bait is not allowed at Calder. You may keep one trout over 22 inches; all others must be released immediately. During this warm weather, please catch and release fish quickly and efficiently — they are under a lot of stress. For proper catch-and-release technique, please see the Flaming Gorge kokanee report.

COTTONWOOD RESERVOIR: (September 09) There haven't been any recent reports, but anglers have been fishing the reservoir. This is usually a good time to fish for smallmouth bass and the black bullhead. (They grow large enough in Cottonwood to provide a good fillet.) You should find fair fishing for all species.

CROUSE RESERVOIR: (September 09) You'll find fair to good fishing for catchable-sized fish and maybe a few larger ones. The area received a good snowfall and, for the first time in many years, the reservoir is full. This allowed the hatcheries to stock catchablesthis spring. When biologists surveyed the reservoir, they caught a few large fish that somehow survived the winter.

CURRANT CREEK RESERVOIR: (September 09) There have been several new reports of fair to good (but hit-or-miss) fishing for tiger, rainbow and cutthroat trout. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Popular flies include black and brown leeches and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Worms and marshmallows — and some of the commercial baits — are also working well. Access is open to the campground from the south. Roughly half of the road from the south was black-topped last year and provides easy access to the dam. Whether you can access the area beyond the gate depends on the most recent storms. Watch the weather carefully — the mountains can receive sudden storms and high winds.

EAST PARK RESERVOIR: (September 09) Fishing has been fair to good. Trout baits (a worm or worm-and-marshmallow combination), commercial baits and small brightly colored lures seem to be working best.

FLAMING GORGE:(September 09) You'll find fair to excellent fishing, depending on the species. Water temperatures are beginning to cool but are still in the low 70s or high 60s.

Rainbow trout: You'll find good fishing for rainbows on the shore or in a boat. The fish have moved deeper to reach cooler water (about 30 feet down), although anglers were catching them near the surface last weekend during the cooler hours of the day. Try casting jigs (in crayfish colors), spoons or other trout lures and let them sink before retrieving. If you find a school, you can also vertically jig them using jigging spoons tipped with a little bait (a worm or commercial bait). Shore anglers can also do well this time of year by dunking a worm-and-marshmallow combination around the launch areas. Lake trout: Lake trout fishing has been sporadic. Look for them near the deep points and underwater humps and ridges in deeper water (60 to 100 feet). When you locate a school, try tube jigs, jigging spoons and minnow jigs tipped with bait. An active school can quickly produce a lot of fish. Trolling covers more water and is another effective technique when schools are difficult to find. We've had reports of anglers doing well for medium to large lakers by trolling deep and as close to the bottom as they dare (at speeds of 2–4 miles per hour). Try in the bays, channels, along cliff walls and over humps and other structures that are 50–100 feet down. Anglers can continue to help the Flaming Gorge fishery by harvesting a limit of small lake trout, which are tasty and abundant in the reservoir. Kokanee salmon: The reservoir will be closed to possession of kokanee beginning Sept. 10. The fish are getting ready to spawn and are moving into tighter schools. Any fish caught must be immediately released. Sheep Creek, the stream, is already closed to kokanee fishing. If you are releasing fish, use extreme care — kokanee are highly sensitive to stress and handling. Kokanee descale easily, so a rubber net is essential and minimal handling makes a big difference. Decreasing their time out of the water and quickly removing hooks without damaging the fish's mouth is also very important. Also, turn off your engine — don't make the fish fight both you and the boat. The ideal method is to bring the fish in quickly and remove the hook without exposing the gills to the air. Although both Utah and Wyoming have stocked millions of kokanee over the last few years, the population remains low due to predation by lake trout and burbot. Anglers need to harvest small lake trout and burbot to reduce their impact on kokanee. Smallmouth bass: Smallmouth bass fishing is hot now that the water levels have stabilized. The larger fish are deeper (20 feet or more) because most stayed at about the same level while the reservoir increased. To reach the larger bass, you have to get through the smaller ones closer to the surface. Fishing has been good to excellent. Try using jigs with crayfish colors fished into the rocks. During the rainstorms this past weekend, flashy spoons fished near the rocks were extremely effective. Topwaterlures fished across the surface are also working well when the water is calm. Burbot: For burbot, try adapting ice-fishing techniques to the shore or a boat. Try fishing for a few hours, starting an hour or so before sunset, and then continue for a couple hours after dark. Set up along the rocky points, underwater slopes and cliffs near the main channel in shallower waters. The fish move into the shallows around sunset, so try fishing the bottom or just slightly above it in depths from 10–50 feet. Use just about anything that glows (e.g., spoons, tube jigs, curly-tailed jigs or minnow jigs) and tip your lure with some type of bait. A worm-and-marshmallow combination or floating PowerBait, fished 12 to 18 inches above the bottom, may also work and would be good to try if you're fishing from shore. Place your presentation close to the bottom and recharge the glow frequently. It is common to catch a fish immediately after re-glowing and dropping a lure. Strikes will likely be light and easy to miss. You'll help the Flaming Gorge fishery by harvesting as many burbotas possible. There is no limit on burbot.

GREEN RIVER BELOW FLAMING GORGE DAM: (September 09) Fishing has been good to excellent. The river is currently being managed at its normal summer level. Anglers are doing well with just about anything, although most seem to prefer a top/bottom combination. Try a fly presentation where a scud or shrimp is fished as a trailer below another larger surface presentation (like a grasshopper) or a streamer (like a minnow). Often, the fish are attracted to the larger presentation and then hit the smaller scud. Grasshopper, cricket, black ant and caterpillar imitations have been hot, as has matching the midge hatches. On windy days, anglers who use lures have been more successful because lures are easier to cast. Try Rapalas (floating, countdown and husky jerk); spinners; spoons; black, brown or olive marabou jigs; and plastic jigs. Use deep-diving lures in pools and shallow runners in riffles.

LONG PARK RESERVOIR: (September 09) The reservoir is full, and you'll find fair to good fishing for rainbows. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Popular flies include black and brown leeches and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Worm-and- marshmallow combinations and some of the commercial baits are also working well. The roads are open but please be careful, especially near stream crossings. High water and mudslides have damaged other roads in the area.

MATT WARNER:(September 09) Anglers report good fishing for three age classes of rainbows. The usual late-summer weed growth is limiting where anglers can fish from the bank. Most of the bank fishing is now in the arm near the outlet and boat ramp. Overnight temperatures are starting to cool the waters. You'll find the best fishing in the early mornings or in the evenings. Access is good, and the reservoir water level is high. All three Diamond Mountain reservoirs flowed over their spillways this year. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Popular flies include black and brown leeches and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Worm-and-marshmallow combinations and some of the commercial baits are also working well.

MOOSE POND:(September 09) Anglers report good fishing for stocked rainbows. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Popular flies include black and brown leeches and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Worm-and-marshmallow combinations and some of the commercial baits are also working well.

PELICAN LAKE:(September 09) Anglers are doing well, mostly from boats, because it's becoming more difficult to find a good hole from the bank. One good spot for shoreline anglers is the new fishing pier installed by the DWR this year (near the boat ramp on the southwest corner of the lake). A worm fished under a bobber and small lures have both been hot for bluegill. Others are catching both bass and bluegill with a sinking fly or a well-placed jig. Bass can be in the shallows, along the reed line or starting to move back into deeper waters. Bluegill are mainly in the deeper waters.

RED FLEET RESERVOIR: (September 09) The bass and bluegill are beginning to move out of the shallows into deeper waters, but you can still catch some near the shores. Fishing has been fair to good. Trout have moved to deeper, cooler water, and are mainly active early or late in the day. Walleye are still elusive, but we keep getting a few reports each week from anglers who are catching them. Try using lightly weighted jigs (tipped with worms or other bait), bottom bouncers or crankbaits in the backs of the bays or in the rocks along rocky points. The cooler hours deliver better fishing. We have also had reports of anglers catching walleye using a slow troll. They stayed close to the bottom in the deep waters and were using fish imitations. We had one report of anglers drifting worms and commercial baits but they didn't provide additional details.

SHEEP CREEK LAKE: (September 09) Anglers report slow fishing because the weeds have come up along the shore. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Effective flies include black and brown leeches and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Take bug spray — the mosquitoes and deer flies have been active.

SPIRIT LAKE:(September 09) Access roads are open, and we've had reports of good fishing. Try using brightly colored spoons and fish imitations. Effective flies include black and brown leeches, grasshoppers, black ants, mosquitoes and woolly buggers with a splash of yellow, orange or red. Worm-and-marshmallow combinations and some of the commercial baits should also work well. Take bug spray — the mosquitoes and deer flies have been active.

STARVATION RESERVOIR: (September 09) We've received reports of fair to good fishing for everything, including rainbows, walleye, bass and perch. For browns, rainbows and walleye, try casting or trolling close to the shoreline with an imitation minnow or a brightly colored lure. The early-morning and evening hours are your best bet. Fishing deep has also been working because the fish have moved into cooler water (around 20–40 deep). Fish into shorelines along the rock walls and rocky points for bass and walleye. The perch are more likely to be in the shallower bays and in the vegetation.

STEINAKER RESERVOIR:(September 09) Anglers are catching bass and bluegill in the submerged vegetation. Bluegill are also beginning to move into deeper water (look in the 15- to 20-foot range). The reservoir is still high, so try fishing in the holes in the flooded vegetation. For trout, try casting or trolling close to the shoreline with an imitation minnow or a brightly colored lure. You'll find better fishing early or late in the day and in deeper, cooler waters.