Utah Spring Fishing Report
March is easily one of the best months to get out on the Provo River, and this year is no different. The time to be on the Provo is now. Whether you’re a dry fly guy, a nymph fisherman, or a guy that wants to chuck streamers, you’ll find success on both stretches of the river. Seriously. Get out there.
This month is a great time to be out because the weather is warming up, but it’s still not sunny and 75, which means the crowds are down, but the fish are active. Beautiful spring weather, fish looking up, and low angling pressure? Seems like a good day to me.
The Lower is currently sitting around 260 CFS, which is a little higher than usual for this time of year. If this trend continues, boat anglers should be able to get on the water a little earlier than in past years. Don’t have a boat? Give us a call, and we’ll get you hooked up with a guide that does.
If you head out, there isn’t much of a reason to be on the water before nine o’clock. From nine to noon, you should focus on streamer and nymph fishing. Like I said above, both will produce fish. For nymphs, throw dark midges and sows.
When fishing streamers this time of year, I like fishing woolly bugger type patterns and any small to midsize streamer with a cone or bead head. The jigging action these flies provide seems to be the ticket.
Around noon, you’ll find fish eating midges on top. Grab your favorite midge dry, trail it with some sort of emerger, and you’ll be all set. The midge hatch isn’t as prolific on the Lower as it is the Middle, but there are definitely fish eating dries in the canyon. Usually, the bugs will be hatching until 2 or 3.
This month should also bring my favorite Lower Provo dry fly fishing: Blue Wings. We’re still a little early for them, but it would be smart to have some in your box. When the Blue Wings go off on the Lower, there’s no better place to be.
The Middle Provo can be summed up with two words: midge dries. The hatch is in full swing, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice not getting on the water. The hatch has been starting anywhere from 11-12:30 and lasting for a few hours, and its an epic few hours.
During the hatch, any small dry seems to work. I prefer gray mother shuckers in size 22 since the light color is easier to see, but most flies in 20-24 will do. If you really want to get crazy, swinging small soft hackles will also produce numerous fish.
At times, there can be so many fish rising it’s overwhelming. Just pick out one target and make a precise cast. Flock shooting over the risers is not the way to go about it.
If the hatch isn’t going off, which is usually the case in the morning, small dark midges and midges with a small amount of flash will be your best bet.
Conclusion
In my opinion, spring is the best time to be on the Provo. The weather is warming up, and the fishing is easy. You’ll have stretches of river to yourself as there aren’t the typical summertime crowds. I always tell clients if I could fish the Provo during one time of year, it would be March-May, and here we are.
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