I had a guide trip on May 2nd with the product manager from Browning.  His name is Mark and he is a local to Utah but wanted to learn more about the details of catching fish on the Provo River.  It was a good day to learn since we had the flows increase dramatically from 200 CFS to over 500 CFS (see chart above)  We ended up catching some fish on the middle in a great spot when the flows go up on some San Juan Worms, but then we decided to try out luck down on the Lower Provo hoping that the flows were a little more consistant.

I’m glad we did cause we managed to land this beautiful Cut Bow, about a 16-17 incher, along with some other really nice Browns and Rainbows.

If you ever want to check the flows, you can always go to our “links page” and  click on the appropriate USGS for where you are going – I have categorized them by either the Middle Provo, Lower Provo and the Weber River near Wanship.

There are so many things that I love about fishing “softies”. Not only is the technique flat out productive 365 days of the year, this method teaches you how to read the currents of the river as you observe your line to know where your fly is . For me, the next best thing to a big brown sipping your dry fly is to have one SLAM into a softie on the swing!

I use a 10’ leader tapered to 4x or sometimes 5x. You want to start at the head of a run, and slowly work your way down river. Present your fly by casting a quarter down stream. You can fish different depths by casting across the current or by adding a little weight. Often the best depth is very shallow. Presented in this manner these patterns represent insects which are struggling just below the surface. The soft, wet, flowing hackle simulates the activity of thrashing legs and beating wings.

Once the line is on the water, just let the current swing it across and down stream. Follow the line with the rod tip as it moves down stream. When your line is below you, I love to strip it in just like a streamer. Experiment with different stripping speeds and once you find what they like, hold on! Strikes can come at any time so be ready! I once had a big brown nearly rip my rod right out of my hands as he grabbed my fly! You don’t need to set the hook like in nymphing, as the line is under tension from the current. When a fish strikes, simply lift the rod.

The flies are simple to tie as well. The most effective patterns are simply a thin silk, thread, or dubbed body with oversized hackle wrapped sparsely around the collar. I use Partridge, starling feathers, blue dun or grizzly hackle on most of my patterns. Some of my favorites are: Partridge and yellow, Partridge and orange, Partridge and peacock, BWO swinger, and the soft hackle hares ear.

The theory of color attraction is an important part of all fly fishing techniques. A general rule of thumb is to fish dark patterns on overcast days and light patterns on sunny days, but these flies are so versatile that sometimes rules don’t apply! I hope this information will help you enjoy fishing “Softies” as much as I do. Fish on!

Brook Trout On The Lower Provo?

Yesterday I guided a great fly fisherman, Jason Archibald, on the Lower Provo River.  It was a great day, and many fish were caught.  Some big, some small.  Although the fish that has the greatest story from yesterday is not the 16 inch rainbow, or the many other large Rainbow Trout that got away.  The greatest fish story from yesterday is about the trout pictured above?

Is it a Brook Trout?  If so, this would be the first Brook Trout I have ever seen in the Lower Provo in all my 16 years of fishing it and 6 years of guiding on it.  I’ve seen hundreds of fish pulled out of this river, but never one like this.

So let’s hear your comments, what is it?

While Bart was originally in town with his family to do some skiing, his mom and dad though it would also be fun to do some Park City fly fishing.  As the weather begins to warm it is really improving the fishing.  On half day trips each client can expect to catch about 4-10 trout.

So if your in town to do some Skiing for a week, but your trying to figure out other things to do in Park City besides Skiing.  Gives us a call and book a fly fishing adventure.

No mater your age or experience, our professional Utah fly fishing guides will help you catch some Utah trout on the majestic Provo River.

Contact: Justin at 801.376.0626 to book your trip today or drop us an e-mail here

St. Regis is a great place to stay while you are visiting Park City.  One thing you should know is that only 15 minutes from St. Regis is the Provo River, which is a blue ribbon fly fishery.  Meaning there are over 3000 fish per mile on this beautiful, scenic, mountain river.

We would love to take you out and do some Park City Fly Fishing, no prior fly fishing experience is needed.  We provide you with all the gear to help you feel like you have been fly fishing for years and in no time you’ll be on the river fly fishing like the Pros.

We are so sure that you’ll learn how to fly fish with us, we offer a “No Fish, No Pay” guarantee!

WHY I FLYFISH

by Henry Kanamoto

 

I flyfish because it takes me into a place filled with cool flowing waters inhabited by beautiful irridescent creatures usually surrounded by a cathedral of green. It removes me from my usual work which is stressful, and hurried, and performed in darkened airconditioned rooms with artificial lighting. I can escape, if only for a short time, from emergencies and beepers and the rest of our high tech world. I can return to a more peaceful place, and in my mind to a much simpler time.

 

I am linked by tradition to the greats of flyfishing, Halford and Skues, Gordon and Wulff, and even back to the apostles, who Norman Maclean considered fishers of men. I am part of a tradition, which like a flowing river, joins me to the past, even as it carries me into the future. I have the benefit of their knowledge and I can learn from their writings. And their wisdom often extends beyond flyfishing into how to live a good life, and how to conduct yourself before other men and women.

 

Flyfishing is, for me, a metaphor for life itself. You set for yourself a code of conduct – upstream, dry fly only, to rising trout if you are a strict moralist. You resist temptation when the fish are feeding subsurface, or you may *sin* and fish to the nymphing trout,resolving next time do better.

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Here are the fly fishing basics for dry fly:

1.  keep a good rhythm back and forth with the slightly tilted to the right (if your right handed)
2. Picture a clock to your right side now when you cast you should go no further forward than 10 o’clock and no further than 2 o’clock , thats the motion in the air you should swing your fly rod.  It’s one of the fly fishing basics and will give you a good idea of how far back to go.  to many beginners cast way to far back (to 3 o’clock) and it messes with their whole groove.
3. remember that you have two cast to work on, your forward cast and your back cast.  each cast is the same, but opposite.
4. make sure that your line goes all the way back (watch it go back at first).  When I started I would watch the line in the front and when I went to cast it back again, my timing was great, but when I brought it forward again I was not looking and I wouldn’t do so good.  When I started watching my line go forward and back I dramatically improved my casting.  So try it out, watch your line go forward and back, making sure your tip stays at a 10 and 2 o’clock motion.

As always, have fun and end on a good note so you’ll want to cast more soon.  If you’ll be in Utah fly fishing or specifically Park City fly fishing,  try fishing the Provo River, you’ll be hooked by the majestic, mountain scenery.

I started fly fishing when I was 12 years old.  I’m currently 28 (2012), and when I’m not working (as if you can call my job work) I like to get in more fly fishing, I get out about once a week fly fishing on my own.

As the owner of Utah Pro Fly Fishing, I am fortunate to have great friends to fish with, my guides and I love to learn from them. I also like contributing to fly fishing forums,

I love guiding both new and seasoned fly fishers.  It’s always fun to see a beginners smile when they catch there first fish.  It’s equally as fun guiding a seasoned fly fisherman who has much to teach me.  Although I have been guiding since 2006, I still feel like each new day presents itself with new challenges that keep my profession worth pursuing.

“Guides do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves” -Justin Harding

Top 5 Favorite Provo River Flies (nymphs):

1. Split Back PMD   (photo courtesy of Solitude Flies)
2. Cased Caddis (Photo courtesy of www.troutfishingutah.com)
3.  Prince Nymph (photo courtesy of Rainys Flies)
4. San Juan Worm (photo courtesy of http://www.taneycomotrout.com/)
5. Pheasant Tail (photo courtesy of Rainy’s Flies)

Great looking

Our canyons fly fishing guide will take you out on the Provo River, which is only about 15 minutes away from the canyons.

If your staying at the Canyons in Park City for a weekend getaway, you should think about doing some Park City Fly Fishing, just contact us and we’ll be happy to help you have a great experience fly fishing. And just like we have helped hundreds of other people this past year, we will help you catch fish too…we guarantee it! Let us be your Canyons fly fishing guide!