happybrew
08-16-2000, 08:38 PM
Well, like an idiot, I didn't bring my fishing rods because I thought I'd be too busy to do any fishing, but I ended up having time after all. But I did do some camping, and I checked out the action. It seemed pretty decent. Going out of Provo on 189, there is a stretch of the Provo River that is fly fishing only. It had really nice water. It's catch and release for rainbows and cutts, but you can keep the browns. Be warned if you fish there, however, that you will have to compete with the rafts, inner tubes, and kids getting out of the heat. And I went in the middle of the week. I can't imagine how many people would be on that river during the weekend. The first Reservoir, Deer Creek, had lots of people fishing it, despite the water skiers. It has walleye, perch, and trout. When you get to the end of 189 in a town whose name escapes me, if you take a right, you'll end up at Strawberry Reservoir. The Strawberry River enters it, but I can't imagine why they'd call a trickle like that a river. It's high up, over 7000 feet. It has Rainbows, all sterile so they don't waste energy spawning, and grow to steelhead size. It has cutthroat in the 16 to 20 inch range. The particular strain in that lake feed mainly on other fish, and apparently BIG Wooly Buggers are the way to go if you flyfish. They encourage catch and release because the fish grow slowly, taking about five years to get to 16 inches. There are also kokanee available, of about average size. The ranger station there has some video footage of the kokes spawning. Keep going, and you'll get to Soldier Creek Dam. I saw a lot of really big trout rising to the surface and raising Cain. If I ever go anywhere without my fishing rod again, just shoot me. It would be the humane thing to do. I saw a couple of fly fishers in float tubes, but the main action seemed to be the trollers. I watched them for about a half an hour and saw quite a few fish netted. I didn't see anything about what kind of fish were in there, but I imagine it's the same as in Strawberry Reservoir, which is just a stone's throw away.
The scenery is quite spectacular. The Wasatch Mountains have quite a few spectacular cliffs and rock formations. The canyon along the Provo River can give the Columbia Gorge a run for its money. Of course, the trees are more sparce than in Oregon, but when the wind comes up in the quaking aspens, it's breathtaking. The whole hillside shimmers. And all of this just an hour and a half or less from Provo. Look out for the drivers though. People in Utah drive worse than Californians, if you can believe it. Well, it's off to bed for me. I have to be at work in seven and a half hours.
happybrew
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catfish and bass are poor substitutes for real fishing.
The scenery is quite spectacular. The Wasatch Mountains have quite a few spectacular cliffs and rock formations. The canyon along the Provo River can give the Columbia Gorge a run for its money. Of course, the trees are more sparce than in Oregon, but when the wind comes up in the quaking aspens, it's breathtaking. The whole hillside shimmers. And all of this just an hour and a half or less from Provo. Look out for the drivers though. People in Utah drive worse than Californians, if you can believe it. Well, it's off to bed for me. I have to be at work in seven and a half hours.
happybrew
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catfish and bass are poor substitutes for real fishing.