Idaho Fish Report
Central Region fishing forecast
by Utah Division of Wildlife
7-15-2022
801-538-4700
Website
Fairview Lakes: ★★★
An emergency regulation change is in effect, increasing the daily fish limit at Fairview Lakes to eight trout. This regulation change is prompted by on-going drought conditions. Fairview Lakes are expected to experience low water levels this year and fish loss is expected due to adverse conditions. The intention of the regulation change is to liberalize harvest and provide anglers the opportunity to harvest additional fish prior to fish loss, if loss occurs. This emergency regulation change is effective immediately and will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2022. All other rules, established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect. (July 07, 2022)
Provo River, Lower, Olmstead Diversion Dam upstream to Deer Creek Dam (Blue Ribbon): ★★★
River flows are fluctuating between 335 and 435 cubic feet per second. Anglers are starting to see pale morning dun mayfly hatches throughout the day. Caddisfly and stonefly hatches are also occurring. We recommend having an assortment of dry and nymph patterns with you for each insect/hatch. With these periods of higher flows and abundance of recreational float tubers on the river (dubbed the "tube hatch"), nymphing will still produce a few fish. Sow bugs, scuds, worm patterns and midge larva/pupa patterns typically work well. Swinging soft-hackles and working streamers through deeper water can also be effective. Summer recreation use is high on this section of the Provo River. Please be mindful of others, share the resource and practice good stream etiquette. (July 01, 2022)
Provo River, Middle, Legacy Bridge (SR-113) upstream to Jordanelle Dam (Blue Ribbon): ★★★★
River flows are holding at roughly 300 cubic feet per second in this section. Summer hatches are in full swing. Pale morning dun mayfly, caddisfly, green drake mayfly and yellow stonefly hatches are occurring throughout the day. We recommend packing an assortment of dry and nymph patterns with you for each insect. Nymphing is consistently producing good numbers of fish. Small midge larva/pupa patterns, sow bugs, scuds, worm patterns and nymphs (PMD, caddis, green drake, stoneflies) are all producing fish. Slow-swinging soft-hackles and working streamers through deeper water can also be effective dusk/dawn and worth trying when other techniques aren't moving fish. Summer guide/angler use is high throughout the Middle Provo. Please be mindful of other anglers, share the resource and practice good stream etiquette. (July 01, 2022)
Provo River, Middle, from Deer Creek Reservoir upstream to Legacy Bridge SR-113 (Blue Ribbon): ★★★
River flows are holding at roughly 300 cubic feet per second in this section. Summer hatches are in full swing. Pale morning dun mayfly, caddisfly, green drake mayfly and yellow stonefly hatches are occurring throughout the day. We recommend packing an assortment of dry and nymph patterns with you for each insect. Nymphing is consistently producing good numbers of fish. Small midge larva/pupa patterns, sow bugs, scuds, worm patterns, and nymphs (PMD, caddis, green drake, stoneflies) are all producing fish. Slow-swinging soft-hackles and working streamers through deeper water can also be effective dusk/dawn and worth trying when other techniques aren't moving fish. Summer guide/angler use is high throughout the Middle Provo. Please be mindful of other anglers, share the resource and practice good stream etiquette. (July 01, 2022)
Spring Lake: ★
The daily limit for sportfish has been increased to eight fish. (Common carp do not count towards the daily limit.) This limit increase went into effect Jan. 13, 2022, and will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2022. The regulation changes at the Spring Lake Community Fishery are because the lake will be drained by Payson City to facilitate repairs to the pond infrastructure. Low water levels are expected to result in the loss of sportfish left unharvested. Please obey all area closures that may be established by the city or construction crews. All other rules established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect. (July 07, 2022)
Utah Lake: ★★★
Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing for black bullhead and channel catfish all throughout the lake, targeting rocky shoreline areas and outer edges of weed lines. Anglers report mixed success fishing mornings, and increased success fishing evenings/nights.
Bullhead and channel catfish: Nightcrawlers, shrimp, fresh white bass and carp cut-bait all work well for summer cats. Fresh white bass meat does seem to be working best for a lot of anglers right now. Fishing the bait suspended off the bottom using a float rig, slip-float rig or Santee-Cooper rig is producing fish. However, fishing bait on the bottom using a weightless rig (no weight added, just a hook and a piece of cut-bait) or a 'classic' slip-sinker rig also works well. When it comes to channel catfish, we recommend using a larger bait holder hook or circle/octopus hooks paired with heavy test line. (The average Utah Lake channel catfish is 5 pounds.) We recommend using a swivel to create a 1-to-2-foot leader section of line between the hook and your main line. When attaching the hook to the leader, try snelling your hook to give you a better hook set. And, when baiting the hook, try to keep the hook point exposed and make sure the hook gap remains open, meaning, don't fill or load the entire hook with bait. Having too much bait in the hook gap often prevents the hook from anchoring properly inside the fish's mouth when you go to set the hook. (July 01, 2022)
Vernon Reservoir: ★★★
An emergency regulation change is in effect, increasing the daily fish limit at Vernon Reservoir to eight trout. This regulation change is prompted by on-going drought conditions. Vernon Reservoir is expected to experience low water levels this year and fish loss is expected due to adverse conditions. The intention of the regulation change is to liberalize harvest and provide anglers the opportunity to harvest additional fish prior to fish loss, if loss occurs. This emergency regulation change is effective immediately and will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2022. All other rules established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect. (July 07, 2022)
Yuba Reservoir & State Park: ★★★
An emergency regulation change is in effect, changing the daily fish limit to a combined total of 20 fish for the following species: Walleye, wiper, trout (any species), tiger muskie, northern pike, channel catfish (no size restrictions apply). This regulation change is prompted by on-going drought conditions. Yuba Reservoir is expected to experience low water levels this year and fish loss is expected due to adverse conditions. The intention of the regulation change is to liberalize harvest and provide anglers the opportunity to harvest additional fish prior to fish loss, if loss occurs. This emergency regulation change is effective immediately and will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2022. All other rules established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect. (July 07, 2022)
Seasonal forecasts
Burraston Ponds:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Burraston Ponds. Stocking efforts can continue through summer when water conditions permit. However, many community fisheries become unsuitable for trout stocking in July and August. Trout can still be caught during these summer months, though. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber is very effective for green sunfish and black bullhead catfish at Burraston. We recommend fishing areas with emergent vegetation (like cattails and bullrush) and targeting the outside edges of that vegetation. (June 10, 2022)
Canyon View Park Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Canyon View Pond. However, water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking in July and August, although trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a bread ball or a piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber can be effective for common carp, green sunfish and Utah sucker. Inline spinners, floating spoons, jigs and streamers can also be effective for wiper. (June 10, 2022)
Cove Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Cove Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking in July and August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber is also very effective for bluegill at Cove Pond. (June 10, 2022)
Danny R. Crump Fishing Pond (Riverton City Pond):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues until the middle of June at Danny R. Crump Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (June 10, 2022)
Deer Creek Reservoir (Blue Ribbon):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Deer Creek Reservoir is a very popular summer recreation destination. Recreational boating, swimming and non-angler shore use are high during these months. Fishing weekends and holidays can be challenging for boat and shore anglers, particularly when fishing the Rainbow Bay and Island day-use areas. We recommend anglers seek out less congested, low-traffic areas to help improve their fishing experience. Fishing early mornings, late evenings and weekdays during these months can also improve angler success and overall satisfaction. Boat anglers are typically able to launch from both of the main boat ramps through August. However, low water levels can reduce boat ramp capacity and even close ramps for motorized launching when levels get too low. We recommend motorized boat anglers check Utah State Park Boat Ramp Conditions often to ensure they are able to launch safely.
Rainbow trout: Our rainbow trout stocking will continue into July. Anglers should see fair to good trout catch rates by targeting deeper water. Garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout dough bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble can be very effective — from boat and shore. Trolling or actively casting the following lures can also be effective: Jakes Spin-A-Lure, Thomas Speedy Shiner, Eppinger Dardevle, Acme Kastmaster, Zona Lures Z-Ray, Panther Martin, Blue Fox Classic Vibrax Spinner and Rapala Original.
Bass: Smallmouth and largemouth bass catch rates are good this time of year. Soft plastic worms, stickbaits, tube jigs, twister tail grubs, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, drop-shot rigs, ned rigs and Neko rigs are all effective. Wacky-rigged Senkos, skirted jigs, streamers, swimbaits and topwater flies or lures can also produce fish. (June 30, 2022)
Deer Valley Ponds:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June into July at Deer Valley Ponds. Water conditions tend to become unsuitable for trout stocking in August. Trout fishing is good during these summer months. The ponds do see a lot of summer recreational use (paddleboarders and swimmers). Fly and conventional anglers typically have increased success fishing mornings and evenings. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler fished below a bobber, garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons and minnow mimic hard baits), jigs (such as bucktail, marabou and curly tail jigs) and streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns) are also effective for trout and wiper during summer months. (June 10, 2022)
Fairmont Park Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June into July at Fairmont Park Pond. Water conditions can become unsuitable for trout stocking late July into August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout fishing is fair to good during summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (June 10, 2022)
Grandpa's Pond (Sandy Community Fishery):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues until the middle of June at Grandpa's Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber closer to shore is also very effective for bluegill at Grandpa's Pond. (June 10, 2022)
Highland Glen Park Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June into early July at Highland Glen Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late July through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Highland Glen is a popular pond that gets a lot of summer recreational use (kayaks, paddleboarders and swimmers). Anglers typically see lower recreation use and have increased success fishing early mornings and later evenings. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber closer to shore on the east side of the pond is also very effective for bluegill at Highland Glen. (June 10, 2022)
Jordan River Reservoir (Willow Creek Pond):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking efforts typically cease by the middle of June at Jordan River Reservoir. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber closer to shore is also very effective for bluegill at Jordan River Reservoir (June 10, 2022)
Jordanelle Reservoir (Blue Ribbon):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Jordanelle Reservoir is a very popular summer recreation destination. Recreational boating, swimming and non-angler shore use are very high during these months, particularly in the Hailstone and Ross Creek areas. Fishing weekends and holidays can be challenging for boat and shore anglers. We recommend anglers seek less congested, low-traffic areas to help improve their fishing experience. Fishing early mornings and late evenings during these months can also improve angler success and overall satisfaction. Boat anglers are typically able to launch from the main Hailstone and PWC boat ramps through August. However, low water levels can reduce boat ramp capacity and even close ramps for motorized launching when water gets too low. The Rock Cliff and Ross Creek (non-motorized watercraft only) boat ramps are already closed, and are likely to remain closed this year due to low water levels. We recommend motorized boat anglers check Utah State Park Boat Ramp Conditions often to ensure they're able to launch safely.
Rainbow trout: We typically stock catchable-size (10-12 inch) rainbow trout through July and August. Anglers should see fair to good trout catch rates during these months by targeting deeper water. Garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout dough bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble can be very effective — from boat and shore. Trolling or actively casting the following lures can also be effective: Jakes Spin-A-Lure, Thomas Speedy Shiner, Eppinger Dardevle, Acme Kastmaster, Zona Lures Z-Ray, Panther Martin, Blue Fox Classic Vibrax Spinner and Rapala Original.
Smallmouth bass: Catch rates are good this time of year. Soft plastic worms, stickbaits, tube jigs, twister tail grubs, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, drop-shot rigs, ned rigs, Neko rigs, wacky-rigged Senkos, skirted jigs, streamers, swimbaits and topwater flies or lures can all produce fish.
Kokanee salmon: High numbers of recreational boaters (like wake and ski boats) make trolling for kokanee challenging during these summer months. Early mornings and late evenings are typically best for trolling, even midweek. Squid hoochie rigs tipped with an artificial maggot are a popular lure setup for Jordanelle kokanee. Pink-, orange- and purple-colored dodgers or squids typically produce fish. Wedding Ring rigs are also worth trolling if squid hoochie rigs aren't getting much action. (June 30, 2022)
Kidney Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking efforts typically cease by the middle of June for Midas, Kidney and Riverfront ponds. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (June 10, 2022)
Manila Creek Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June, July and August. Trout fishing is good during these summer months. The pond gets a lot of summer recreational use (kayaks, paddleboarders and swimmers). Anglers typically have increased success fishing mornings and evenings. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler fished below a bobber, garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons and minnow mimic hard baits), jigs (such as bucktail, marabou and curly tail jigs) and streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns) are also effective for trout and wiper during summer months. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber closer to shore away from the beach area is also effective for bluegill. (June 10, 2022)
Midas Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking efforts typically cease by the middle of June for Midas, Kidney and Riverfront ponds. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (June 10, 2022)
Northwest Sunset Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Sunset and Northwest Sunset ponds both get stocked with channel catfish. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Fishing a bread ball or a piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber can be very effective for common carp and bluegill. (June 10, 2022)
Riverfront Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking efforts typically cease by the middle of June for Midas, Kidney and Riverfront ponds. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. (June 10, 2022)
Salem Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Salem Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking July through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Salem Pond is very popular and gets a lot of summer recreational use (kayaks, paddleboarders and swimmers). Anglers typically see lower recreation use and have increased success fishing mornings and evenings. Boat anglers are typically able to access areas of the pond that are less congested, but also see increased success fishing mornings and evenings. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (June 10, 2022)
Spanish Oaks Reservoir:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June, July and August at Spanish Oaks Reservoir. Trout fishing is good during these summer months. The reservoir does get a lot of summer recreational use (kayaks, paddleboarders and swimmers). Fly and conventional anglers can catch fish any time of day, but typically have more success fishing mornings and evenings when fish are more actively feeding. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler fished below a bobber, garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons and minnow mimic hard baits), jigs (such as bucktail, marabou and curly tail jigs) and streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns) are also effective for both trout and wiper during summer months. (June 10, 2022)
Spring Lake:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Spring Lake. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking July through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. (July 7, 2022)
Strawberry Reservoir (Blue Ribbon):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August):
Kokanee salmon: Kokanee fishing is typically best from mid-May through July, and gradually tapers off as the kokanee begin to transition for spawning in late August. Finding and fishing at the correct depths for kokanee is critical. As the water warms during the year, the kokanee will generally move to deeper/cooler water. We recommend trolling in the mornings (before sunrise) or later in the evenings at 1.5- to 2 miles per hour. Early in the season start targeting the shallower water (10 to 20 feet) early in the day, and move to deeper water (25 to 50 feet) later in the day if needed. Later in the summer the kokanee will generally all be deeper (30 to 50 feet). Using good fish-finding equipment will also help you to focus your efforts where the fish are most likely to be. You can also run lines at multiple depths to find the fish. For tackle, various colored dodgers trailing a brightly colored (pink-, purple-, orange-, chartreuse-, etc.) hoochie squid rig work well. Various other brightly-colored small rigs and lures also work well. Have a variety of colors and styles handy, and change them up often to find the color and lure that works best on that day, as it can change from day to day. We recommend tipping the squid or lure with manufactured maggot style baits, corn, salmon egg, small live baits (maggots, worms, etc.), salad shrimp and/or various scents.
Kokanee can be caught almost anywhere out in open, deeper water; however, there are often “hotspots” where they seem to concentrate and/or bite the best. Once you find kokanee, continue trolling back through the same areas until the bite subsides. Anglers often do well trolling the “Triangle” (a popular non-exact route between Strawberry Bay Marina/Mackinaw Bay, the mouth of the Ladders/Knolls, and Haws Point/Rainbow Bay.) Anglers often vary their trolling distance between these three points, thereby shrinking their trolling area to focus their efforts in a specific area or in a specific water depth. On the Soldier Creek side, anglers will fish several hundred yards out from the west shoreline south of the Soldier Creek Marina to the mouth of the Narrows, and at times out from the steep east shoreline from across the Soldier Creek marina towards the dam. During some years, the Meadows (on the renegade side) can also produce well.
Cutthroat and rainbow trout: Cutthroat and rainbow trout can be caught trolling the same kokanee gear. Trolling and actively casting spoons and other similar metallic lures, inline spinners, hard minnow baits and soft plastics, such as tube and curly tailed jigs are also effective. Fly fishing from float tubes can also produce high catch rates during the summer. Being able to get your lures and flies down to deeper depths (25 to 50 feet for cutthroat, and 20 to 35 feet for rainbows) during the hotter times of the summer can be very important.
Generally, anglers tend to catch more cutthroat trout when trolling than they do rainbow trout. Bait fishing, however, can produce more rainbow trout for anglers in certain areas, such as the Meadows, shoreline areas on the Soldier Creek side and the Ladders. When fishing from shore, we recommend using scented trout dough baits, or a nightcrawler paired with a marshmallow fished 1 to 2 feet off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Again, even when fishing from shore, finding some steeper shorelines where you can cast out to deeper/cooler water can yield more fish during hot summer months. Tube jigs are effective year-round at Strawberry Reservoir, particularly for cutthroat trout. When fishing tube jigs, we recommend green- and white-colored ones, tipped with a small piece of nightcrawler to cover the end of the hook. Tubes can be trolled, jigged vertically or drifted slowly. Fishing tubes below a bobber, behind a casting bubble or with a slip bobber rig can also produce fish. Bites on tube jigs can be light, so be ready to set the hook. (June 24, 2022)
Sunset Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues until the middle of June at Sunset Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking late June, and remain unsuitable through August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Fishing a small piece of nightcrawler 2 to 3 feet below a bobber is also very effective for bluegill and pumpkinseed at Sunset Pond. (June 10, 2022)
Theodore Ahlin Park Pond (Pole Canyon Pond):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June at Theodore Ahlin Park Pond. Water conditions become unsuitable for trout stocking in July and August. The DWR transitions from trout to channel catfish stocking efforts in June and July. Catfish provide a great summer angling opportunity. Catfish can be caught any time of day, but the bite slows midday. We recommend fishing morning and evening when the catfish are more actively feeding. Nightcrawler, shrimp, common carp cut bait and chicken liver are all popular and effective catfishing baits. Fishing bait on the bottom using a slip-sinker rig, or suspended off the bottom using a float rig are both popular and effective catfishing methods. Trout can still be caught during these summer months. We recommend anglers fish mornings and evenings, target deeper water (west portion of the pond) and fish off the bottom using floating trout bait or a marshmallow paired with a piece of nightcrawler. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons, and swimbaits), and flies/streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns) fished behind a casting bubble can also be effective when trout are actively feeding. (June 10, 2022)
Vivian Park Pond (Provo Canyon):
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June, July and August at Vivian Park Pond. Trout fishing is fair to good during these summer months. The pond does see a good amount of aquatic vegetation growth during the summer, which can constrict open/fishable areas of the pond and provide a lot of midday cover for fish. Fly and conventional anglers have increased success fishing mornings and evenings when fish are more actively feeding in those pockets of open/fishable water. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler, or garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished below a bobber. (June 10, 2022)
Wasatch Mountain State Park Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June, July and August at Wasatch Mountain State Park Pond. Trout fishing is good during these summer months. Fly and conventional anglers can usually catch fish any time of day, with increased success fishing mornings and evenings. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler fished below a bobber, garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons and minnow mimic hard baits), jigs (such as bucktail, marabou and underspin jigs) and streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns) are also effective for trout and wiper during these summer months. (June 10, 2022)
Wayne Bartholomew Family Park Pond:
Summer fishing forecast (June through August): Trout stocking typically continues through June, July and August at Wayne Bartholomew Family Park Pond. The pond does see a lot of recreational use (kayaks, paddleboarders and swimmers), but trout fishing is good during these summer months. Fly and conventional anglers can usually catch trout any time of day, fishing from the north shoreline. However, anglers definitely see increased success fishing mornings and evenings, particularly fly anglers. We recommend using a piece of nightcrawler fished below a bobber, garlic-, corn- or cheese-scented trout bait fished off the bottom or behind a casting bubble. Lures (such as inline spinners, casting spoons and minnow mimic hard baits), streamers (such as wooly buggers, humongous and jig leech patterns), and wet fly patterns (such as chironomid pupa, bloodworm and shrimp patterns) are also effective during these summer months. (June 10, 2022)