Utah Fly Fishing Report Winter
Winter Fly Fishing Report
The Middle Provo River
The Middle Provo River is famous for its Winter midge hatches. They usually hatch at around noon which is perfect because that’s also the warmest part of the day. The Winter flies start off pretty small (size 26-30). You’ll see these tiny bugs through December and January. As we start to get into February and March they get much bigger with sizes being in the 16-18 range. They say there are around 3000 – 4000 trout per mile in the Provo River and during some of these hatches you’ll know that to be absolutely true. During the peak of these hatches the Provo River can look like it’s boiling with rising trout. Nymphing before during and after these hatches can be amazing.
Provo River trout tend to be very hatch specific and selective so you should use flies that are a close visual representation of the actual insect. Match the size, color and shape of the insect you’re trying to imitate. Midges are generally grey to black but sometimes mixing it up with some blue, red or purple patterns can be the answer. At times it’s just a matter of making your fly stand out from the others.
Using emerging midge patterns that have a little wing sticking out or one that is just coming out of it’s shuck work great. A lot of the time they like a flashy wing like Sparkle Organza or Flashabou. Fish these on the bottom, mid column or in tandem with a dry fly.
Provo River trout really key to the shucked up midges and clusters so make sure you have some dry fly patterns that imitate them. Some great patterns to have with you for these hatches are the Mother Shucker, Orange Asher and Griffiths Knats.
Current Fly Fishing Report Middle Provo River
February 9 2025 – I fished the upper stretch of the Middle Provo from 9-1:00 today and it fished really well. Nymphing from 9:00 to 10:30 was pretty consistent on size 26 grey midges. Midges were around the whole time but from around 10-12:00 there was a good hatch that brought a lot of fish up and we caught a bunch on shuckers. I was using a 2 fly, dry fly set up with a bigger fly to help spot the small one and they ate the bigger one just as much. Buffalo Midges should be soon. Nymphing was okay after the hatch.
January 2 2025 – Trout seem to be coming out of their post spawn phase and are starting to eat bugs again. Some midges hatching around 11:30 with some fish rising. The random Winter midge patterns ( blue, red etc…) are working as well as darker midges sized 24-26.
December 21 2024 – Fishing has been okay with sunny days being best. Some midges are out midday and you can find some fish rising. Nymphing has been best with size 26 midges in grey. The brown trout are mostly done spawning but can still be caught on eggs.
March 11 2024 – Fishing has been really good. Both nymphing and dry fly fishing are good right now. Nymphing small midges size 24-26 has been consistent. The Buffalo Midge hatch has been excellent in the afternoon starting at about 12:30. Black and grey shuckers work good.
January 8 2024 – Fished the Green Gate area from 9:30 – 3:00 today. A cold front moved in bringing Winter with it but it was still a decent day. There were a few tiny midges out that brought some random fish to the surface. We nymphed midges the whole time and the best fishing was in the afternoon. Emerging midge patterns size 24-26 in grey and black worked best. Fishing should start getting good from now through March.
December 28 2023 – Another beautiful day on the river. Sunny and nice. We fished the Farm today and fishing was okay. No real hatch and the trout seem to be going through their post spawn phase. Caught fish on small grey midge patterns size 26.
December 15 2023 – We fished the Bunny Farm area and the weather was amazing. Sunny and near 50 degrees made for a nice day on the river. Nymphing was decent from 11:00-3:00 with no real hatch to speak of. Small, grey midge nymphs in size 26 worked best.
2022 - 2021 Fly Fishing Report Middle Provo
March 5 2022 – The Middle Provo is fishing great as the midges are in full swing with great dry fly opportunities morning through mid day. Remember the trout really key to the shucked up midges as well as the clusters so shuckers and clustered patterns are great. Nymphing is excellent pretty much all day. Midges are small in the morning (24) and get bigger (20-18) as the day progresses with some Buffalo midges hatching mid river.
February 11th 2022 – Fishing is getting really good. There is a solid midge hatch at around 11:00 with lots of fish rising. Midges are a size 22-24 and most standard midge dry flies are working but the trout really key to the shucked up bugs. Nymphing has been good all day with brown patterns in size 22-24.
March 20 2021 – Excellent hatch in the Bunny Farm area! Nymphing has been a little tougher up until about an hour before the hatch. They have been starting around 12:00 – 12:30. Brown shuckers have been my best dry fly the last few times and nymphing with grey midges in 20-24 have been good.
March 11th 2021 – The hatch is getting better and starts around 12:30 and by 1-1:30 they really get going. Nymphing continues to be good before the hatch. They want smaller patterns in the size 24-26 range until the bigger bugs start hatching. Greys, blacks and browns have been good.
March 1st 2021 – Solid hatch today on the upper stretch. There were a lot of fish up well before the hatch feeding on the slightly smaller midges (size 20) that also hatch this time of year. Buffalo midges were on the water around 12:30 and nymphing was great pre hatch as well as during the hatch. Brown and black Mother Shuckers worked great.
February 24th 2021 – Things are really picking up on the Middle Provo River. Great midge hatches with some Buffalo Midges starting to make an appearance. You’ll find fish rising all morning with the main hatches starting around 10-12 depending on where you are. River Road to the dam has been great. Mother Shuckers in grey, brown and black have been deadly. Nymphing with straight hook midges in black, dark grey and brown size 24-20 have been good all day with the morning being best. Tight Lines!!
The Lower Provo River
The Lower Provo River report for the Winter months are about the same as the Middle Provo with a few exceptions. The midge hatches usually don’t really start here until February. Look for them during the warmest part of the day, generally 11-2. You’ll see some good hatches but not quite as consistent as the Middle until late Winter, February-April. Once they do get going you can see sheets of midges on the water with trout eating mouthfuls of bugs instead of just one at a time. This is a good time to use big cluster midge patterns.
Nymphing on the Lower Provo should be pretty good. Look to match the hatch with midges from size 22-28. The Lower is also a sowbug factory and they will eat these all year long, especially in the colder months when there aren’t as many options. Use smaller sowbugs in various shades of grey from December-January size 24-20.
As winter gets closer to Spring you can start using bigger sizes 20-16. The brown trout will continue to spawn through December so egg patterns should continue to produce fish into January. I like to use small orange and peach colored glow bugs in sizes 16-20. Be mindful this time of year and be aware of spawning beds. Use caution while wading to not walk through the redds.
Current Fishing Report Lower Provo River
December 20 2023 – The flows on the lower have been great this Winter. Fishing was good nymphing small midges and sow bugs. Midges sized 24-26 in browns, yellows and grey have been good. Also small sow bugs size 22-24 in grey.
2022-2021 Fishing Report Lower Provo River
April 1 2021 – Fishing has been absolutely amazing! Nymphing is great and the Blue Winged Olive hatch is in full force. Lots of fish rising all day with midges in the morning and BWO’s around 1:30 through 4 pm. Small brown, olive and yellow midges with a copper bead are nymphing great all morning and then Blue Wing emergers throughout the afternoon. Comparaduns and noseeums are crushing fish during the afternoon hatch and Mother Shuckers or various Griffiths Knat type flies are great in the morning. Tight Lines!
March 20 2021 – The Lower Provo has been on fire! The famous Provo River blue
Lower Provo Fishing Report March 20 2021
winged olives have been making their annual appearance and the trout are all over them.
Look for them at around noon with cloudy days being best. Great dry fly opportunities going throughout the afternoon and nymphing has been great too. Midges in the morning and blue wing emergers in the afternoon. I’ve done best with black and grey patterns.
March 11th 2021 – Fishing is great with midges in the morning and some blue winged olives starting to show up. Nymphing has been excellent and some risers in the afternoon.
February 24th 2021 – The Lower Provo River has been awesome. Good midge hatches on the upper half of the river and great nymphing throughout the whole river. Mother Shuckers, Orange Ashers and Griffiths Knats have been great. Nymphing with sowbugs and small copper bead midges in size 24-20 has been a deadly combo with yellow and brown being best. Lots of big rainbows being caught. Tight Lines!!
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