Fly Fishing The Middle Provo

Fly fishing on the Middle Provo river really is some of the best in the country. Yeah it gets a fair amount of pressure and can be crowded. Having one of the best trout streams in the nation within 20 minutes from Park City probably has a little something to do with that. Not to mention the millions of people on the other side of the hill.

As a Utah native and long time fly fisherman the Provo has been my go to since the early nineties. It was definitely a different time back then. If you went to the Lower Provo and it was “crowded” you’d go to the Middle Provo and be by yourself. Crowded back then was a couple cars in the parking area.

A woman fly fishing on the Provo River during the Fall — Landing a brown trout while Fall Fly Fishing On The Middle Provo River near Park City Utah

What Makes It So Good

The famous Middle Provo River winds through the Heber valley starting at the Jordanelle dam and ending at Deer Creek reservoir. About 13 miles of river. So what makes fly fishing on the Middle Provo River one of the best in the country? Well, it’s not just one thing. It’s a number of things that make this river the world class fishery that it is.

The first thing is the restoration that was done on the river 15 years ago. It was basically rebuilt and restored top to bottom except for a couple stretches of river. The finished product is a perfect trout habitat.

Add the clean cold water that comes out of Jordanelle reservoir and you not only have ideal conditions for trout but for the aquatic insects that make up the majority of their diet. The Provo is famous for it’s year round hatches. There are incredible dry fly fishing opportunities all year long. Some of the best being in the Winter months while the midges are hatching.

Brown Trout rising to eat a bufflao midge on the Provo River

Top Ten Trout Fishery

Now add the fact that there are around 3500 wild trout per mile in this stretch of river. Then the ease of access and you have a top ten, blue ribbon trout fishery in the United States. It’s no wonder that some of the best fly fisherman in the world call it their home water.

You’d think having all that in your favor all you would need to do is show up to the river and the trout would just jump into your net. Not exactly. This river is one of the reasons some of the best anglers in the state are as good as they are. Wild brown trout, various bugs and a good amount of pressure make these trout some of the smartest in the west.

That’s the reason so many people love this sport though. It’s a challenge and a never ending learning experience. It’s not the act of actually catching a trout that makes this sport so great but everything that went into it. Years of practice, entomology, reading rivers, etc.. Not to mention the challenge of being outsmarted by a rising, 13 inch brown trout. Nothing like getting your ass handed to you by a creature that has an IQ of about 2 to make you want to hone your skills and figure things out. Yeah, catching a trout is the plan but not necessarily the goal.

Bugs and Trout

A Green Drake mayfly in the water. — An adult Utah Green Drake

One of the most famous hatches on the Middle Provo is the Green Drake mayfly. Look for these giant mayflies in early July. When they start to hatch, big trout that don’t normally come to the surface will finally show themselves. The mayfly is about a size 10 which is like a big chunk of steak for the trout that eat them. They last for a few weeks depending on the year.

A brown trout rising to a buffalo midge on the Middle Provo River

The late Winter/early Spring Buffalo Midge hatch is another amazing hatch on the Middle Provo. It’s the biggest midge we see on the river and is about a size 18 midge which is huge in the midge world.

You’ll see pods of trout rising causing the river to look like it’s boiling at times. On a good day this hatch can last for a few hours. Trout will almost exclusively focus on the bugs that are just hatching with the shuck still attached.