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Spring has settled into the Valley in all of its “wait-5-minutes-for-the-weather-to-change” glory! This is the norm in the spring and it makes the available fishing somewhat fickle. At the very least, it makes anglers pay close attention to what is happening on the water, as the need to switch flies or go from wet to dry can happen quickly.
Finding fish this week is the key. There really aren’t many rivers right now that aren’t being affected by some amount of runoff. The good news is the runoff is coming down slowly right now. Each day that goes by with these conditions will help ease the odds of flooding.
It is definitely time to get your stillwater game on. The reservoir fishing in the next few weeks will be good and accessible. Fishing from the bank, a boat or a float tube are all effective. If the wind is down, there may also be a great opportunity for dry-fly anglers to catch fish taking Midges and Midge Emergers. This can really get going in the evening and is well worth your fishing time.
If you fish Magic Reservoir, currently the water has more clarity near the dam and the smallmouth bass fishing has been decent off the rocky shorelines. The rainbow bite is best in the shallow bays and the points throughout the reservoir. Fly selection can be as simple as fishing buggers when blind fishing the area or stripping big Nymph patterns. If the fish begin to rise in the evening, have your very best Midge flies and especially any Emerger patterns you may have. You can even try bigger Emerger patterns like Callibaetis or Green Drakes.
Don’t be discouraged if you have trouble fishing the evening rise… it’s always a challenge, but always rewarding.
If Magic Reservoir is busy, or too big for your tastes, then try Little Wood Reservoir, Fish Creek Reservoir, Mormon Reservoir or Anderson Reservoir. They all have their moments and are full of trout or bass—or both!
Finally, for the super-adventurous, it’s time to start thinking about ice-off on the lowest-elevation mountain lakes. These will require careful homework, planning, skill and a lot of hit and miss. Despite the efforts, if you time it right, these ice-off days can be among the most memorable days in an angler’s lifetime.
Happy fishing, everyone!