Southeastern Utah Fishing Report

By Sun Advocate

BENCHES POND: (July 12) Because of the hot weather, anglers need to be on the water before the sun rises or after it sets. Try bait combinations like a worm and marshmallow or a worm with rainbow-sparkle PowerBait.
BOULGER RESERVOIR: (July 19) Conservation Officer Devin Christensen reports good fishing with red salmon eggs. During the week, Christensen interviewed one group of anglers that had caught and released 43 trout in four hours.
CARBON COUNTY COMMUNITY FISHING POND: (July 12) On July 3, Lt. J Shirley took his daughter and her friend fishing. Shirley reported excellent fishing. They caught 10 rainbow trout in 45 minutes using rainbow PowerBait and small silver Jakes. Because of high summer temperatures and an absence of shade, it’s always best to fish in the early morning or late evening. Target deeper waters and suspend your bait just off the bottom. You can also try a worm and marshmallow or a worm with PowerBait. Chartreuse or rainbow sparkle are the best PowerBait colors.
CLEVELAND RESERVOIR: (July 19) Conservation Officer Devin Christensen reports slow fishing. On July 15 however, Tom Ogden emailed a report indicating good fishing. Tom fly fished from a tube with fast-sinking line and a size 6 bead head wooly bugger or a size 4 bead head soft hackle fly. In 2.5 hours, he caught 27 rainbow trout that ranged in size from 11 to 18 inches.
ELECTRIC LAKE: (July 19) Conservation Officer Devin Christensen reports good fishing from the shoreline using redside shiners. One angler had caught 3 or four trout per hour with this method. Aquatics Technician Tyrel Mills recommends fishing from an anchored boat and jigging with a soft plastic grub tipped with a worm. White or chartreuse have been good colors.
FAIRVIEW LAKES: (July 19) Safety work on the dam will require that the lakes be almost completely drained. Because of the work, the limit on trout has been doubled to allow anglers to take advantage of the remaining trout. The eight trout limit will stay in effect until January 2014.
FERRON CREEK: (July 12) Fishing is good below the reservoir using mosquito or nymph patterns.
FERRON RESERVOIR: (July 12) Fishing is fair to good for anglers using worms and PowerBait or worms with marshmallows. For best results, fish during the cool of the day.
GIGLIOTTI POND: (July 19) On July 13, Gerald Lloyd of Price caught and released 40 trout from 7-9 p.m. using a fly and bubble. His best patterns were the double renegade and Scofield Special. Lloyd described the action as incredibly fast once the sun left the water. A week earlier, Lloyd fished from 8-10 a.m. and had good success using a mosquito or wooly bugger pattern.
GOOSEBERRY RESERVOIR: (July 19) A Boy Scout troop reported good fishing using PowerBait in a variety of colors. They found the best places to fish were along the dam and on the south end.
GRASSY LAKE: (July 12) Fishing is usually good at this higher-elevation pond in July using a variety of baits, lures and artificial flies.
HUNTINGTON CREEK: (July 12) The Seeley Fire and its subsequent flooding and erosion killed all the fish in the creek. The creek will not be stocked until next year at the earliest.
HUNTINGTON GAME FARM POND: (July 03) Restocking occurred in May, but there hasn’t been much fishing pressure. Fishing should be fair to good if you’re out on the water near sunrise.
HUNTINGTON NORTH RESERVOIR: (July 19) On July 12, Tom Ogden and Perry Bunderson fly fished from a tube. In three hours, they caught seven bluegill, two bass and one rainbow trout. They used fast sinking line with bead head olive leeches in sizes 4-6 or a leprechaun in size 6. The fish were in 18 to 22 feet of water.
HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR: (July 19) Fishing was rather poor during the week according to shoreline anglers using flies or bait. On July 15 however, Tom Ogden reported good fishing from a tube at the upper end. In 4.5 hours, he caught 15 tiger trout that ranged from 12 to 16 inches. Tom used fast sinking line and bead head soft hackle flies or wooly buggers in sizes 4 and 6, respectively. This reservoir is also known as Mammoth Reservoir.
JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: (July 19) Expect slow fishing. We had no reports about any techniques, locations or bait that were effective last week.
LOWER FISH CREEK: (July 12) On July 9, Walt Maldonado reported good fishing with a Panther Martin spinner. The best color pattern had a yellow body with red spots and a gold blade. Fly anglers should try using a green wooly bugger drifted under over-hanging banks.
LOWER GREEN RIVER: (July 12) On July 9, Walt Maldonado reported good fishing for catfish with chicken liver. Walt extends the usability of the chicken liver by wrapping it in a piece of nylon stocking and tying it to the hook. The water level is low. Try fishing around the pump house for best results. Walt reported that some anglers have caught walleye in the geyser area using nightcrawlers.
MILLER FLAT RESERVOIR: (July 19) Fishing is good. Conservation Officer Devin Christensen recommends casting silver Z-ray lures from the shore.
MILLSITE RESERVOIR & STATE PARK: (July 12) On July 7, Tom Ogden and Perry Bunderson fly-fished from kick boats in the upper part of the reservoir from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They caught nine rainbow, eight cutthroat and two splake trout; all in the 14- to 17-inch size range. Tom and Perry used fast-sinking line with size 6 bead head wooly buggers and leprechauns. Tom watched several other anglers trolling or fishing from anchored boats. None appeared to be catching fish. Because of the recreational boat traffic, anglers should fish at dawn or stay at the upper end of the reservoir.
PETES HOLE: (July 12) Traditionally, fishing is good during the summer using baits, lures or artificial flies. Carry an assortment, just in case.
POTTERS PONDS: (July 19) Fishing is fair. Try fishing with a worm below a bobber.
RIGHT FORK OF HUNTINGTON CREEK: (July 12) The creek hasn’t had fish since the Seeley Fire last year, and won’t be restocked until next year at the earliest.
SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: (July 19) Conservation Officer Devin Christensen reports slow fishing. You should have slightly more success trolling with pop gear and a night crawler than with other methods. Trout have been 10 to 12 inches generally.
SOUP BOWL: (July 12) Try using traditional baits, then move on to artificial flies if the baits fail. Spincasters will have to reel in quickly to avoid hooking aquatic vegetation.
STRAIGHT CANYON CREEK: (July 12) Fly anglers have the best luck in deeper hole and nearby runs.
WILLOW LAKE: (July 12) Fishing is good. Be sure to fish in the early morning for best results.
WRIGLEY SPRINGS RESERVOIR: (July 12) Fishing is fair. Try fishing early or late in the day with worms or PowerBait.