Due to COVID-19, Utahns are expected to stay home whenever possible. The directive includes specific instructions for all individuals, as well as high-risk individuals (60 years and older and those with serious underlying medical conditions), and children. The directives regarding hygiene, gatherings, travel, and outdoor recreation are effective immediately.

According to the State of Utah, traveling to engage in recreational and outdoor activities is considered essential travel, therefore I am updating our fishing reports.

With Spring making its way into Utah, it is time to test out some of our smaller fisheries. With the warming temperatures, expect runoff to make freestone streams cloudy and unfishable as the day progresses. If you are headed to a freestone, plan to go early or on a colder day. Access to a lot our smaller tailwater and freestone rivers will also be limited because of snow. With that being said, there are some areas in Northern, Central, and Southern Utah that are accessible to fish. Look for fisheries with paved access if you are planning on venturing out and let someone know where you are planning on going incase you are headed somewhere without cell service

The high pressure has broken and storms have been making their way through. Check the weather before venturing out to remote areas. Snowpacks are still sitting around 100 percent of normal across the state.

When venturing out on Utah’s small streams in the early season, it is good to have a variety of flies in your arsenal. Depending on where you are at you might find midges, blue wings, Skwalla Stones, or even an early caddis hatch. Being runoff season, fish will also be willing to eat a San Juan Worm. If you aren’t productive with any of those flies, try to swing a streamer through some of the deeper runs.