Spring Fly fishing
By John Olsen
Spring has always been a tricky time for fly fishing for me. First, even in summer, I stumble about when I wade but add ice and snow to forget about it. However, flyfishing in spring can also be very rewarding.
Even before the Midge hatch in Jan and February, you can find Nymph fishing very productive on warmer days. The fish in Jan and Feb will be much more lethargic and looking for high-calorie food, including nymph patterns.
Some of my favorite Nymph patterns are the Utah Killer Bug, Frenchie, Sow bug, and Zebra Midge. These are great early-year patterns to through on a warm Jan Feb day. One pattern that always does well is an egg pattern as well. Many fish will span different times of the year, and a good egg pattern will pull a strike when many others will not. Another early spring stand-by is a San Juan Worm or other small worm patterns. Red is my preferred pattern for early spring or late winter.
A dark or grey stone fly Nymph is one fly I will always have ready this time of year. If you keep your eye out as soon as the black Nymph shows up in the river, the bite will be on. My favorite early Stone Nymph is the Dark Sylfer Nymph pattern. It produces very well in early spring. You want to start in Jan and early Feb with Nymphs around #12, then go up in size as it warms up.
As spring continues, heaver nymphs will show and produce on local rivers. A must is a Salmon Nymph pattern for April. There are many different Salman Fly Nymph patterns. My favorite is the Soft hackle Salmon Fly Nymph, but a large #12 Stone fly Nymph will work well when Salmon Nymphs are out in the water. You will have several May fly hatches coming up in March. So one of my favorite Nymphs in mid to late Feb is the #12 Hairs Ear fly. This looks like most Mayfly Nymphs and will produce.
If you enjoy streamers mid, spring right before runoff can be a fun experience. From early April to mid-April, fish become more active and will chase streamers as the temperature climbs. In Northern Utah, some of the best streamers at that time are the Green Mudminow, kiwi fly pattern, and most Rainbow streamers.
Spring in northern Utah has its share of hatches that take place starting in March. The march hatch usually begins with the Blue wing Midge and Buffalo Midge. A bluewing Olive works excellently, but there are many to choose from. These are tricky small flies, and fish can be picky when rising for them. It's challenging and exciting to dry fly fish for them.
Right after the runoff, late spring or early summer is a blast to flyfish in northern Utah. You must look for the Stone fly hatch and a Brooks Montana Stone or similar Stone fly pattern, as there are many different patterns to choose from. The Mayflies will still be coming in waves as well. In Late May, you will need a Salmon stone fly pattern to hit some Utah rivers, but the Salmon fly has disappeared on some rivers, including Logan River and Provo.
Spring Fly fishing is also great because the pressure on the water is better than in summer and fall. It's much easier to find stretches of river to fish. Some great resource to use is your local fly shop. They often have the scoop on what's working well and water conditions. Northern Utah river info on hatches and conditions can be found at:
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