Fishing Report

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ABAJO MOUNTAINS – Dedicated Hunter, Steve Duke recently conducted creel surveys of waters in San Juan County. Lakes and reservoirs are filling up fast. Steve found fair fishing at Blanding #3 and #4 for anglers using Kastmaster or Mepp’s spinners. At Recapture Reservoir, no anglers were found. A week earlier, aquatic biologists Justin Hart and Craig Walker fished Recapture Reservoir, and caught several small pike and a 12-inch largemouth bass. Craig hooked a 3-4 pound pike but lost it. They had most luck with large, chartreuse, skirted, double-bladed spinnerbaits. Steve Duke reported fair to good fishing at Loyd’s Lake with salmon eggs. Monticello and Foy reservoirs offered fair to good fishing with worms or silver Panther Martin spinners. The San Juan River is unfishable at present.
BENCHES RESERVOIR – The ice pack is melting, and ice-off may occur by the weekend. The reservoir’s tributary is closed to fishing until July 9.
CLEVELAND RESERVOIR – Ice has come off the east side. The reservoir could be ice-free by the weekend. Stocking may not occur until after Memorial Day. However, the lake still holds carry-over trout from last year. Todd Munford of Big Pine Sports in Fairview recommends using a nightcrawler with split shot or a black (or olive) 1/32-ounce jig with a piece of nightcrawler, suspended by a floating bubble.
ELECTRIC LAKE – The lake is mostly ice-free, but the access road on the north end is mostly snow-covered with patches of mud. Cutthroat trout are stacking near the inlet for the spring spawn. A nightcrawler/salmon egg combination was effective. The best lures have been tan or rust Roostertails or 1/8 ounce brown marabou jigs. Tributaries are closed to fishing until July 9 to protect spawning cutthroat trout.
HUNTINGTON CREEK – Except for the upper end of the fly-only zone, the creek is unfishable. The water is fast, high and turbid. Todd Munford advises anglers in the fly-only zone to try large attractor patterns, trailed by small nymphs, such as the RS 2, WD-40, or Lil Brassie. Brown trout are generally within the 10- to 12-inch size class. .
HUNTINGTON NORTH STATE PARK – This reservoir will be planted with 9- to 10-inch rainbow trout prior to the holiday weekend. A creel survey last weekend indicated fair fishing success. Best baits were rainbow or green PowerBait, and nightcrawlers. Spincasters had luck with Super Vibrax and Roostertail spinners.
HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR (on the Wasatch Plateau, Sanpete County) The shoreline has opened up enough to allow shoreline angling. Conservation Officer Jay Topham reported fair to good fishing from the shoreline, using black jigs or a worm-PowerBait or worm-salmon egg combination Todd Munford recommends fishing with a straight nightcrawler.
JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR – The reservoir is open. Fly fishermen should consider using large streamer or leech patterns. Bait fishermen are encouraged to use dead minnows or chub meat. Most splake caught are either under or within the slot. Special regulations apply. The limit is two trout, only one over 22 inches. All trout between 15-22 inches must be immediately released.
LASAL MOUNTAINS – Conservation Officer Joe Nicholson indicates that Ken’s Lake is full, and fishing was fair for 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout and brown trout up to 18 inches. Officer Nicholson recommends Roostertails, Lil Jake’s spin-a-lures and worms. Anglers are reminded that the trout limit at Ken’s Lake is four. Hidden and Don’s lakes are accessible now, although fishing was slow. The road is open to Oowah Reservoir where the fishing was fair to good with spinners and salmon eggs. Catfishing on the Colorado River was fair with traditional baits.
MILLER FLAT RESERVOIR – The access road is closed.
MILLSITE RESERVOIR – Dedicated Hunter, Randy Ruden conducted a creel survey last weekend and reported good fishing. Successful anglers were using worms with white marshmallows, salmon eggs, and yellow-sparkle or lemon twist PowerBait.
PETES HOLE – Access is closed.
POTTERS PONDS – Access is closed.
SCOFIELD RESERVOIR – The reservoir is filling rapidly. Tributaries are raging torrents. Shorelines and inlets are clogged with debris. The water is turbid. Boaters, tubers and pontooners will find the best fishing this weekend. Fly fishermen will be challenged by colored water and a recent midge hatch. The best bait will be redside shiners, which may be caught in the reservoir with minnow traps. They should be fished off rocky points. Remember that bait fish must be dead prior to use. The second best bait is trout egg sacs. Remember that it’s illegal to harvest eggs from a female trout and then release the fish back into the water. Also, be advised that many trout die when hooked with egg sacs or minnows. Please harvest those fish which are deeply hooked. Please remember that all tributaries to Scofield Reservoir are closed to fishing until July 9th to protect spawning cutthroat trout.
STRAIGHT CANYON – Unfishable due to high, fast and colored water.