Utah - Salt Lake City Fishing Report Today

Good morning from the Wasatch Front—Artificial Lure here, giving you the latest September 19th fishing report for Salt Lake City and the surrounding waters. We’re heading out of summer but the bite’s still lively at the area’s best spots, just in time for some crisp fall angling.

First, let’s get you squared away on conditions. Today’s weather? You’re in for a gorgeous early fall treat: high temps in the upper 70s, low humidity, and very light winds according to KUTV’s weather desk. Skies will be mostly clear, with sunrise at 7:13 AM and sunset at 7:30 PM—plenty of daylight to soak in those golden hours. No tide action to report, since we’re inland, but keep that barometer handy; high pressure should keep fish active, especially in the early morning and right before dusk.

Water clarity at the main ponds and reservoirs is decent, running a little lower in the urban ponds after midweek storms, but the main urban fisheries have settled down. Jordan River is running a bit murky, but you can still find pockets of clarity off the deeper bends near Murray and the confluence of Little Cottonwood.

Now, onto what everyone's catching: At *Liberty Park Lake* and *Fairmont Park Pond*, the city pond regulars have netted plenty of healthy rainbow trout thanks to recent stockings. Folks throwing PowerBait in chartreuse and orange, or small jig-heads tipped with a bit of nightcrawler, were hooking up fast this morning. Word from Fairmont is a few browns are mixed in if you get your bait to the bottom and are willing to wait them out. One angler at Liberty landed a 2-pound catfish on a chunk of cut bait, so if trout are slow, be ready to swap up. The evening crappie bite is picking up with mini-tube jigs in pink or white.

Heading south toward *Utah Lake*, the white bass bite is coming on strong, especially near the boat harbors and Provo River inlet. Inline spinners, small swimbaits and plain old worm-and-bobber rigs are all producing well. Largemouth bass have slowed a tad with the cooler water, but early risers working the docks with shad-style crankbaits or wacky-rigged Senkos are still finding action up shallow.

The Jordan River itself is your target if you’re after catfish or carp. The evening bite ramps up about an hour before sunset; chicken liver or corn works for both species, but go with a heavier line since some of those channel cats can hit double digits. Don’t be surprised if you snag a feisty smallmouth or even a surprise walleye down around the 5400 South stretch.

Best bets for lures: for trout in the city ponds, go with 1/16 oz. Rooster Tails in gold or silver, or try Berkley Gulp! Dough bait. For bass, shad imitators in silver/blue or any paddle-tail grub in green pumpkin do the trick. Nightcrawlers and cut baits are reliable for catfish and carp.

Hot spots for today: Fairmont Park Pond is fishing better than most realize—city recent improvements have made the shoreline more accessible and the pond is well-stocked. Utah Lake’s Lindon Marina

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Artificial Lure, checking in with your Salt Lake City fishing report for Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

The weather this morning started out crisp just after sunrise at 7:13 a.m, temps hovering in the low 50s, pushing to near 70 this afternoon under partly cloudy skies. Winds are light from the north, making for glassy conditions on local reservoirs and rivers. Sunrise was officially at 7:13 a.m., sunset’s looking to hit at 7:39 p.m. For folks heading out late, plan on some solid dusk casting. No tidal change to worry about in these inland waters, just keep an eye out for changing light conditions and water clarity.

Fish activity is picking up in the area as the nighttime lows start dipping, pushing trout, bass, and even the elusive walleye back into their fall patterns. Word from the docks at East Canyon and Rockport Reservoirs is that rainbow trout are schooling higher in the water column. Anglers have been landing steady numbers, with most rainbows in the 14–17-inch range and a few chunky cutthroat showing up mixed in. The best bite was reported right at sunrise and then tapering off by mid-morning, picking back up after 5 p.m. down near the dam faces and deeper ledges.

Utah Lake is still kicking out white bass, especially around Lindon Marina and the Provo river mouth. A bunch of locals landed buckets full over the weekend—average size around 10–12 inches, but a couple of brutes close to 15 inches turned up on micro-crankbaits and chartreuse curly tail grubs. Catfish reports are steady; best baits have been chicken liver and shrimp fished off bottom near the weed edges.

Up at Jordanelle, bass action kicked back into gear after the cold front rolled through Monday. Smallmouth have been hanging around rocky points and drop-offs, hitting on Ned rigs, small tubes, and drop shots rigged with green pumpkin plastics. Green perch and silver have been hot colors for crankbaits. A few folks trolling deeper water picked up decent numbers of walleye, especially at first light using gold and perch-patterned crankbaits with bottom bouncers.

For all these spots, jig-and-minnow combos are performing best, especially for trout and walleye. For panfish, stick with liveworms under a slip bobber or tiny jigs tipped with waxworms. Spinnerbaits and topwater frogs are working for largemouth in the shallows at Decker Lake and in sheltered Utah Lake bays.

If you’re chasing pike at Pineview, now’s your moment—water’s cooling down to near 65 degrees and big northerns are sliding back into the weeds and river mouths. Large paddle-tail swim baits, spoons, and dead bait under floats pulled in some solid fish this week, the biggest pushing 34 inches.

East Canyon and Causey Reservoirs are on fire for early fall trout, go early for rainbows and cutthroats; best lures are gold Kastmasters, olive woolly buggers if you’re fly fishing, and nightcrawlers on the bottom.

Don’t forget: harmful algae advisories are still up for several northern Utah reservoirs. The Utah Divis

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Artificial Lure with your Salt Lake fishing report for Saturday, September 13, 2025.

Our day started cool and clear, with sunrise at 7:07 am and sunset coming at 7:34 pm. Weather’s kicking off in the high 50s, climbing to low 80s by midday, and not a drop of rain in sight—perfect for hitting the local waters.

Now, you’re probably wondering about tides. Inland Utah lakes, including Utah Lake and the Jordan River, don’t experience classic tides, so no need to time your casts around tidal swings. Focus on water temps, which are dropping thanks to cooler nights. Morning surface temps on Utah Lake are running in the mid-60s Fahrenheit, which is prime for shifting fish patterns. Expect fish moving out of deep summer haunts and pushing closer to shoreline structure.

Fish activity’s buzzing as we slide from late summer into early fall. The past week’s catches have shown a strong bite for **walleye** and **white bass** at Utah Lake and the Jordan River. Local anglers have reported pulling in limits of walleye in 10 to 20 feet of water, especially near rocky points and weedlines. White bass schools are visible chasing baitfish in the shallows—watch for surface boils early and late.

**Recent catches:** Reports from Utah Lake show:

- Strong walleye numbers, mostly 14–20 inches, on jigs tipped with crawlers and minnows.

- White bass hitting small spinners and twister tails.

- Channel catfish still biting well for bank anglers using cut bait and nightcrawlers.

- A handful of largemouth bass taken around reeds at American Fork Boat Harbor on soft plastics.

Up at the Jordan River, carp are abundant and visible all along the banks; bowfishermen are having a field day. Trout, especially brown and rainbow, are showing in the Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood creeks, with fly anglers netting 10–14 inch fish using nymph patterns and small streamers.

**Hot spots right now:**

- **Utah Lake State Park**—Walleye and white bass near the marinas and along the west dike, especially at dawn and dusk.

- **American Fork Boat Harbor**—Bass tucked in reeds, catfish by the riprap.

- **Big Cottonwood Creek (city stretch)**—Brown trout rising to blue-winged olive hatches.

- **Jordan River at 900 South**—Carp, bass, and the odd channel cat for versatile anglers.

**Best lures and baits:**

- For walleye, use chartreuse or orange jigs with a piece of nightcrawler or live minnow. Blade baits also produce well as water cools.

- White bass are smashing small silver spinners, inline spinners, and 1/16 oz twister tails. Fast retrieves excite the schools.

- Catfish anglers are best sticking with fresh cut carp, chicken liver, or nightcrawlers fished on the bottom.

- Bass are loving green pumpkin Senko worms, Ned rigs, and black/blue jigs worked slow near cover.

- Stream trout respond to #16 pheasant tail nymphs, scuds, and olive woolly buggers, especially on a quick strip through deeper pools.

Plan to fish early or late—midday can get slow as fish tuck deep with rising temps. A bi

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Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you the September 12th Salt Lake City fishing report. The air feels crisp with early hints of fall as sunrise came in at 7:06 AM; expect sunset around 7:48 PM tonight. Today’s weather calls for partly cloudy skies, highs near 68°F, and a light breeze from the northwest. There’s no tidal report here in Salt Lake since we’re fishing freshwater reservoirs and rivers, but precipitation is low, and streamflows across Utah are 82% of normal, meaning decent water conditions for the day.

Fish activity is on the upswing thanks to dropping water temps—most larger reservoirs like Utah Lake and Jordanelle have surface temperatures dipping into the mid-60s as fall migrates in. The cooling trend spells good news for all the warmwater species: **walleye**, **yellow perch**, **smallmouth bass**, and **rainbow trout** are all waking up for autumn feeding.

Recent evenings have seen anglers hauling in healthy numbers of walleye and perch from both shore and boat, especially at the deep flats and points on Utah Lake and the narrows by the Jordan River. Reports say walleye are running small to mid-size, with good catches in the 16-20 inch range. Perch bites are consistent, especially on cloudy days—expect a mix of 7-10 inchers with keepers up to 12". Smallmouth bass have started schooling tight near rocky structure; they’re hitting in the mornings and evenings, with fish from 1–3 pounds common.

If you’re heading out today, bring your **jigging gear**. Finesse plastics like the Geecrack Bellows Gill or Bellows Shad in green pumpkin and chartreuse have been stellar for bass, especially with a slow drag-and-hop over rock piles. For perch, a simple 1/16 oz jig head tipped with a piece of worm or minnow does the trick; live bait always fools the pickiest perch. Lure-wise, gold or firetiger colored crankbaits and blade baits are hot right now for walleye—troll them along the deeper flats, especially at dusk when fish push up to feed. Spinner rigs with crawlers, orange or pink blades, and bottom bouncers are getting bites too.

Best bait for today: Nightcrawlers and fathead minnows, especially for walleye and perch. Trout anglers will see luck with chartreuse Berkley PowerBait or salmon eggs, especially if targeting the tributaries or below dam release areas.

Couple of hot spots for today:

- **Utah Lake’s Lincoln Beach**: Shallow weed edges are producing steady perch and walleye. Early morning bite is best, and shore anglers have outpaced boaters for numbers.

- **Jordanelle Reservoir’s Rock Cliff area**: Smallmouths and rainbows are active along rocky banks and submerged timber, especially with soft plastics and small spinners.

- **Weber River at Riverdale**: Flows are steady and cool, and trout are feeding actively in the fast runs. Try drifting worms or tossing small gold spinners.

If you’re just getting out at sunup, focus on shadowed banks and deeper structure—fish will be on the move early before the sun climb

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Artificial Lure here, reporting from Salt Lake City—your local line to what's biting and buzzing in the valley this Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

First light hit at 6:59 AM, with sunset coming at 7:42 PM, so anglers have a solid window for both dawn and dusk action. With the late-summer sun, temps are rolling between 64 and 82 degrees today. Expect partly cloudy skies and light wind—ideal conditions for working the edges of rivers and lakes. Early risers noted a little fog over the water, so those topwater moments right at sunrise were particularly lively.

No tides to report—remember, our lakes and reservoirs around Salt Lake City are landlocked and not tidal influenced. But water levels remain low, especially in the Great Salt Lake thanks to this ongoing drought. According to state reports via Local News 8, we’re inches away from a near 60-year low. This impacts access, but doesn't stop the fish—just means a little extra walking to the edge in places.

Bear in mind, algal blooms remain a risk across select waters. Utah DEQ flagged Utah Lake, Jordan River, Decker Lake, and Blackridge Reservoir under harmful algal advisories as of yesterday. If you see green scum, avoid the water—better safe than sorry, and nobody wants a sick pet or fish fry ruined by toxins, as Fox 13 confirms this week. Check the Utah DEQ’s live map before heading out.

The catch reports this week have leaned heavy on rainbow trout, channel catfish, and panfish in the community ponds. The Community Fisheries up and down the Jordan River Parkway—especially Cottonwood and Willow Pond—are hot right now for both bait and lures. PowerBait in chartreuse or salmon peach is taking stockers consistently, and worms under a float are landing both ‘bows and sunfish for shore-bound families. Fly anglers using small Woolly Buggers and Hare’s Ears got into some plump bluegill and twos-pound bass at Sunset Pond on Tuesday.

Utah Lake has been murkier, but the catfish are on the prowl. A couple of regulars worked cut bait—chicken liver and shrimp after sunset—and put a mess of channels on the stringer near Lindon Marina. If you’re targeting white bass, the bite’s been spotty but spiked yesterday around midday—try small jigs in chartreuse or white west of Utah Lake State Park’s harbor mouth. Do heed that algal warning, especially around Provo Bay.

Jordanelle Reservoir is producing nice smallmouth bass in the early morning—crankbaits like the Northland Rumble B in perch or shad patterns are producing. The deep weedlines off Rock Cliff have been reliable. A local tipped me that drop-shotting with shad imitators or finesse worms in watermelon got quick bites in six to fifteen feet.

Great Salt Lake’s fishing is limited mostly to brine shrimp, but Antelope Island State Park is worth a stop for hiking, and it’s a solid spot for bird watching—not so much casting lines. Still, watch your step: Great Basin gopher snakes and the occasional rattler have been reported slithering around the shorelines t

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This is Artificial Lure with your Salt Lake City area fishing report for Sunday, September 7, 2025. Early fall is finally peeking in, and you can feel it in the fishing—it’s that magic window when hot summer patterns are winding down, but the fish are still feeding hard before things cool off.

First up, today’s weather in Salt Lake looks friendly for anglers: sunrise hit around 6:56 AM with sunset coming at 7:46 PM, giving almost 13 hours of light action. Temps are ranging from the high 50s this morning up to the high 70s by late afternoon. Skies are partly cloudy with a light breeze, keeping things comfortable at the bank or on the boat. Unlike the coasts, we don’t get tides in Utah, so no tide swings to worry about.

The fresh catch talk around the valley centers on the big reservoirs and mountain lakes. According to the latest updates from Sportsman’s Warehouse, Deer Creek Reservoir is sitting at 62% water level, still plenty for fishing but some shallow areas are starting to expose. Trout bite has been best right at dawn and again in the evening, when the water’s coolest. Folks have been catching good numbers of recently stocked rainbows on garlic, corn, and cheese-scented dough baits fished under a casting bubble off the bottom. For lures, throw a Jake’s Spin-A-Lure, Kastmaster, or Panther Martin if you’re moving and covering water. Rapala Originals have also fooled several bigger trout patrolling near-dropoffs.

Bass fishing at Deer Creek, Jordanelle, and Utah Lake’s rocky points has picked up a bit this week, especially for those rigging soft plastic worms or Ned rigs. Drag a worm along the bottom or pop a skirted jig around submerged weeds—reports say green pumpkin and chartreuse have been pulling in both smallmouth and largemouth consistently.

If you’re after walleye—especially at Deer Creek—try hair jigs or curly tail grubs in pearl, chartreuse, or glow. The bite’s a little deeper mid-morning, so target that 15–25 foot contour. They’re not easy, but patient anglers have been rewarded with a couple fish per outing, especially tight to rockpiles just after first light.

Up the mountain, Strawberry Reservoir has been hot for kokanee salmon if you’ve got a boat. Trolling small spoons or squids behind dodgers at around 25–35 feet is money right now. Shore anglers are picking up a few cutthroats and rainbows on PowerBait and nightcrawlers suspended under a bobber, particularly near the marina and boat launch.

For the fly rodders, Provo River below Jordanelle Dam remains a solid bet—attractors like hoppers and Chernobyl ants are working in the afternoon, paired with a dropper nymph such as a zebra midge or pheasant tail. Flows are stable, clarity is good, and a few browns have even been chasing streamers tossed near undercut banks.

Hot spots to check out today:

- Deer Creek State Park: Fish the east shore by the dam at sunrise for trout, or work the points for smallmouth and walleye.

- Upper Provo River (near Woodland): Wade-friendly water

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Artificial Lure here, bringing you the September 6, 2025, Salt Lake City area fishing report. Crack of dawn saw sunrise at 6:56 AM with sunset coming at 7:45 PM—and you’re in for ideal late-summer conditions. Overnight lows dipped into the high 50s; this morning broke clear and calm, set to rise into the mid-70s. No tidal swings to note in the freshwater around here, and water levels in area lakes and streams are right on target for productive fall fishing.

Fish have been downright *active* thanks to cooling temps and stable barometer readings. Jordanelle Reservoir saw strong morning trout bites; bank anglers pulled fat rainbows on chartreuse PowerBait dough, while trollers reported steady action on silver and blue Kastmasters. Smallmouth bass have been moving up shallow there too. Down at Deer Creek, persistent morning wind kept trout hugging deeper weed lines—threading nightcrawlers or trolling a small gold Rapala led to quick limits before noon.

Utah Lake’s white bass run is peaking—the rocky points by Lincoln Beach have been almost shoulder-to-shoulder. Folks tossing 1/8 oz. white jig heads or Rooster Tails are reporting limits well before midday. A few largemouth bass are coming from Utah Lake’s southern shore, biting green pumpkin soft plastics and spinnerbaits on the inside edge of the weeds.

The Weber River, particularly below the Ogden area, keeps turning out chunky browns on small black and gold Panther Martins, with bonus cutthroat on drifting red worms in the riffles. Anglers drifting through the Provo River sections near Midway are catching a mix of browns and rainbows with No. 16 pink San Juan worms and parachute Adams flies—early evening has been best.

Best baits and lures for Salt Lake waters today:

- **Chartreuse PowerBait** and **nightcrawlers** for trout

- **Silver/blue Kastmasters** and **small gold Rapalas** for trolling

- **White Rooster Tails** and **1/8 oz. white jigs** for white bass

- **Green pumpkin soft plastics** and **spinnerbaits** for largemouth

- **Black/gold Panther Martins** and **red worms** for river browns

- **Pink San Juan worms** and **parachute Adams** for Provo browns and rainbows

Hot spots worth your time:

- **Jordanelle Reservoir** (north arm by the boat launch): Trout and smallmouth early and late

- **Lincoln Beach on Utah Lake**: White bass action is red hot right now

- **Weber River, Ogden stretch**: Browsing the riffles for browns and cutthroat

- **Provo River, Midway section**: Good fly action just before dusk

Keep in mind, wildfires continue to affect the western slopes in Utah and neighboring states, so check air and travel conditions before heading up into the higher lakes, especially if you’re venturing east towards the Uinta range, as the National Interagency Fire Center notes several active fires in the region, though interior Wasatch waters remain open and accessible.

Today’s anglers are reporting solid catches across the board—lots of white bass, rainbows, and some decent smallies.

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Friday morning, September 5th, and this is Artificial Lure bringing you Salt Lake City’s freshest fishing report. We've had a string of mild nights, and today’s weather is shaping up beautifully—sunny skies, low humidity, a gentle breeze, and highs in the upper 70s. Sunrise came early at 6:55 AM, and we’re expecting sunset at 7:52 PM, giving anglers plenty of daylight for one last big summer outing before the fall chill really sets in.

No need to check the tides here—these lakes are all freshwater—but water levels at some reservoirs are a little low after this hot stretch, so keep an eye out for exposed structure and shallow-water fishing opportunities.

Local reports from Utah Lake and Oquirrh Lake highlight decent action on channel catfish, common carp, bluegill, and the always-popular largemouth and smallmouth bass. Anglers at Utah Lake have been hauling in solid cats at night on cut bait and stink baits. Early risers are picking off bluegill and crappie in the shallows near weed beds using live worms and small jigs.

At Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, families are having luck tightlining bits of nightcrawler for panfish and tossing swimbaits or soft plastics for the occasional bass. The north end rocks and inlet areas have been especially productive as the water warms up midmorning.

The Provo River is running clear and is a consistent hotspot, especially early or at dusk. Fly fishers drifting beadhead nymphs and dry flies have been rewarded with steady action on rainbow and brown trout. Streamers fished deep through pockets have turned up some husky fish, especially on overcast evenings. Pack a handful of elk hair caddis or a #16 Blue Wing Olive if you’re chasing rising fish near the riffles.

For bass fanatics, pros at Fishbrain note that soft plastics like 5” Senkos, Yamamoto Slinkos, and the Big Bite Baits Scentsation Cliffhanger Worm excel for both largemouth and smallmouth this week. Ned rigs and Texas rigs fished slowly off rocky points have led to strong hook-ups, especially in clearer water. Spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs in shad or green pumpkin are triggers for reaction bites when the wind kicks up in the afternoon.

Catfish are still going strong at night, particularly on Utah Lake with chicken liver or fresh-cut shad. If you’re targeting carp—especially at Pelican Lake—Utah DWR is actively encouraging a heavy harvest to control their numbers. Bowfishing is popular, but traditional corn or dough baits will do the trick just fine if you’re set up along the reeds.

Recent catch info from local shops spotlights good numbers of channel cats up to 10 pounds, common carp by the armload, crappie in the 10- to 12-inch range, and smallmouth bass over 15 inches in the deeper rocky pockets.

Top recommended baits:

- Nightcrawlers and mealworms for panfish

- Soft plastic worms and swimbaits for bass

- Cut bait or chicken liver for cats

- Corn or dough baits (or try fly gear!) for carp

A couple of hot spots to put on your map:

- The Lindo

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This is Artificial Lure with your Salt Lake City angling report for Wednesday, September 3, 2025, coming at you with the freshest bite on local waters.

Weather today is picture-perfect for anglers: bluebird skies and a high around 75°F, cooling slightly into the afternoon, and just a whisper of north-northeast wind—so no big chop or dangerous conditions out there, just nice and pleasant. Sunrise hit at 6:55 am and sunset’s rolling in around 7:54 pm, giving you a solid window for after-work casts or early morning missions, especially since the terrestrial bite is peaking during midday and early evening according to local guides at Western Rivers Flyfisher.

Now, local waters aren’t tidal, so you don’t need to fuss with any ocean swings—it’s all about weather and flow conditions here. As the big monsoon storms have mostly pushed through, water clarity is solid and flows on the Lower Provo have dropped, while Middle Provo and Weber remain steady—prime for sight-fishing.

On the fish front, it’s terrestrial season in full swing. Trout are keying hard on ants, beetles, hoppers, crickets, and those chunky dry flies like chubbies and attractor patterns. Caddis and PMDs are still in the mix, especially mornings and evenings, but the main hatch activity is winding down, so if you’re watching for surface action, think foam and fur over subtle mayflies. Hopper dropper rigs are killing it—try a Frenchie, Zebra Midge (#16-20), or Perdigon as your dropper, and if the bite slows, yank a small streamer or even swing a mouse pattern in low light for a healthy grab.

Bass anglers at Utah and Jordanelle lakes are reporting good action as well. Smallmouth are responding to finesse presentations—think Scentsation Cliffhanger Worms and Thresher Worms from Big Bite Baits, or a reliable 3.25" Slinko or classic Senko rigged Ned or Wacky style. Crappie and perch are still steady, especially around structure in the later evening, so bring a Tungsten Crappie Queen or a small swimbait for these slabs.

If you’re heading for Strawberry Reservoir or the Provo River, get ready for some drama—Kokanee salmon are turning brilliant red and staging for the spawn. You can catch and admire, but as a reminder from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, it's illegal to keep kokanee salmon anywhere in the state from September 10 to November 30. Watch for big schools in the rivers near Strawberry Reservoir and on the Rock Cliff side of Jordanelle, where the peak is usually mid-September. It’s a sight to see—bring the family and a camera!

Recent catch reports have seen healthy numbers of rainbows, browns, and a few cutthroat in the Provo and Weber. Strawberry’s giving up chunky cutthroat and rainbows, especially on #14–#18 caddis dries and the aforementioned terrestrials. Bass anglers at Utah Lake and Jordanelle have put up handfuls of decent size smallmouth and a few healthy largemouth, mostly on soft plastics and smaller topwater presentations.

Hot spot picks for today:

- The Lower

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Artificial Lure here with your Salt Lake City area fishing report for Sunday, August 31, 2025.

If you’re heading out this morning, pack your sunscreen and a little patience—today’s weather is looking fine: clear skies, highs around 88° and light winds. According to Fox 13’s daily forecast, there’s basically no chance of rain. Air temps at dawn should be about 65°, climbing quickly once that sun’s up. Sunrise hit at 6:53 AM, and you’ll have daylight until around 8:02 PM. With these summer-like conditions, expect water temps to be warm, especially in lower-elevation lakes and rivers.

Tidal swings aren’t a factor here inland, but solunar data from SolunarForecast.com shows strong peak fishing times early—major activity is pegged from 5:12 to 7:12 AM and again 5:43 to 7:43 PM. With the moon phase in a waxing crescent, these windows should have the best action, so hit 'em hard at first and last light.

On the fish front, the main summer hatches are tapering off, but the action hasn’t slowed. Western Rivers Flyfisher reports that caddis and PMDs are still in the mix during early morning and evening hours, but in between, the trout are keyed in on terrestrials. That means ants, beetles, and hoppers—plus chubbies and attractor dries—are the ticket. If it’s slow, drop a Frenchie, Zebra Midge, or Perdigon under your dry.

Local lakes like Little Dell and Mountain Dell have seen decent cutthroat and tiger trout on streamers and smaller dark nymphs, especially in cooler mornings. Strawberry Reservoir continues to give up some big rainbows to early risers using bright PowerBait and silver Kastmasters—bank fishing’s been good on the east shorelines. And on the lower Provo, persistent anglers are still shaking out browns on small PMDs and tiny terrestrials cast tight to shady banks.

If bass or panfish are more your beat, Utah Lake pops as the water warms. Look for white bass busting minnows in the morning or try chartreuse or white jerkbaits around the harbor mouths. Carp are tailing in the shallows—try a brown or orange fly for a true rod-bender.

Best baits today:

- For trout: Elk hair caddis #16-#18, black foam ants and beetles, tan or yellow hoppers, and for nymphs, the Frenchie in #14-#18.

- For stillwaters: Chartreuse PowerBait, nightcrawlers, and for the fly crowd, black leech patterns on an intermediate line.

- For bass: Chartreuse tube jigs, silver spinners, and topwater frogs at dawn.

A couple local hot spots to circle today:

- **Big Cottonwood Creek**: Flows are up and it’s less crowded right now. Small hoppers and beadhead nymphs under a bush dropper can produce.

- **East Canyon Reservoir**: Hit the shallows at dawn for cruising rainbows on spoons and dark leech flies.

- **Lower Provo River**: PMDs still coming off, and it fishes best at first and last light; target undercut banks and riffle seams.

Etiquette note—crowds have been heavy lately, so try to spread out, show some courtesy, and give fellow anglers space. There’s plenty of water f

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