DIRECTIONS - Head east from Salt Lake City on I-80, then take highway 40 south to Heber and through Daniels Canyon to Strawberry Reservoir. Travel to eastern edge of reservoir, then take access road to Soldier Creek Dam. River flows from the dam.
DESCRIPTION - Despite roadside appearances, this is a very picturesque river. It winds through the pines and aspens, then slows and begins to meander through cottonwoods and aspens. Stream goes from Strawberry to Starvation Reservoir. About 20 miles below dam Red Creek enters into Strawberry River. The river is from six to 20 feet wide.
WHAT WORKS
When it opens try Elk Hair Caddis, Light Cahill, Royal Wulff or Adams. Good place to try grasshopper imitations in late July. Later in the year, in August and September, try small dry flies.
DETAILS
Generally this river gets good flow, so look for the pools and the ripples. As summer wears on, flow starts to drop. Then fish the pools. This river does not have great numbers of fish, so it's important to move and fish. Fish aren't as spooky as in some other waters, so it's usually easier to fish. Need to walk slowly and make a good presentation, but not as critical as with some other waters. Good beginner to advanced water.
FISH
RAINBOW, BROWN, BROOK, CUTTHROAT
NOTES
River is closed until sometime in July to protect spawning fish. Because this river is so close to populated areas, and because it is so scenic, it does get a lot of pressure. Public access is good on the two ends (the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources owns 7 miles from the dam down), but the section in the center runs through private land. There is no camping along the river, but there are some nice campgrounds at Starvation and Strawberry. Also, Heber and Duchesne are not that far off.