WANSHIP — The window of opportunity never fully shut for stream fishermen this winter, thanks in part to an uncharacteristically warm season. But it will change, just about the time the runoffs start to flow.
Until then, anglers can enjoy some of the best moving-water fishing of the year.
Pre-runoff is a time when the fish are famished, the hatches have started and the water is still clear enough to see an appetizing fly.
Often overlooked in these days of good fishing is the Weber River.
Fishermen seem to prefer the Provo, Logan and Green. Not because there are fewer fish or smaller fish in the Weber, it's access. Finding a strip of land holding the river that wasn't under private ownership used to be difficult.
Slowly, that's changing. Money from the habitat fund is being used to buy easement and access rights and to help in stream rehabilitation.
Already, loads of river rock and new vegetation have gone into the banks of the Weber. And, some landowners have sold rights to fish.
"Look for fence ladders; they are a good indication the land is open to access," said Jim Van Leeuwen, aquatics technician for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. "Also, look for (DWR) signs. They'll tell you if you have access."
Division officers are in the process of gaining even more access.
So far, though, anglers have been reluctant to move. Which is why this past weekend fly fishermen were catching lines more frequently than fish on a very crowded Provo River, while there were sections of the Weber loaded with fish but void of fishermen.
Fishing has been good and will stay that way until the water level rises. It will pick up again when the level begins to recede.
There are a number of things that make this such a prime time to stream fish, not the least being that fishermen are eager to shed the parkas for a fishing vest and winter boots for waders. This is also a time when fish, starved over the winter, are ready to take anything that even slightly resembles protein.
It helps that one of the trout's most popular meals, and one of its biggest mouthfuls, the stonefly, is starting to surface.
"They're coming off the bottom, moving to the river banks and climbing out of the water. That's why you find fish in closer to the banks right now," noted Byron Gunderson of Fish Tech Outfitters.
Soon, too, the rainbow and cutthroats will be in the heat of the spawn.
Van Leeuwen said some of the rainbows caught in recent days are starting to show signs of the spawn.
When the spawn is on the fish — rainbows, cutthroats and browns — will begin hanging out around the spawning nests waiting for loose eggs to float past.
A good imitation for a stonefly is a weighted nymph fished along the edges of the river. In the early afternoon, the mayfly hatches have been occurring. A good fly would be the blue-wing olive in smaller sizes, such as a No. 18.
When the spawn hits, Gunderson recommends a glow bug.
As restoration work continues and more access is granted, the Weber is bound to draw more attention. Until then, those who fish the Weber are happy the crowds are going elsewhere.