# Provo Brown Spawn



## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

Traditionally my father and I will fish the Provo right around our birthdays which coincides with the brown spawn. 
We tried it out on Thursday, Nov. 10. Fishing started out quickly for me... I picked up four brownies within the first ten minutes. It screached to a hault after that though and I fished until about noon picking up another 10 fish, all on glo bugs.
We seemed to be a little early, there were beds but very few fish on them respectively. Last year we must have hit the peak because the beds were just covered with fish. Either way, it was a cold but good time (always is when I go with my dad, brother, and brother-in-law). Stopped at Cabela's on the way home for lunch and a little Christmas shopping.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Sounds like a good day out..

BTW- Welcome to the forum.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Sweet! Were you playing on the upper or lower provo river. I am loving the brown spawn. Probably going back out on the middle next week on either monday tuesday or wednesday. I imagine the weekends are more full of people than fish!


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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

tye dye twins said:


> Sweet! Were you playing on the upper or lower provo river. I am loving the brown spawn. Probably going back out on the middle next week on either monday tuesday or wednesday. I imagine the weekends are more full of people than fish!


Lower, by Sundance. Several years ago, 2 days after I returned from an LDS mission I hooked into a 27" hook jawed hoss in that area during the spawn... I return every year hoping for lightening to strike twice.


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## Daisy (Jan 4, 2010)

Isn't it kind of unethical to fish glo bugs to fish that are spawning?


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Daisy said:


> Isn't it kind of unethical to fish glo bugs to fish that are spawning?


Why?


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## ckamanao (Mar 20, 2010)

Unethical? Really? What would you call using a cow call during the rut? Hardly unethical. If the fish are feeding during the caddis hatch are you going to consider it unethical to toss an Elk Hair?


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

ckamanao said:


> Unethical? Really? What would you call using a cow call during the rut? Hardly unethical. If the fish are feeding during the caddis hatch are you going to consider it unethical to toss an Elk Hair?


+1 Exactly what I was thinking!


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Daisy said:


> Isn't it kind of unethical to fish glo bugs to fish that are spawning?


If it is isn't it unethical to fish caddis during a caddis hatch? Same logic right? You fish what they are biting on.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Sounds like a good time, dp99. I know the feeling of hoping that lightning will strike twice. It can become an obsession quickly. Hope you get it next time!


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

derekp1999 said:


> tye dye twins said:
> 
> 
> > Sweet! Were you playing on the upper or lower provo river. I am loving the brown spawn. Probably going back out on the middle next week on either monday tuesday or wednesday. I imagine the weekends are more full of people than fish!
> ...


That is pretty cool stuff! Well maybe the monster will have gained some wieght next time your lines cross each other. Wouldn't that be sweet as candy!


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## Daisy (Jan 4, 2010)

I guess it is a personal decision at that point.

I will not feel bad now when I shoot a hen.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Daisy said:


> I guess it is a personal decision at that point.
> 
> I will not feel bad now when I shoot a hen.


Personally I don't fish this way- but as you said it's a personal decision not a legal one.

Now you don't have to fell bad about shooting a hen- you do probably have to feel stupid and if on purpose- guilty.

See what you are getting at- your analogy was poor.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Daisy said:


> I guess it is a personal decision at that point.
> 
> I will not feel bad now when I shoot a hen.


What does that have to do w/fishing during the spawn and using glo bugs? 99% of the fish are released and continue to spawn. On the Provo a few redds could stand to be stomped.


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## Dwight Schrutester (Dec 3, 2007)

I remember about ten years ago or so a lot of fly fishermen were against fishing during the spawn on these types of forums. Now, most tell you to do so and to stomp the redds as well. There are too many browns in the Provo as it is.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have no problem fishing during the spawn. Especially the brown spawn. It won't them at all. I agree about the Provo and too many browns. We hunt during the rut and I'd say that does way more damage than fishing. With the Provo having 3000 fish per mile a few less browns wouldn't hurt. Maybe the twins can thin out a few


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## Daisy (Jan 4, 2010)

martymcfly73 said:


> I have no problem fishing during the spawn. Especially the brown spawn. It won't them at all. I agree about the Provo and too many browns. We hunt during the rut and I'd say that does way more damage than fishing. With the Provo having 3000 fish per mile a few less browns wouldn't hurt. Maybe the twins can thin out a few


Would you stomp brown trout redds on another Utah river just minutes away from the Provo?


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Daisy said:


> martymcfly73 said:
> 
> 
> > I have no problem fishing during the spawn. Especially the brown spawn. It won't them at all. I agree about the Provo and too many browns. We hunt during the rut and I'd say that does way more damage than fishing. With the Provo having 3000 fish per mile a few less browns wouldn't hurt. Maybe the twins can thin out a few
> ...


Probably not. I don't make a habit of stomping redds anyway, but on the Provo I don't go out of my way to avoid them. The number of rainbows has declined a bunch the last 10 or so yrs and the browns are starting to stunt. I spend 90% of my time on the lower. I also admit to being part of the problem as I never harvest fish.


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## Daisy (Jan 4, 2010)

Packfish said:


> Daisy said:
> 
> 
> > I guess it is a personal decision at that point.
> ...


 Last time I checked a hen mallard or two. Why do a lot of waterfowlers typically try to avoid taking hen mallards?

Maybe the analogy was poor, but my point is that fishing for spawing fish inhibits or reduces the reproductive potential for a given population. Will hardcore bass anglers fish for spawning bass on their beds? Nope. Why is that?


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## scientificangler (Aug 13, 2008)

Have you fished the lower provo? A little less brown trout reproduction is not likely to be a problem...


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

martymcfly73 said:


> With the Provo having 3000 fish per mile a few less browns wouldn't hurt. Maybe the twins can thin out a few


Uhh we are on the case! I went up in early November and had a great time and I am headed up to the middle and maybe the lower provo river on Tuesday to harass the browns again.

Just my 2 cents....
I chase spawning fish. In case you have not noticed. I start with the perch, move on to Walleye's, SMB's, white bass, green sunfish, LMB's, channel and bullhead catfish, Bluegills, Lake Trout, Rainbows, and lastly brown trout. Now I do enjoy the summer bassing and spring and fall trout fishing but overall the spawns is where the great fishing is at! Spawning or not I will be taking the fish home to the table of death at one point or another so what is a few less eggs and milt in the water anyway?


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

^ believe it or not, when it comes to the browns in the provo this is spot on. that place could use some thinning out for sure


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

martymcfly73 said:


> I have no problem fishing during the spawn. Especially the brown spawn. It won't them at all. I agree about the Provo and too many browns. We hunt during the rut and I'd say that does way more damage than fishing. With the Provo having 3000 fish per mile a few less browns wouldn't hurt. Maybe the twins can thin out a few


+1. It is apparent that the browns continue to proliferate here regardless of what happens during the spawn. Considering that the DWR has begged us to harvest fish there, I fail to see how throwing a few glo bugs even registers on the ethical meter.



Daisy said:


> Would you stomp brown trout redds on another Utah river just minutes away from the Provo?


I haven't knowingly stomped a redd ever, but some of our rivers have stunted browns, some do not. Knowing the general biological conditions where one fishes is part of being an "ethical" angler, at least for me. To each their own however.


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

Wow, summer was way to short this year. Seemed like yesterday I was reading this exact same conversation. And the year before, and the year before.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

Just checked out the lower for a couple of hours and it was CROWDED. Lots of anglers out but fortunately they were targeting the riffles (redds) leaving plenty of good deeper runs free for me to fish. I like to fish deeper runnouts below the riffles to find fish that are actively feeding rather than spawning and swiping at eggs. I fished an egg and sow and all fish took the sow.


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## SKUNK__BUSTER (Dec 2, 2009)

ScottyP said:


> Just checked out the lower for a couple of hours and it was CROWDED. Lots of anglers out but fortunately they were targeting the riffles (redds) leaving plenty of good deeper runs free for me to fish. I like to fish deeper runnouts below the riffles to find fish that are actively feeding rather than spawning and swiping at eggs. I fished an egg and sow and all fish took the sow.


I fish sows too. But they do have a bright orange head 8)

On the subject of hens and browns. Hen mallards do not lay over 15 eggs per brood.(most the time.) 
You can't hunt ducks during their "spawn" either.
Browns need help in some waters, but not the provo. It could use some shock therapy. -)O(-


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## nate1031 (Jul 2, 2008)

ScottyP said:


> Just checked out the lower for a couple of hours and it was CROWDED. Lots of anglers out but fortunately they were targeting the riffles (redds) leaving plenty of good deeper runs free for me to fish. I like to fish deeper runnouts below the riffles to find fish that are actively feeding rather than spawning and swiping at eggs. I fished an egg and sow and all fish took the sow.


Exactly. We've been fishing moving water elsewhere and been doing VERY well on various nymphs.


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