# Provo



## hunter24 (Oct 20, 2010)

im new to fly fishing love it but have only got on for the last 2 years any help would be the best thanks guys


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

Help with what? what areas are you struggling with?


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## hunter24 (Oct 20, 2010)

middle provo


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

Spring - March through May
The pre run-off months of March through May are an awakening period for the river. We see the first mayflies of the year, the Blue-winged Olives (BWO). The fish really key in on the BWO's after a steady diet of midges all winter. This is a great time to fish dry flies because the fish are unusually reckless in their frenzy to get to these size 18 mayflies. The hatch starts in March and runs into May. In addition to the BWO's, we still fish midges occasionally, see a few March browns, and run into the Skwala stoneflies. The Skwala hatch is a real bonus, mainly because it allows us to fish large dries with droppers, which is a tremendous way to pick up some larger fish. 

Hatch Size Patterns 
Blue-winged Olives #18-20 Parachute Adam's, RS2, Olive Parachute Hare's Ear,
Olive Sparkle Dun, Pheasant Tails 
Midges #18-22 Griffith's Gnat, Double Midge, Adams,
Brassie, Biot Midge, Serendipity 
Skwala Stonefly #8-12 Pea**** or Yellow Stimulator, Beadhead Poxyback Stone 
Assorted Nymphs Scuds, Peeking caddis, Beadhead Pheasant tail,
Zebra midge, Olive or grey Hare's ear, BH Prince,
BH Hare's Ear 



Summer - June through August

June through August is a transitional period on the river, with run-off subsiding in late June and the river settling down during the middle of the summer. We start to see some of the good terrestrial fishing, in addition to pale morning duns (PMD), green drakes, caddis, yellow sallies, and golden stones. The caddis hatches are some of the heaviest you will ever see.

Hatch Size Patterns 
PMD #14-18 Yellow Sparkle Dun, Parachute PMD, Hairwing Dun
Pheasant tail, Quigley Cripple, Sprout PMD 
Caddis #12-18 Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis, x-caddis, Lawsons emerging caddis,
Peeking caddis, Hemingway caddis, Spent Partridge, BH Red Fox Squirrel 
Green Drake (GD) #10-12 Green Drake Parachute, GD Quiggly Cripple, Hairwing Green Drake,
Poxyback nymph, Lawson's GD nymph 
Attractors #8-18 Royal Wulff, Yellow Humpy, Chernobyl Ant, Pea**** Stimulator,
Pea**** Trude 
Terrestrials #8-18 Parachute Hoppers, ants, Beetles 
Stoneflies #8-16 Yellow Stimulators, Yellow Sallies, Rubberlegs 



Autumn - September through November

Fall fishing on the middle stretch of the Provo is both rewarding and challenging. September and October are still warm, with the fish still looking toward the surface for terrestrials. Fishing with dries and droppers is still the preferred method for taking the majority of our fish, although fishing with streamers during low-light conditions can produce some tremendous fish. When the weather finally changes, sometime around the beginning of November, we start to see the small BWO's again. The smaller fish are usually the fish that focus on the dries at this time, mainly because the larger fish are concentrating on spawning.

Hatch Size Patterns 
Blue-winged Olives #18-22 Parachute Adam's, RS2, Olive Parachute Hare's Ear,
Olive Sparkle Dun, Pheasant Tails, Hairwing Dun 
Terrestrials #8-18 Parachute Hoppers, Ants, Beetles 
Streamers #4-8 Clouser Minnows, Woolly Buggers, Dark Spruce, Double Bunny 



Winter - December through February

Solitude is the operative word for the Provo during the winter months. The patterns we use in the winter are really small. The fish have really slowed down as a result of cold water temperatures, which is usually around 36-39 degrees. The fish have retreated to the long slow pools of the river and do not feed as actively at this time. However, on nice days, the fishing can turn on, especially if the midges start to hatch.

Hatch Size Patterns 
Midge #18-22 Griffith's Gnat, Double Midge, Adams,
Brassie, Biot Midge, Serendipity 
Assorted nymphs #16-22 Olive Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince, MicroMay 



Lower Provo River: Below Deer Creek Reservoir

The lower stretch of the Provo (the Canyon stretch) is a tailwater fishery, with the water flowing out of Deer Creek Reservoir. The lower river is a mid-sized river, with flows ranging from 125 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the winter months to over 1000 cfs during spring run-off. There are healthy mayfly populations in addition to stoneflies, caddis, sowbugs and scuds, midges, and assorted terrestrials. The lower Provo isn't known as a good dry fly river, which is unfortunate because both the blue-winged olive and pale morning dun hatches, not to mention the early spring midge hatches, really bring the fish to the surface. You are likely to catch rainbows, browns, and cutthroat in the lower Provo river.

Spring - March through May

March is when the blue-winged olives (BWO) show up, and the midge hatch is in full force. You can start your day by fishing midges on the surface until about 10:00, take a coffee break, and then start to fish the BWO's by noon. The BWO hatch picks up momentum going into April, and by the middle of the month the hatch is in full swing. We usually start to see the effects of spring run-off by the end of April. Fortunately, the river runs clear for most of the run-off, so it is fishable during May. Nymphing is the main source of action for May-fly fishers, with the red devil (San Juan worm), sowbugs, and larger nymphs taking most of the fish.

Hatch Size Patterns 
Blue-winged Olives #18-20 Parachute Adam's, RS2, Olive Parachute Hare's Ear,
Olive Sparkle Dun, Pheasant Tails 
Midges #18-22 Griffith's Gnat, Double Midge, Adams,
Brassie, Biot Midge, Serendipity 
Assorted Nymphs Scuds, Peeking Caddis, Beadhead Pheasant Tail,
Zebra Midge, Olive or Grey Hare's Ear, Sow Bug, San Juan Worm 



Summer - June through August

Historically, the lower section of the Provo runs high during the summer months because of irrigation needs in the valley below, with flows in the 500-600 cfs range. Thankfully, the high flows are not a deterrent to the fish, and the PMD and evening caddis hatches are really strong. We also start to use some terrestrials coupled with droppers during this time, and there are assorted stoneflies that show up.

Hatch Size Patterns 
PMD #14-18 Yellow Sparkle Dun, Parachute PMD, Hairwing Dun
Pheasant Tail, Quigley Cripple, Sprout PMD 
Caddis #12-18 Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis, x-caddis, Lawsons Emerging Caddis,
Peeking Caddis, Hemingway Caddis, Spent Partridge, BH Red Fox Squirrel 
Attractors #8-18 Royal Wulff, Yellow Humpy, Chernobyl Ant, Pea**** Stimulator, 
Pea**** Trude 
Terrestrials #8-18 Parachute Hoppers, Ants, Beetles, Chernobyl Ant 
Stoneflies #8-16 Yellow Stimulators, Black Stimulators 
Nymphs/ Droppers #8-16 Sowbug, San Juan Worm, BH Pheasant Tail, Hare's Ear, BH Red Fox Squirrel 



Autumn - September through November

Early fall is the time to fish hoppers on the lower Provo. There are still some caddis around, but fishing a hopper/dropper combo is the most productive method for taking fish in September. In October, the brown trout are gearing up for their spawn, and they are very aggressive. We like to fish for them with streamers, particularly during low light conditions such as sunrise, dusk, or a storm. We catch most of our fish on streamers within 3 feet of the river bank, so you need to put your fly right on the bank with your cast. Remember, make your cast and retrieve and them take a step down the river- you need to cover water with this approach. The heavy brown trout population on the lower river goes into spawning mode by the beginning of November. As a result, the BWO hatch that occurs in November attracts the rainbows, cutthroats, and smaller browns to the surface. The larger browns are on their redds by the middle of the month, and we choose not to fish to them with glo-bugs, although many people do. 

Hatch Size Patterns 
Blue-winged Olives #18-22 Parachute Adam's, RS2, Olive Parachute Hare's Ear,
Olive Sparkle Dun, Pheasant Tails 
Terrestrials #8-18 Parachute Hoppers, Ants, Beetles 
Streamers #4-8 Clouser Minnows, Woolly Buggers, Dark Spruce, Double Bunny, Platte River Special Droppers
Tungsten bead Zebra Midge, BH Pheasant tail 



Winter - December through February

The flow of the Lower Provo is usually around 100 cfs in the winter, with water temperatures dropping to below 40 degrees. The fish lay up in the slower runs and pools, which is pretty typical for winter trout. They are not feeding aggressively at this time, but they are taking advantage of the small mayfly and midge nymphs, and sowbugs that may drift by. We usually nymph this time of year on the Lower, with the midge hatch becoming more of a factor in February.

Hatch Size Patterns 
Midge #18-22 Griffith's Gnat, Double Midge, Adams,
Brassie, Biot Midge, Serendipity 
Assorted Nymphs #16-22 Olive Hare's Ear, pheasant tail, Prince, MicroMayBait is for little fat kids.trout bum 

Posts: 123
Joined: Oct 05, '10, 10:19 
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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

here's a hatch chart I put together a a year or so ago for the Provo. MUCH more accurate than any chart I have ever found since it is based on hatches that match the current flow regime (which changed last year) on the middle provo. If anyone has wondered why the hatches are different now (i.e mid July Green Drakes, for example), than they used to be its because of changes in the flow regime on the middle below Jordanelle.


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## archery(aa) (Oct 2, 2007)

[attachment=0:32gvfaai]hunter fish1.jpg[/attachment:32gvfaai]
thanks for all the info you guys are great most of the guys usually bash a kid for asking for some info i am very great full all the info payed off here is a pic of his first fish on his fly rod on the Provo one happy kid could not have done it with out your info because i know nothing about fly fishing thanks again for making his day


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice fish. Good to see you was able to catch it on a fly rod.
Keep it up.


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

Nice! Good work!


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