# Green River 2/3/08-2/05/08



## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

I was lucky enough to break away from the daily grind at work and fish the green river for a few days with my wife. It was cold, windy and a bit snowy, but worth every misery that winter can bring to winter fly fishing.

The fishing wasn't great, but it was fairly steady. The fish were healthy looking and pretty fat for Green River fish. They even put up some decent fights. The best thing about the trip was that there was no need to ever go deep in the water. All fish were caught off the surface using midge patterns size 22-18. I was fairly surprised the fish were as active as they were, but I wasn't complaining one bit.

So here are the juicy details... well most of them.

Area fished, Little hole to about 3/4 of a mile upstream. Didn't need to go up any further than that. Which was nice.

Day 1
Started at 1:00pm (yeah, I don't like morning fishing in the winter) Finished around 6:00pm
It was very windy but nice and sunny. Temp was around 20-25 degrees
Landed 17 fish between the two of us
Biggest fish was 15"
Caught brown and rainbow trout
Midge hatch started before we got there and lasted all day
Size of the midges were around 20 on average, some being as large as size 18 (Same for all three days)

Day 2
Started at 12:00pm; finished around 6:00pm
Was very windy once again. Cloudy most of the day and was snowing pretty good by 3:30pm
Landed 16 fish between the two of us
Largest was 18" (brown)

Day 3 
Started at 11:00am; ended around 6:00pm
Was very windy, sunny and very cold. Temp was around 15 degrees, no idea what the wind chill was, but it had to be close to 0
Landed 24 fish between the two of us
Largest was 16", the average for this day was 15"
Midges were on the water when we arrived, but it seemed to be much stronger around 12:00pm

The midge colors were primarily a golden brown.

Here are a few pics for you all


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

Sweet. I love fishin there but I'm gonna wait till it warms up some more.


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## Jitterbug (Sep 10, 2007)

Looks like a good time RnF! I went fishing on the Provo last year during the winter and had a blast. Definitely a lot more solitude! I'm fairly new to fly fishing and to Utah for that matter. Never been to the Green but I hope to make it up there this year sometime! Someone told me to go during the Cicada hatch and I would have a blast... would you agree?

Did you get a chance to try out any patterns from the swap... just curious.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

I love the green this time of year (late winter/ early spring). The fishing is good and the crowds are absent. I'll be heading out there in a few weeks.

I have heard alot about the cicada hatch but have never caught it. From what I understand, it hasn't really come off big for a few years now.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

El Matador said:


> Sweet. I love fishin there but I'm gonna wait till it warms up some more.


It wasn't really that bad. I usually have a fairly hard time staying warm, but I put a ton of clothes on and I was pretty comfy most of the time. All though, once the evening rolled around, it definetly cooled down a lot. The hands tended to suffer. I would catch a fish and I would almost hope it would get off before I landed it just so I wouldn't have to handle it hehe.

The best part about this time of year, like ScottyP said, are the crowds. We had the entire river to ourselves. We didn't see another person until our third day. They went downstream and we went up. Not even a guide trip came down the river.



Jitterbug said:


> Looks like a good time RnF! I went fishing on the Provo last year during the winter and had a blast. Definitely a lot more solitude! I'm fairly new to fly fishing and to Utah for that matter. Never been to the Green but I hope to make it up there this year sometime! Someone told me to go during the Cicada hatch and I would have a blast... would you agree?
> 
> Did you get a chance to try out any patterns from the swap... just curious.


I never have fished the Cicada hatch. I also have heard it hasn't been very strong the last couple of years. Who knows, maybe it will be good this time year. The green has a fairly strong Caddis hatch's though, they are funner imo but I am biased that way.

Where did you live before Jitterbug?

No, I didn't use any of the patterns from the swap  I really wanted to, but I didn't want to break them out until I get them mailed out (hopefully by tomorrow) All though, the pattern I used the most is a color variation of the one I am tying up for the swap. So I kind of did.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Great pictures and an honest fisherman !


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## Jitterbug (Sep 10, 2007)

RnF said:


> Where did you live before Jitterbug?
> 
> No, I didn't use any of the patterns from the swap  I really wanted to, but I didn't want to break them out until I get them mailed out (hopefully by tomorrow) All though, the pattern I used the most is a color variation of the one I am tying up for the swap. So I kind of did.


I was born and raised in South Carolina. I can't wait to go back for vacation and target some redfish on a fly!

I can't wait to try out the patterns from the swap! I haven't been fishing at all since before Thanksgiving. I told the wife that once I get the flies from the swap I'm going fishing the following Saturday!


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice report RnF. Looks like a great few days on the Green all by yourselves. Good looking fish too, I like the brown in the second picture. Thanks for sharing!


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## BrookTroutKid (Oct 10, 2007)

Sounds like a great trip RNF.


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## Ulthimar (Dec 27, 2007)

Very nice photos.


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## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

Sweet report RnF, looking forward to fishing there this spring in things pan out.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Jitterbug said:


> RnF said:
> 
> 
> > Where did you live before Jitterbug?
> ...


I have been to SC once, just on an airbase though, didn't get to go out and explore. One thing I remember though, it's warm there!

Hope you get out soon.


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## Tony (Dec 28, 2007)

Scotty, 

The cicada hatch was great last year. I think I had more fun fishing them on the gorge than on the river though. I didn't fish them much on the river, as I was always doing research and development on how I could make and fish a better chernobyl. We even saw a few of the mega huge ones over three inches long. Nothin' more fun than chuckin' sumpin' that big...


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

That sounds like too much fun! I have heard that the mustang ridge fire that burned around most of the 'A' section may have something to do with less bugs on the river but again, I have never timed it right myself. I like the cold months on the green the most but would love to hit the cicada hatch one of these years.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

The Cicadas last year were marginal at best. The last exceptional cicada year out there was in 2003, which was probably the best ever.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> The Cicadas last year were marginal at best. The last exceptional cicada year out there was in 2003, which was probably the best ever.


I agree. 03' was awesome.

Once the word of the cicada hatch has spread, it is usually over. I like to go the 2nd or 3rd week in May and see if they are popping out yet. It's kind of like a big Salmon fly hatch, once it's in full swing, it can be more difficult to entice fish that have gorged themselves on the critters.


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