Larger lakes & reservoirs

DEER CREEK RESERVOIR: School is now in session, and the boat traffic should lighten up a bit. Anglers report decent success for the three main species of fish: trout, walleye and bass. Many anglers are trolling very slowly, jigging or simply bottom fishing with bait. The key zone for trout and walleye is in 20–40 feet of water. Smallmouth bass tend to be a little shallower. Please remember that the trout limit is four fish statewide, unless otherwise noted in the 2008 Fishing Guidebook. The yellow perch limit is 10. Remember that the bass limit is six, and you should immediately release all bass over 12 inches long. The walleye limit is 10, but you may keep only one over 24 inches.

Larger lakes & reservoirs

DEER CREEK RESERVOIR: Water level still down a bit but no problems reported for launching. Many recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9:00 a.m. due to the continued warm weather. Once school begins and the weather cools over the next few weeks, the reservoir should be less crowded and fishing will pick up. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using powerbait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." Please remember that the trout limit is four fish statewide, unless otherwise noted in the 2008 Fishing Guidebook. The yellow perch limit is 10. Remember that the bass limit is six, and you should immediately release all bass over 12 inches long. The walleye limit is 10, but you may keep only one over 24 inches.

Warning: Whirling disease was found in the northeastern region of the state. Please make sure you clean, dry and sterilize waders, livewells and other fishing gear before venturing to another water.

GENERAL: The Division of Wildlife Resources will host a kids' fishing pond at the Carbon County Fairgrounds. The pond will be open on Fri., Aug. 8 from noon until 4 p.m. and on Sat., Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Fishing is catch and release only. Rods and bait will be provided. The event is part of Kids' Day at the fair. There is no charge for this event.

Catch the highlights: You can see a slideshow of this week's great fishing holes and exciting catches at utahwildlifevideos.blogspot.com.

BLACKSMITH FORK RIVER: Dedicated Hunter Scott Harris reports the river is receiving very little pressure. The lone angler he interviewed was using a parachute adams fly and was planning to try a variety of nymphs. Water levels appeared to be perfect for fly fishing.

BAKER RESERVOIR: Heavy algae blooms and low water. Fishing is slow.

BARKER RESERVOIRS, NORTH CREEK LAKES: Catchable-sized rainbow trout have been stocked in the Barker reservoirs, and fishing is fair to good. Fair to good success for tigers and a few cutthroat in Round and Long Willow Bottom. Nice brook trout are found in Flat, Yellow, and Joe Lay. Try dark-colored marabou jigs and wooly buggers, fished near any structure like floating logs, submerged grass, large boulders, and undercut banks. Special regulations on many of the Boulder Mountain waters include a trout limit of four of which only two may be over 14 inches.

BEAR LAKE: Biologist Scott Tolentino reports that fishing has slowed for the summer, but overall success was fair for both cutthroat trout and lake trout. Anglers had the best luck for cutthroat by trolling or jigging in 60–70 feet of water off the east side at Val's Pump, at Second Point and off South Eden. Use Rapalas and spoons—those with rattles are doing better than those without. When vertical jigging, use half- to one-ounce jigs tipped with cisco or sucker/carp meat. You can also try for cutthroat trout by trolling parallel to the shore (off Cisco Beach), or by longlining from shore at either Cisco Beach or First Point. For real-time weather (wind speed, water temp, air temp, lake elevation), visit bearlakewatch.com/NewPages/Newlakelevel2.htm. If you want to see the real-time weather conditions at the marina, click the link to the Live Lake View cams, and then click on Bear Lake. Fishing regulation changes for 2008 include recognizing both Utah and Idaho licenses and the respective state's second-pole permits on either side of the lake. This means that either a Utah or Idaho license holder can fish on either side of the lake. In addition, if you purchase a second-pole permit (two-pole permit), then you can fish with two poles on either side of the state line. For those interested, the GPS coordinates for the new rockpiles (using WGS84 datum and going from south to north) are: 41 degrees 58.097 minutes; 111 degrees 23.682 minutes; 41 degrees 58.187 minutes; 111 degrees 23.728 minutes; 41 degrees 58.292 minutes; 111 degrees 23.765 minutes; 41 degrees 58.418 minutes; 111 degrees 23.798 minutes.

Larger lakes & reservoirs

DEER CREEK RESERVOIR: There were lots of recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9 a.m. due to the hot weather. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using PowerBait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." Please remember that the trout limit is four fish statewide, unless otherwise noted in the 2008 Fishing Guidebook. The yellow perch limit is 10. Remember that the bass limit is six, and you should immediately release all bass over 12 inches long. The walleye limit is 10, but you may keep only one over 24 inches.

ABAJO MOUNTAINS: Conservation Officer Paul Washburn says that using a nymph and fly rod at Monticello Lake will "knock 'em dead." Paul identified a damsel fly as especially good. At other Abajo Mountain waters, Washburn recommends either a marshmallow or PowerBait—anything to get the hook off the bottom. "One other decent combo I have seen is a worm on a hook, tipped with a marshmallow," added Washburn. Sergeant J. Shirley reported that fishing success has dropped off considerably. Of 22 licensed anglers he checked on Sunday, only one had caught a fish. Sgt. Shirley recommends that sportsmen focus on pre-hunt scouting for deer and elk. Fishing will improve when the weather cools down. Tommi Budd reported that he spent 20 hours fishing over the July 24 holiday weekend. He fished Blanding #3 and #4, Recapture Reservoir and the San Juan River. In those 20 hours, he caught only one trout at Blanding #4.