Back in Utah and Back to the Bear River - Life is good

Fishing Time: 12:00 to 6:00 PM

Weather: clear, breezy, T-50s

Moon Phase: 61% Moon

Location: Bear River

Best Bait: Pale orange glow bug (egg pattern)

Who Went: Rick Everson, Dylan Goar, Dunc

Its fall, which means spawning time for the big browns on the Bear River.  I’ve missed fishing the Bear River the last couple years due to traveling for work, and I almost missed it again this year.  I just got home from working in New Mexico yesterday and tomorrow I’m headed to St. George for a family vacation and then it’s straight to another job site in Wyoming, so I literally had one day in between traveling to make it work.  My buddy Rick was able to work out his schedule and he brought along his brother in-law Dylan.

When we first arrived at to the river it had the feeling of being a great day.  The weather has been very cold recently, but today was a beautiful clear sky day with temps in the upper 50s.  We had high hopes.  The first couple runs looked promising with a couple fish sitting on beds at each location, but for whatever reason they wouldn’t commit to our egg pattern flies.

A short distance up river was another good spawning bed with a female and a bright colored male waiting to be casted to.  I made my way down the bank into the river and positioned myself for a good angle to cast.  On my second cast the big male took the fly and the fight was on.  A short time later Rick had him in the net, or at least half of him.  These Bear River fish are unreal.  It was a 23-inch thick male in full spawning colors.  A beautiful fish! 

We continued up river and Rick and Dylan took turns casting to the big spawning browns.  I would sneak up through the grass and watch the fish as they both cast there flies right in front of their faces, but they all seemed to be lock jawed.  

Apparently, I lucked out with the only fish willing to bite. The good thing about the Bear River though, is that one fish makes the day.  We all went home happy and tired.  Glad we made the only day possible work and that I was lucky enough to land one of these beautiful fish.