Welcome to High Country Fly Fishers

Everything You Wanted to Know about Fishing Deer Creek and Jordanelle Reservoirs

Presenter: Tyler Robinson, DWR Biologist

Jordanelle and Deer Creek are two of our closest reservoirs for both bank and boat fishing. Do you know how to fish them? Here is a chance to learn more about the fisheries. Tyler will be presenting on all things Jordanelle and Deer Creek.

Information will include data from recent netting and electrofishing surveys conducted between 2022 and 2024. Data will include catch rates, length and weight data, and all things fish-related to help us manage the reservoir. Additionally, he will talk about future management changes as including stocking and habitat improvement projects.

Tyler is the local Blue Ribbon/Sportfish Biologist for the Central Region of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. He is in charge of all flatwater in the region ranging from high Wasatch lakes to mid to low elevation reservoirs of Utah Lake. He comes to us from Minnesota, where he received his Master’s degree from Bemidji State University in Biology. He and his wife Chelsea moved Utah just over 3 years ago.

HCFF Walk & Wade Society (formerly known as River Fishers) Outings by Jayne Guyse

Upcoming HCFF Outings

Volunteers Needed for Park City Youth Fly Fishing Program

Love fly fishing? Enjoy helping others learn a new skill? Park City’s Recreation
Department is recruiting volunteer fly‑fishing instructors for its
summer youth clinics on local rivers. Lean more details here! 

Where Is the Weber River Water?

During one of our recent (April 29) site visits to evaluate potential
crossover installations on the Lower Weber River below Echo Reservoir,
Tom Smith and I noticed that the river flow was unusually low—almost
dry in places. Concerned that such conditions often trigger fish kills, I
contacted Clint Brunson, Utah DWR biologist for the Weber River, to learn
why this happens. His detailed reply is reproduced below.

— Bill Quapp

Response from Clint Brunson (Utah DWR – Weber River Biologist)

The releases out of Echo Reservoir surprise a lot of anglers every year. Below is the
why.

Management & Water Rights
• Echo Reservoir is managed by Weber River Water Users, not the Weber Basin Water
Conservancy District.
• Constructed in the 1930s—long before fish or aquatic health were considered—it holds
water for senior irrigation and municipal rights.
• From Oct 15 – Apr 15 no water is released unless it must be delivered to
Willard Bay / Great Salt Lake.
• Even after Apr 15 (the official start of irrigation season) releases don’t begin until
water users request them.
• Utah DWR has no call water rights at Echo; if we did, they would be junior and
filled only after senior rights are honored.

Fish Health in Low‑Flow Winters
Over the past decade I have intensively surveyed the Weber between Echo and Henefer. Despite
winter base‑flows of just 2–3 cfs from Echo Creek, this reach consistently holds some of the
healthiest populations of large trout and mountain whitefish in the watershed:
• Brown Trout > 25″ are routine in samples.
• Rainbow Trout > 22″ are common.
• Whitefish approach state‑record length.
These fish over‑winter in deep pools where the trickle flow sustains adequate oxygen.

Progress & Future Options
• We have asked the water‑user groups to ramp flows up and down gradually instead of
“all‑on/all‑off”; they have done so the last three seasons.
• They are open to dedicated fish flows if rights can be purchased—unfortunately such
rights are scarce and expensive.
• Rest assured: we monitor this stretch closely, and there have been no documented
major fish kills since the reservoir was built.

Thank you and your team for the outstanding crossover structures—anglers (myself included)
are already benefitting from them.

— Clint Brunson

Strawberry Ice Off Outing – April 21-22, 2025

River Fishers Group Strawberry Ice Off Trip Report – Jayne Guyse

Our Strawberry Ice-Off Day Trip happened over two days, April 21st & 22nd. Eighteen fishers from both Bonneville Fly Fishers and High Country Fly Fishers attended the outing on one or both of these days. Ice conditions were absolutely perfect, thanks to Pat’s extensive research and numerous scouting trips. Best of all, the big cutts were right under the edge of the ice and ready to play … if you happened to be standing in the right place at the right time. The group communicated on the group text to share locations and catches. People were more than willing to share the spots that were fishing well with others, whether the others came from the other side of the reservoir or just moved 10’ closer.

We met at Strawberry Bay Marina both mornings at 11:30, tagged up into small groups, discussed locations with the best ice and spread out around the reservoir. Locations as the day warmed and the ice pulled back further from the bank, opening up some excellent options. Many thanks to those who brought treats to share. Thanks to those of you who offered to help anyone who asked to fish with a more experienced fisherman; I believe everyone who requested a helper found fish, including Joe who landed the big fish of the outing at 22”. Also, a huge thank you to the BFF and HCFF tyers who tied up the preferred mid-night fire bugger on Monday night to share with the Tuesday attendees. That was absolutely the fly of choice for this trip.

By Friday, the ice was largely gone OR piled up against the banks. The fish were no longer hanging under the edge of the ice and were much harder to find. So glad attendees got to see exactly what perfect ice conditions look like. 😊

Free Trout Unlimited Membership

Click one of the links below to get a first-time free one-year membership, or if you’re already a member, renew your membership to Trout Unlimited. With this membership you receive a subscription to Trout magazine, discounts on travel and fishing gear, and much more.

Fish for Garbage 2025

Let’s face it — fish don’t like garbage, and neither do we. That’s why we need you, brave steward of rivers and picker-upper of things that absolutely should not be anywhere near water. Are you the kind of person who can spot a Doritos bag from 100 yards? Do you enjoy long walks on the riverbank, preferably while wielding a trash grabber and making sarcastic comments about flip-flops in the reeds? Then congratulations — you’re our people. Join us for Fish for Garbage 2025, where we combine conservation with comedy, sunburns with service, lunch, and community with… questionable items pulled from the deep. It’s part cleanup, part fishing, part “what even is this thing?” and 100% satisfying. We need volunteers with good hearts, friendly smiles, and a tolerance for smells they can’t quite identify. Bonus points if you bring your friends, your waders, or a competitive spirit for the weirdest trash find of the day. Help us make Utah’s rivers cleaner, safer, and just a little less like a scene from a post-apocalyptic tackle shop. You’ll leave tired, proud, and possibly with a new appreciation for gloves. Sign up today — the fish are counting on you (and they said please).

Contact Jayne at groovyjayne@gmail.com with any questions.