Fishing Report For Deer Creek Reservoir, UT

Current Report: Fair

FALL. As Fall arrives, smallmouth here follow schools of baitfish into coves and bays 5 to 15 feet deep. Tube baits, jigs and stick worms are all excellent choices according to reports by Deer Creek Reservoir fishing guides. Crankbaits in crawdad or shad patterns also catch their share of smallies here. My favorite is the Rapala DT-6. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs are a great choice when the bass are in 15' or shallower. Drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics are also popular in 10' water or deeper. Jerkbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. Fishing shallow for smallmouth is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. They can generally be found from 12 to 20 feet deep. Ice fishing is possible most years. Tube baits, jigging spoons, drop shots and Ned rigs often produce when fished with a very slow presentation. Here bass hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They feed heavily in 3 to 12 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 5 to 15 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass are currently feeding shallow early and late in the day in 8 to 12 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 15 to 20 feet deep. Often these deeper fish are part of a school of smallmouth.

Current Report: Good

FALL. Cooling water temperatures in the shallows, draw rainbow trout out of deeper Summer depths. Rainbow trout are stocked annually in Fall to maintain a healthy population of rainbows. Local anglers report good success with nightcrawlers and scented trout dough for bank fishing. The majority caught are 12 to 14 inches long. For those chasing rainbows from a boat, trolling with spinners, spoons and crankbaits often do the trick - especially for larger trout. Anglers are now catching them 8 to 20 feet deep on rocky banks, wind-blown points, rocky structure, humps, and anywhere baitfish are gathering. Now that they had a full summer to grow, there are some nice size rainbow to be caught. Small spinners, spoons, jigs, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are good choices, as are salmon eggs and prepared baits. Later in Autumn, they move into 15 to 25 feet of water.

WINTER. When Winter sets in, jigging spoons, and jigs tipped with bait, are catching nice limits of rainbows out of 15 to 30 feet of water. These baits work well before, during and after ice fishing season, in years where there is safe ice. After ice out, deep trolling with leaded line or downriggers, or vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, are the best approach during the cold-water season.

SPRING. As water begins to warm in early Spring, rainbow trout move from their late winter holding areas to shallow, warmer water 5 to 15 feet deep. Rainbow trout are also stocked annually in Spring. A good number of rainbows are typically caught from mid morning to late afternoon, during the warmest water of the day. Shallow flats and rocky structure are quick to warm in the afternoon sun. A wide variety of small spinners, spoons and bait are catching most of the fish. The area around the Prove River inlet generally produces a lot of rainbows.

SUMMER. Once Summer is here to stay, the warmer water drives rainbow deeper, 15 to 30 feet deep, occasionally deeper. Trolling with spoons, spinners and crankbaits, using downriggers or leaded line, and drift fishing with bait, are currently the most productive methods. Following drop-offs into deeper water, along structure or creek channels, is a major key to getting bites. Anglers fishing from the bank are using nightcrawlers or Berkley PowerBait, with heavy weights on a Carolina rig, to get baits in deeper water.

Current Report: Fair

Anglers are catching nice walleye all year long at Deer Creek Reservoir. Reports by locals give favor to Spring and Fall as the best time of year for larger fish.

FALL. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish shallower. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early Fall finds them in 10 to 25 feet of water. Later in Fall, they move out deeper again. Dragging jigs or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, or bottom bouncers, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. This Winter fishing for walleye was pretty good through the ice. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in 39 to 60 feet of water, along creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, are all working while deep trolling or slow drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. Dawn and dusk are particularly good times to have a line in the water. Jigs, especially when tipped with worms, are a good choice when walleye are shallow. In deeper water, I prefer trolling spinners, spoons or deep-diving crankbaits at about 1.2 miles per hour. In Spring work deep points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, deeper flats and edges adjacent to deeper water. Here, in 10 to 15 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 15 to 25 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Walleye tend to concentrate in 15 to 35 feet of water, preferring the cooler temperatures. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, where they are harder to locate. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom are catching walleye.