Fishing Report For Jordanelle Reservoir, UT

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Jordanelle Reservoir is loaded with smallmouth bass, and catching has been easy for a couple years now.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around deeper points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. From the deeper channel near the north end of the Ross Creek arm, and points along the west side down to the Hailstone Campground, holds lots of smallies in Winter. Before, during and after ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 15 to 30 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tend to temp smallmouth in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they 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. Incoming water, at the inlet of the Provo River around Rock Cliff Campground, attracts pre-spawn smallmouth annually. They feed heavily in 2 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 15 to 20 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 6 to 25 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 20 to 35 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing the deep rocky ledges and channel edges in both the main basin and the Provo River arm, are reporting good catches.

FALL. Once Fall arrives smallmouth move into coves and bays 8 to 20 feet deep. They thrive in the cooler, shallow water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 20 to 25 feet deep.

Current Report: Good

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has an ongoing stocking program to keep rainbows available to anglers. Many of the stocked trout being caught are small, but there are some nice ones in the mix.

WINTER. When Winter sets in jigging spoons, and jigs tipped with bait, are catching nice limits of rainbows out of 20 to 80 feet of water. These baits work well around the old river channels and the deeper humps and cuts in the Ross Creek basin, and around Hailstone. Trolling with leaded line or downriggers, or vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, are the best approach during the cold-water season. Slowly worked offerings are more likely to attract bites in this cold water.

SPRING. As water begins to warm in early Spring, rainbow trout move from their late winter holding areas to shallow, warmer water 3 to 20 feet deep. 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. Trolling 10 to 20 feet deep with wide variety of small spinners, spoons and bait catches the majority of rainbows in Spring.

SUMMER. Once Summer is here to stay, the warmer water drives rainbow deeper, 10 to 40 feet deep, occasionally deeper. Trolling the main basin 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. Early and late in the day they often move into 4 to 12 feet of water to feed.

FALL. Cooling water temperatures in the shallows, draw rainbow trout out of deeper Summer depths. Anglers catch them 4 to 25 feet deep on rocky banks, wind-blown points, rocky structure, humps, and anywhere baitfish are gathering. Once 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 20 to 40 feet of water.

Current Report: Very Good

A healthy, stable population of yellow perch reside here, providing a steady food source for larger, predator fish.

WINTER. Yellow perch are fun to catch in winter when ice fishing, and the ice fishing was great last winter. The cold of winter drives perch deeper again in search of food and stable water conditions. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Early in Winter, perch are caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 8 to 25 of water. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they descend into 20 to 30 feet of water. Fishing for perch through the ice here is good, using mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. The section of the lake from the Hailstone points, to Rock Cliff at the Provo River inlet, is ideal for perch in Spring. Anglers are beginning to catch them in 2 to 12 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they drop into 10 to 14 feet of water.

SUMMER. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 10 to 40 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day ,seek them out in feeding zones, 3 to 12 feet deep. Drop-offs, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 6 to 20 feet of water. Later in the season, they begin to migrate deeper, toward Winter holding areas. The Provo River inlet, and the upper edges of main basin breaks are popular areas in Fall. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections around the deeper edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, and humps. Spinners, spoons and small crankbaits are ideal this time of year.