TR: Middle Weber River

Finally after wrestling my new yard for two months, I got some free
time to hit a local Blue Ribbon Fishery called the Weber River.
Located between the towns of Rockport and Echo, this river winds
through farm land with many runs, riffles, deep holes, and slots. The
main fish on the river are the native whitefish and browns, with a
scattering of rainbows and cutthroats for variety.

I started out with a size 14 beadhead hare's ear trailed by a scud.
First pass through the first hole and the rod bend double with a
typical 14 inch whitefish. Brought to net and quickly released.
Further down another whitefish about 16 inches and two missses.
Further down my favorite runs and holes where taken by guides helping
some new people enjoy fly fishing. I gave them a wide berth and
headed down river. While passing I asked the guides what the hot fly
was and I was told to use a PDM emerger. I clipped of the scud and
tied on a size 16 PMD emerger and headed down river. I had not fished
this part of the river since I usually stopped at the runs the guides
were in. I found a nice run overhung by a tree and cast in. Second
drift a 12 inch rainbow starts dancing across the surface. A few
minutes later it is back in the river. Two more casts and the rod
bends double. I set the hook and the rod starts pumping. A big fish
is on the other end not happy to be hooked up. 15 minutes later a
very health, fat 23 inch rainbow is in hand. Remove the hook and he
is back in the river for another day. A couple more passes through a
nice 16 inch brown comes to hand. Last pass through a 14 inch
cutthroat takes the hare's ear, my first grandslam on the river.

My cousin watched shaking his head digging for a PMD to tie on. Since
he didn't have one, I searched through my nymph box and found an old
fly I used on another river. It kinda looked like a PMD, so I gave it
to him. Up river a couple of minutes later, I hear him shouting for
help. I run up river to see his rod bent double. After 15 minutes I
help him net a very beautiful 22 inch brown. We snap some pictures
and let him go.

Walking along the banks the caddis swarm us, good to see there is
enough fish food for them. The Middle Weber has always been a joy to
fish for me, but Saturday was espcially sweet with the grandslam.
This river fishes well during all seasons, when the browns spawn, they
get hyper agressive and like to hit glo bugs and olive woolybuggers,
during the winter the whitefish spawn and the trout feed on the roe
and small (size 20 and smaller) midges bring in the big fish. Spring,
the pheasant tailes, prince nymphs and hare's ears will bring them
in. This summer they keyed in on the yellow stones (size 14 hare's
ear works great for this), and PMD's. The river is between Rockport
Reservoir and Echo Reservoir so the water is pulled from the bottom,
it runs cold and clear all year ensuring a plentiful bounty of food
for the fish.

John

On Aug 11, 10:09 am, John wrote:
Finally after wrestling my new yard for two months, I got some free
time to hit a local Blue Ribbon Fishery called the Weber River.
Located between the towns of Rockport and Echo, this river winds
through farm land with many runs, riffles, deep holes, and slots. The
main fish on the river are the native whitefish and browns, with a
scattering of rainbows and cutthroats for variety.

I started out with a size 14 beadhead hare's ear trailed by a scud.
First pass through the first hole and the rod bend double with a
typical 14 inch whitefish. Brought to net and quickly released.
Further down another whitefish about 16 inches and two missses.
Further down my favorite runs and holes where taken by guides helping
some new people enjoy fly fishing. I gave them a wide berth and
headed down river. While passing I asked the guides what the hot fly
was and I was told to use a PDM emerger. I clipped of the scud and
tied on a size 16 PMD emerger and headed down river. I had not fished
this part of the river since I usually stopped at the runs the guides
were in. I found a nice run overhung by a tree and cast in. Second
drift a 12 inch rainbow starts dancing across the surface. A few
minutes later it is back in the river. Two more casts and the rod
bends double. I set the hook and the rod starts pumping. A big fish
is on the other end not happy to be hooked up. 15 minutes later a
very health, fat 23 inch rainbow is in hand. Remove the hook and he
is back in the river for another day. A couple more passes through a
nice 16 inch brown comes to hand. Last pass through a 14 inch
cutthroat takes the hare's ear, my first grandslam on the river.

My cousin watched shaking his head digging for a PMD to tie on. Since
he didn't have one, I searched through my nymph box and found an old
fly I used on another river. It kinda looked like a PMD, so I gave it
to him. Up river a couple of minutes later, I hear him shouting for
help. I run up river to see his rod bent double. After 15 minutes I
help him net a very beautiful 22 inch brown. We snap some pictures
and let him go.

Walking along the banks the caddis swarm us, good to see there is
enough fish food for them. The Middle Weber has always been a joy to
fish for me, but Saturday was espcially sweet with the grandslam.
This river fishes well during all seasons, when the browns spawn, they
get hyper agressive and like to hit glo bugs and olive woolybuggers,
during the winter the whitefish spawn and the trout feed on the roe
and small (size 20 and smaller) midges bring in the big fish. Spring,
the pheasant tailes, prince nymphs and hare's ears will bring them
in. This summer they keyed in on the yellow stones (size 14 hare's
ear works great for this), and PMD's. The river is between Rockport
Reservoir and Echo Reservoir so the water is pulled from the bottom,
it runs cold and clear all year ensuring a plentiful bounty of food
for the fish.

John

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:16:56 -0700 (PDT), Steve Cain
wrote:

On Aug 11, 10:09 am, John wrote:
Finally after wrestling my new yard for two months, I got some free
time to hit a local Blue Ribbon Fishery called the Weber River.
Located between the towns of Rockport and Echo, this river winds
through farm land with many runs, riffles, deep holes, and slots. The
main fish on the river are the native whitefish and browns, with a
scattering of rainbows and cutthroats for variety.

I started out with a size 14 beadhead hare's ear trailed by a scud.
First pass through the first hole and the rod bend double with a
typical 14 inch whitefish. Brought to net and quickly released.
Further down another whitefish about 16 inches and two missses.
Further down my favorite runs and holes where taken by guides helping
some new people enjoy fly fishing. I gave them a wide berth and
headed down river. While passing I asked the guides what the hot fly
was and I was told to use a PDM emerger. I clipped of the scud and
tied on a size 16 PMD emerger and headed down river. I had not fished
this part of the river since I usually stopped at the runs the guides
were in. I found a nice run overhung by a tree and cast in. Second
drift a 12 inch rainbow starts dancing across the surface. A few
minutes later it is back in the river. Two more casts and the rod
bends double. I set the hook and the rod starts pumping. A big fish
is on the other end not happy to be hooked up. 15 minutes later a
very health, fat 23 inch rainbow is in hand. Remove the hook and he
is back in the river for another day. A couple more passes through a
nice 16 inch brown comes to hand. Last pass through a 14 inch
cutthroat takes the hare's ear, my first grandslam on the river.

My cousin watched shaking his head digging for a PMD to tie on. Since
he didn't have one, I searched through my nymph box and found an old
fly I used on another river. It kinda looked like a PMD, so I gave it
to him. Up river a couple of minutes later, I hear him shouting for
help. I run up river to see his rod bent double. After 15 minutes I
help him net a very beautiful 22 inch brown. We snap some pictures
and let him go.

Walking along the banks the caddis swarm us, good to see there is
enough fish food for them. The Middle Weber has always been a joy to
fish for me, but Saturday was espcially sweet with the grandslam.
This river fishes well during all seasons, when the browns spawn, they
get hyper agressive and like to hit glo bugs and olive woolybuggers,
during the winter the whitefish spawn and the trout feed on the roe
and small (size 20 and smaller) midges bring in the big fish. Spring,
the pheasant tailes, prince nymphs and hare's ears will bring them
in. This summer they keyed in on the yellow stones (size 14 hare's
ear works great for this), and PMD's. The river is between Rockport
Reservoir and Echo Reservoir so the water is pulled from the bottom,
it runs cold and clear all year ensuring a plentiful bounty of food
for the fish.

John

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks from me too. An enjoyable virtual excursion to a place I'll
probably never visit.

Geo. C.