As temperatures decrease fishing activity rises

Chelsea Hunter, staff writer

Fall often brings to mind thoughts of pumpkins, spices and corn mazes, as well as all things apple. However, fall is also known as the season of success for fishermen in Cache County.  

A Utah fishing report from Oct. 3 said fishing on Logan river “is hot” for the month because of the decrease in temperature. Fishing is good in the morning and evening, but slows during mid-morning and afternoon hours.

The Utah Division of WIldlife reported anglers are having great success on the river and recommended fishermen “use caddis patterns in the morning and evening; ants, beetles, and grasshoppers during the day; and purple haze at any time. Worms and garlic-scented Powerbait are also seeing results, and water levels are still good.”

Even after a relatively dry year, water levels are expected to rise when the water routed for irrigation is redirected to Utah’s reservoirs, contributing to more success for anglers around the state.

Brandon Gardner, a junior studying agricultural education, grew up in Bear River City and has been fishing since he could walk. He calls himself an avid angler.

“The last month, I’ve probably gone once or twice a week,” he said.

As temperatures cool off overall, the fishing is better, Gardner said, but some days are still hit-or-miss. He believes it’s because of the pattern of the fish around this time of year.

Gardner’s theory is that as the temperatures cool down, the fish are trying to eat a lot of food before wintertime.

“The main lake I fish around here is Hyrum reservoir,” he said. “I also do a lot of fishing just on the Logan River because if I have a break in between classes for a couple hours, I’ll just run up the canyon really quick and fish for an hour or so. That’s probably the most common area that I fish.”

Gardner said he sees mostly rainbow trout and a few brown trout. Occasionally a cutthroat trout will end up on the end of his line, but he said it’s pretty rare.

Gardner loves to fish and calls it his “stress release.” He said the experience let’s him relax in the great outdoors.

“The fishing really picks up in the fall,” said Amy Canning, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Fishing is awesome at this time of year because the temperatures have cooled down a bit, causing the fish to become more active, she said. In the summer the fish tend to get lethargic when it’s hot and aren’t as aggressive. With the water is cooling down, the oxygen levels are rising, causing the fish to become more comfortable, she said.

From the changing temperatures, Canning said, fish know winter is coming. This causes the fish to start feeding heavily, and because they are more inclined to bite at whatever they see, fishermen can capitalize through simple use of bait or lures.

Canning said Willard Bay and Bear Lake are usually really good fishing spots during this time of year, as well as Starvation Reservoir in Northeastern Utah.

“In mid-October, the best fishing happens before and after the full moon,” Canning said. “So fish do respond to the moon phases, especially near the end of the summer. If you time your trip around that, it can affect it. Usually the best time to fish is during the new moon when it’s really dark.”

Jared Metcalf, a freshman studying wildlife management, agrees fall is the best time to fish. He said fall is his favorite time to go out and cast a line, but he wishes he had more time to take advantage of the superb conditions.

“I haven’t gotten out a bunch this fall,” he said. “But I did really well with topwater lures for bass at Newton reservoir.”

Bass are easiest to pattern when the water cools down, Metcalf said. The fish strike at topwater lures or they take jigs or worms off the bottom, and brown trout tend to spawn in the fall.

Metcalf said he has a lot of favorite locations to fish that change with the seasons. He said it’s best to fish in water that gets deeper gradually during the spring and the fall, and local destinations that feature this include Willard, Mantua and Newton.

During the summer months, Metcalf said he prefers lakes with steeper inclines such as Hyrum, Bear Lake and Porcupine.

Waters that get deeper gradually matter specifically to fishermen who don’t own a boat, Metcalf said, because it’s vital to fish from the proper depth. In order to find the proper depth close to shore, fishermen have to know which lakes possesses the needed depth for the season.

“When the water gets hot, fish want to go deep,” Metcalf said. “The only way I can get there without wearing myself out is if the lake gets deep fast.”