Utah

Utah punches well above its weight in the national fly fishing conversation, home to two of the most consistent and productive trout tailwaters in the American West — the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam and the Provo River below Jordanelle and Deer Creek reservoirs. Both rivers combine cold, clear water, prolific insect hatches, and large populations of wild brown and rainbow trout in accessible, scenic settings that make Utah a legitimate destination for anglers who might otherwise assume the state's arid reputation translates to poor fishing.

The Green River below Flaming Gorge is the signature Utah fly fishing experience — a broad, spring-colored river flowing through the Canyon of Lodore and the Browns Park area with water temperatures that remain in the mid-40s to low-50s year-round. The river's three sections — A, B, and C — offer distinct fishing experiences ranging from wade-accessible trophy water to float-only canyon stretches. Brown trout exceeding 20 inches are common, and the five-fish-per-day limit on certain sections (unusual for a quality western tailwater) reflects the river's remarkable productivity.

The Provo River through Heber Valley and Provo Canyon is northern Utah's most accessible trophy fishery — a technical tailwater that rewards precise nymphing with brown trout in the 16-to-22-inch range. The Weber River, Ogden River, and Logan River tailwaters provide additional quality fishing within a day's drive of Salt Lake City, making Utah one of the most fly-fishing-rich urban corridors in the West.