Hatch-chart pattern list
Best Flies for Provo River (Utah)
The Middle Provo is Utah's most fished tailwater for a reason: it is close, it stays wadeable, and it hatches. It also educates trout. Midges, BWOs, and PMDs do more than the hopper you want to throw. The Lower Provo is a different, bigger channel. This list follows the Provo hatch chart. It does not tell you what someone landed at the weir last night.
What's hatching now
Month, insect, size, and pattern from the Provo River hatch chart. August is highlighted when that month exists in the chart. We do not invent a hatch that is not on the chart.
| Month | Insect | Size | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-26 | Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge, Griffith's Gnat |
| February | Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-26 | Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge |
| March | Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Sparkle Dun |
| Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-24 | Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge | |
| April | Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #16-20 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Comparadun |
| Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-24 | Mercury Midge, Griffith's Gnat | |
| May | Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella) | #16-18 | PMD Comparadun, Sparkle Dun, Pheasant Tail Nymph |
| Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #18-20 | Parachute BWO, RS2 | |
| June | Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella) | #16-18 | PMD Comparadun, CDC Dun |
| Caddis (Trichoptera) | #14-18 | Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis | |
| July | Caddis (Trichoptera) | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis |
| Grasshopper / Terrestrials | #8-12 | Dave's Hopper, Chernobyl Ant, Foam Beetle | |
| August | Grasshopper / Terrestrials | #8-12 | Dave's Hopper, Parachute Hopper |
| Caddis (Trichoptera) | #14-18 | Elk Hair Caddis, Balloon Caddis | |
| September | Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Thorax BWO |
| Trico (Tricorythodes) | #20-24 | Trico Spinner, CDC Trico | |
| October | Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2, Barr Emerger |
| Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-26 | Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge | |
| November | Blue-winged Olive (Baetis) | #18-22 | Parachute BWO, RS2 |
| Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-26 | Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge | |
| December | Midge (Chironomidae) | #20-26 | Mercury Midge, Griffith's Gnat |
Nymphs
Subsurface patterns matched to this river's chart and catalog. Fish them at the size the chart lists, not the size that looks good in the bin.
Dries
Dries and terrestrials for the Provo River. If the chart says a size 18 PMD, do not start with a 12.
Streamers
Streamers and wets for stained water, banks, and low light. This is not a claim that streamers are "on" today.
Setup
5X and 6X fluorocarbon on nymphs, 5X on dries unless the fish are on Tricos, then 6X or 7X. Start lighter than your home river. One small tungsten and a long tag often beats a 3.5mm bead in clear water. Tight-line the near bank and the heads of pockets. Use an indicator only when you need to search water you cannot euro.
FAQ
- What flies work on the Provo River?
- Start with BWO Sparkle Dun and BWO Parachute, then match size to the hatch chart for the month you are standing in. The Provo River does not need a 40-pattern box. It needs the right size on the insect that is actually in the drift.
- When is the best time to fly fish the Provo River?
- The editorial window we list is March, April, May, September, October, November. That is a planning month range, not a guarantee. Shoulder months can fish well if flows and water temperature cooperate.
- Do I need a guide on the Provo River?
- Utah has walk-up wade water and, on some sections, float water. A guide is worth it for a first float or a technical tailwater. A hatch chart and a gauge are enough for a first wade if you already nymph. We list local guides and shops on this page when we have them.
- Where can I see live flow for the Provo River?
- Open the Provo River river page for the USGS gauge, access notes, and the same hatch chart this fly list is built from. We do not publish other people's spots or fish counts.
- Is this a report of what's working now on the Provo River?
- No. Executive Angler does not publish other anglers' catches, GPS, or a crowdsourced hot fly. This page is hatch-chart patterns plus catalog flies. Presence on the river page is gauge and weather only.
Related
Provo River
Access, hatch chart, USGS gauge.
Utah
Trip planning for this region.
BWO Sparkle Dun
Dry
BWO Parachute
Dry
Midge Larva
Midge
Anglers Den
5348 S 1900 W Suite A1, Roy, UT 84067
Basin Fly Shop
Vernal, UT
Big Cottonwood Creek
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Ham's Fork
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Little Cottonwood Creek
Open the river guide, then its fly list.
Logan River
Open the river guide, then its fly list.