December 7, 2012: Middle Provo Fishing Report: WWW: Water levels, Water Temp., and Wind.

Fishing was a struggle last Friday. A cold weather system was moving in and the wind made it difficult to dead-drift nymphs. The weather hurdles were on top of less than favorable water conditions. The Middle Provo's water-levels were higher than my last trip on November 26 and the water temperature dropped another degree, to 42 F (from 43 F in late November). Larger browns seem to be holding in deeper, slower moving water. Smaller and medium sized fish can still be caught in shallower, faster moving water.

For dry fly guys, the wind kept most of the insects off the water, though there was some small activity in the late morning, or right before the wind really picked up. For nymph guys, fish were taking brown, size 20; 22 UFOs, Rainbow Warriors, and baetis flies (size 18 was the largest I used at any point in the day). There is quite a bit of subsurface insect activity, and if you happen to spot a branch in the water, it's worth picking up and closely examining it and then your hands. You're sure to see an impressive population of tiny midges and some nymphs.

With the weather challenges and the drop in fishing, it is still well-worth making the trip. For a Friday, I only saw a handful of anglers all day and I was able to enjoy most of the river to myself. The picturesque snowcapped mountains were alone, worth the trip. Then, there's something humbling and even appreciative about struggling all day on the Provo and averaging less than a fish an hour--most were small too. The unknown and mystery associated with fishing and hunting is what makes these activities so enjoyable. From a number's standpoint, fishing was forgettable last Friday. From a spiritual standpoint, the Provo injected a healthy dose of mystery and even caused a bit of self-doubt--"do I really know what I am doing?" Truthfully, I'm still unsure and I got to know ASAP!  I plan on taking a trip tomorrow or Wednesday.