08-08-2014, 03:12 PM
[#0000FF]I first fished the Provo in the early 1960s...when there were still fishing "seasons". Opening day found the banks of the Provo below Deer Creek lined wall to wall with happy hopefuls. Amazing the number of trout harvested before noon on that first day of the season. Even more amazing how many were left for the rest of the year...and how many big fish there were in that river.
During the summer I rode up almost every evening with a fishing buddy who worked at Innes Sporting Goods in Provo. He introduced me to all of the holes...and many of the fish...in the river above and below the old Heber Creeper bridge. We fished flies almost exclusively...both on fly rods and with spinning rods...with the Provo River bounce.
An average evening trip...from about 6 to 9 or so...produced at least 30 to 40 fish. Mostly browns with a few bows and whitefish. We generally only kept one or two in the 16 to 18 inch range. Few were smaller and most were bigger. Not unusual to release several over 20 inches.
Most trips we shared the waters with worm dunkers and folks who soaked "Velveeta hackle". And those folks generally kept several fish apiece...of all sizes. In short, there was a mixture of fishing tackle, bait, lures and techniques and there was a fair amount of harvest. But there was never a shortage of fish and there were always enough bigguns to keep us interested and excited.
I returned to Utah in the 70s for a few years and headed down to the Provo. During a decade of my absence the ambiance had changed. No longer any seasons and year round fishing...mostly by fly fishing elitests. I kept getting growled at whenever I used a spinning rod to fish flies...especially when I visibly outfished the Orvis dorks.
I lived in Arizona for about 20 years and returned in 2004. Read up on the regulations and asked around about the Provo. Wanted to revisit one of my old favorite streams. Got a lot of mumbling and references to "bring your own rock to stand on". But I geared up and went forth anyway. And even on a weekday morning I was unable to find a place to fish on any of my favorite holes. Finally settled in on a recently vacated spot and was rewarded with a couple of browns..."under-footers". Never caught ANY that small or slender in years past.
Then I was pushed out of my spot by a guide with his two clients. No explanation or asking permission. Just all waded out in front of me and started casting. I had no problem reaching the right spots with spinning gear while fishing in closer. But they had to wade out and that put me directly behind them...and their sloppy casting.
I left my tackle in my car as I walked down to watch the circus at several popular "casting exhibition" sites. The focus seemed to be on showing off how much money you could wear or wave over the water rather than on catching fish. Very little friendly chit chat. Almost like an unwritten law against friendliness or camaraderie. And the looks I got from those folks. They looked down their noses at me as if I was a terrorist sent to destroy their holes.
Sorry. Long rant. Bottom line is that I have not wet a line in the Provo in the last ten years. Probably won't ever again. I have had enough heartbreak in my life without returning to a once wonderful stream that produced plentiful large fish...for everybody. Now it has been taken over by hostile folks who want it all to themselves and have enacted regulations and practices to keep everybody else away. Who wants to fish on a demolition derby track...for minnows?
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
During the summer I rode up almost every evening with a fishing buddy who worked at Innes Sporting Goods in Provo. He introduced me to all of the holes...and many of the fish...in the river above and below the old Heber Creeper bridge. We fished flies almost exclusively...both on fly rods and with spinning rods...with the Provo River bounce.
An average evening trip...from about 6 to 9 or so...produced at least 30 to 40 fish. Mostly browns with a few bows and whitefish. We generally only kept one or two in the 16 to 18 inch range. Few were smaller and most were bigger. Not unusual to release several over 20 inches.
Most trips we shared the waters with worm dunkers and folks who soaked "Velveeta hackle". And those folks generally kept several fish apiece...of all sizes. In short, there was a mixture of fishing tackle, bait, lures and techniques and there was a fair amount of harvest. But there was never a shortage of fish and there were always enough bigguns to keep us interested and excited.
I returned to Utah in the 70s for a few years and headed down to the Provo. During a decade of my absence the ambiance had changed. No longer any seasons and year round fishing...mostly by fly fishing elitests. I kept getting growled at whenever I used a spinning rod to fish flies...especially when I visibly outfished the Orvis dorks.
I lived in Arizona for about 20 years and returned in 2004. Read up on the regulations and asked around about the Provo. Wanted to revisit one of my old favorite streams. Got a lot of mumbling and references to "bring your own rock to stand on". But I geared up and went forth anyway. And even on a weekday morning I was unable to find a place to fish on any of my favorite holes. Finally settled in on a recently vacated spot and was rewarded with a couple of browns..."under-footers". Never caught ANY that small or slender in years past.
Then I was pushed out of my spot by a guide with his two clients. No explanation or asking permission. Just all waded out in front of me and started casting. I had no problem reaching the right spots with spinning gear while fishing in closer. But they had to wade out and that put me directly behind them...and their sloppy casting.
I left my tackle in my car as I walked down to watch the circus at several popular "casting exhibition" sites. The focus seemed to be on showing off how much money you could wear or wave over the water rather than on catching fish. Very little friendly chit chat. Almost like an unwritten law against friendliness or camaraderie. And the looks I got from those folks. They looked down their noses at me as if I was a terrorist sent to destroy their holes.
Sorry. Long rant. Bottom line is that I have not wet a line in the Provo in the last ten years. Probably won't ever again. I have had enough heartbreak in my life without returning to a once wonderful stream that produced plentiful large fish...for everybody. Now it has been taken over by hostile folks who want it all to themselves and have enacted regulations and practices to keep everybody else away. Who wants to fish on a demolition derby track...for minnows?
[/#0000FF]
[signature]