Daughter and I fished Diamond Fork today. Each of us caught a little brown, I lost one nice one, and then nothing.
So we moved up stream. We each had follows, then I lost one. Then nothing.
What do they do, spread the word through their fishy neighborhood watch or something? “No one eat anything! The anglers are here!”
Anyway, anyone have any advice on fishing Diamond Fork? Thanks :)[fishin]
Diamond Fork is always a bit finicky. On top of that I don’t have that much luck from December to about May or so when the spring runoff ends. If it’s not producing this time of year or in the Spring I always run over to Thistle Creek as a back up. Fish just a bit smaller but unless the flows are pretty high very consistent fishing.
Diamond fork is just no fun anymore since they kilt the browns for the cutts.
my best advice is to go somewhere else!
I totally agree with you. When I lived in Springville I fished Diamond Fork all the time. I had several 100+ days and caught many 18" plus browns in the stretch above the forks before they killed it off. I haven’t heard very many good reports from there since they poisoned it off [frown] Kind of a waste of an amazing trout stream.
No doubt the fishing is quite tough there during the colder months, though it’s not bad during the summer, but with how high the water was this last year the fishing was awful, especially where diamond fork meets thistle.
It’s coming back slowly. But I agree the fishing went downhill tremendously after the rotenone poisoning throughout the whole river. So much for the neutralization of the poison at 3 Forks. I haven’t caught a single 20 inch + fish in Diamond Fork since they poisoned it. I did have one cloudy afternoon that produced about 70 mostly 14-16 inches. Hopefully next year it’ll be back.
Diamond Fork and Thistle both drain into Soldiers Creek and don’t meet.
That’s good to hear. Not that I ever get to fish it anymore since I live so far from it, but it made me feel pretty sad knowing what happened.
a 70 fish day, on Diamond Fork, riverdog? Can I ask what you were using? We’ve caught 2 browns and a cutt in there so far, all in the 10-14 inch range. Daughter caught one brown on a worm, and I caught the other brown and the cutt on a rooster tail lure.
I don’t fly fish–I think my Other Half would murder me, OH already thinks I spend too much money on fishing.[;)]
Thank you so much for your reply!
Thanks for the reply Josh. Where else would you go? I prefer not to fish the lower Provo, too many people and they mess with the water flows too much. Right now the flows are soooo low–which I don’t get, since Deer Creek is so full…
Thanks again for your reply!
So you would probably avoid Diamond Fork during the winter? Alright, that makes sense. Thanks HATH!
I was using a size 10 prince nymph that day if I recall correctly. I’m mostly a fly fishermen especially on streams. I fished Diamond Fork 3- 4 weeks ago and think I ended up with 2 or 3 that day in a couple hours before bagging it for another water.
Three Forks? That’s part of why I’m asking–I’m having a really hard time trying to find info on Diamond Fork so I can figure out where I am, and where the best fishing spots are. Earlier in the year daughter and I drove up past the hot springs, which I guess is 5th Water, but the road is gravel and not passable most of the winter. I found a map here: http://www.utahoutdoors.com/pages/Diamondfork.htm
But I can’t find where those reference points are, when I drive up that canyon. All I can tell is the road parallels the stream most of the time, but I’ve had a hard time even telling where those other streams come in.
Anyway…thanks everyone for your help!
Rats. I do use wet flies behind a bubble, but real fly fishing is a skill beyond me at this point.
Thanks for the insight, riverdog. Appreciate ya!
I could be mistaken but I thought the creek that runs along the spanish fork canyon park is thistle creek. This creek forks into diamond fork right at the northern most part of the park, which i guess then is called the spanish fork river? This is what i’ve always thought.
I could be mistaken but I thought the creek that runs along the spanish fork canyon park is thistle creek. This creek forks into diamond fork right at the northern most part of the park, which i guess then is called the spanish fork river? This is what i’ve always thought.
I definitely am not an expert (obviously, lol) but my understanding is the Spanish Fork river is the one that runs down Spanish Fork Canyon, past the river park/campground. The Diamond Fork River runs into the Spanish Fork River.
I think Thistle Creek also runs into the Spanish Fork river, and you get to it from the Thistle turnoff, route 89, right?
Anyone ever fished the Spanish Fork river? Is that decent fishing?
I always did well in the fall on the stretch up near the red rock cliffs as the canyon narrows. There were a lot of large browns and some sizable cutts too. If the flows allow, there are some really good hatches the early part of June around the Sheep Creek turnoff where it turns to gravel. That’s when I would have my 100+ days up there. There were cicada, golden stones and drakes all coming off at the same time. I would also recommend going up to that area in the early spring before runoff and hiking in. I always had the stream to myself and caught a lot of nice fish. I always fly fished it, and I really think that it’s the best way to fish small streams most of the time.
3 Forks is where the 5th Water hotspring trailhead begins. It’s about 10 miles up from highway 6 and is labeled. 3 Forks is referring to where 6, (5& 6th water come together about a mile up the trail) 1st and Diamond Fork all come together.
Now don’t listen to gstot about going into that area with the gates closed in spring. Fish have lockjaw and it’s surprisingly crowded and loud with all those snowmobiles. Fishing is really poor. And the mountain lions have had the place to themselves all winter and are everywhere (only place I’ve run into 2 mtn lions on the same day several miles apart). Anyway you get the picture, only crazy folks fish it then[sly].
Gstot some of us still fish it so don’t go giving up all the secrets of those waters that take years to learn. Better they earn the rest at this point.
Soldiers Creek is the name of the stream in that part of Spanish Fork Canyon. Not sure where it changes to Spanish Fork River. It has some really big browns but is very off color all year. Good place to try bait and I have heard of people fishing lures doing well occasionally but most of us fly fishermen don’t seem to have much luck.
Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. Daughter and I plan on trying here and there throughout the early winter. I haven’t done much stream fishing, ever, so I am learning something new. Anything is better than no fishing while waiting for the hard water to be safe. 
(PS–not too worried about cougars, I always pack my .40 when we’re fishing. Hopefully will never have to use it.)
Sorry, I won’t give any more specifics on Diamond Fork or other area streams. Not only are there mountain lions down in that area, but I had a close call with a skunk while hiking in during the spring, not to mention all the rattlesnakes in the summer. And the black bears are getting more numerous as well.
I have been too scared to whistle up there. I was chasing a drake hatch when I walked around a corner higher up in the canyon and was eye to eye with a cow moose with a calf. Luckily I scared her too and she started up the creek. After almost browning the water and started to quickly head down the creek. It was narrow and I tried to whistle a tune to let her know where I was. No good. Moose at certain times of year scare me more than any two or four legged critter.