A Fall Fishing Trip Along the Mirror Lake Highway

I had planned a fishing trip with my son to the lakes along the Mirror Lake Highway, but as sometimes happens, something came up and he wasn't able to make it. Rather than cancel the trip, I decided to keep the date with myself and head up the mountain anyway.

I started the trip by driving up in the dark and making my way to Whitney Reservoir. I found a place to spend the night in the back of my truck and settled in for a few hours of sleep. As the early morning light started to fill the mountains, I got up, grabbed my fishing gear, and set up along the west side of the reservoir.

It was beautiful. A cool fall morning, mountains all around, and not another soul in sight except for an SUV camped off in the distance.

I started with my usual casting bubble and Power Eggs setup. It didn't take long to catch six rainbow trout. These were planters, and they seemed more than willing to cooperate.

Then I noticed something more interesting happening just a few feet from shore. Tiger trout were cruising the shallows, slurping flies off the surface. They were close enough that I couldn't help but change tactics.

I shortened the leader, dumped about half the water out of the casting bubble on one of my rigs, and put on a piece of nightcrawler. It only took ten minutes or so before the bubble took off.

On the other end was a beautiful 15-inch tiger trout.

I kept catching rainbows on the other rod and managed to catch another tiger of about the same size before packing up and heading down the highway to the next lake.

Whitney Reservoir had been a pretty good way to start the morning.

Butterfly Lake

The fall colors were in full effect, and the drive along the Mirror Lake Highway was almost as enjoyable as the fishing. The canyon was filled with color, and every turn seemed to offer another reason to slow down and look around.

My next stop was Butterfly Lake. I set up on the west side of the lake, on my left as I approached, and went back to work.

The Power Eggs and casting bubble continued to produce rainbow trout. I also wanted to catch some brook trout, so I tried fishing a fly behind the casting bubble.

I had seen fly fishermen catching brookies on ants, so I figured a small Renegade would be worth a try. Unfortunately, the brook trout weren't nearly as impressed with my selection as I was.

While I was fishing, a family spanning three generations came and sat down nearby. I enjoyed visiting with Grandpa and sharing a few fishing stories. Some of the grandkids were interested in how I was catching rainbow after rainbow, so I helped rig up a couple of their lines.

It's funny how quickly fishing can bring people together. We were strangers when they arrived, but before long we were talking fishing, swapping stories, dad jokes, and getting the kids set up to catch a few fish of their own.

After about an hour and a half, I said my goodbyes, traded some power bait for a hand full of flies and moved on.

Teapot Lake

Next up was Teapot Lake, one of my favorite little stops along the highway.

I like this lake because it's easy to access right off the road, yet it still feels secluded. The trees surround the water, and once you're only fifty feet or so away from the highway, you can hardly tell you're fishing next to a road at all.

I set up and got started, although for some reason the fishing was slower at first. I eventually rigged both rods, and things started to pick up.

Over the next 45 minutes or so, I hooked a dozen fish. But, hhe best part came when a young man walked up just as I had doubled up. I looked at him and asked, "Would you mind?"

He picked up the other rod with a big old smile.

While fishing, I also spotted some larger, native-looking fish cruising the shallows. I couldn't quite tell whether they were tigers or brookies, but they were big enough to get my attention.

I wanted to try the nightcrawler trick that had worked so well at Whitney Reservoir. Unfortunately, the nightcrawlers were sitting in the cooler back in my truck.

I could have gone back for them, but by that point I figured I had done enough damage and there were still other places to visit, so I packed up and headed for my final destination.

Mirror Lake

I have visited Mirror Lake several times over the years, including family camping trips when I was a kid. It had been about fifteen years since my last visit, so I was looking forward to making the nostalgic trek back to one of our old fishing spots.

I parked and walked along the path toward the lake, trying to find the place I remembered. A tree or two was missing, but other than that, it felt remarkably familiar.

There is something interesting about returning to a place from your childhood. You half expect everything to be exactly as you left it.

Of course, the lake hadn't been waiting fifteen years for me to come back, but it was nice to find that our old lucky fishing spot was still there.

I set up with the same basic approach I had used at the other lakes, putting Power Eggs on one rod and a nightcrawler on the other. The fish cooperated, and I caught more than ten before a gentleman came and sat down nearby.

I wasn't sure where he was from, but I guessed he might be visiting from the Philippines. He explained in broken English that he was traveling around and sightseeing in several states.

At first, I wasn't sure why he had chosen to sit and watch me fish. I figured there were probably more interesting sights to see around Mirror Lake than a guy standing on shore catching stocked rainbow trout.

Then he leaned toward me with a smile and said, "At home, I good at fish."

I smiled and visited with him for a few minutes.

After a little while, he leaned back toward me again and said, "You good at fish."

That time, I was smiling a little bigger.

I don't know if I had convinced him I was a good fisherman or if he was just being friendly, but I'll take the compliment. After a day of catching fish, meeting people, and enjoying the fall colors, it was a pretty good way to end the trip.

A Good Day to Get Out

I eventually packed up and made the drive home. I had caught plenty of fish, visited four different lakes, and met several people I probably never would have crossed paths with otherwise.

I had also spent the morning remembering old fishing and camping trips with my family. Walking back to our old spot at Mirror Lake brought back memories I hadn't thought about in years.

I had originally planned this trip with my son. When he couldn't make it, I could have canceled and stayed home. Instead, I decided to go anyway.

I'm glad I did.

The fish were cooperative, the fall colors were beautiful, and the people I met made the day even better. I didn't need a big fish, a fancy boat, or an elaborate plan. I just needed to get out of the house and spend some time on the water.

Sometimes a solo fishing trip turns out to be pretty good company after all.

Final Tally:

• Four lakes visited

• Plenty of rainbow trout

• Two tiger trout at Whitney Reservoir

• A few unsuccessful attempts at catching brook trout

• Several good conversations

• A handful of old memories brought back to life

• One beautiful fall morning well spent

Starvation Reservoir Discovery

Watch the video here!

Starvation is a big reservoir with plenty of room to explore, and it has a reputation for being a pretty diverse fishery. That made it a good place to start on a new project.

The idea is pretty simple. I want to visit 50 waters with my family, fish them, figure out what works, and share what we discover. I will be putting the information here on Utah Fisherman and also making videos for a new YouTube channel.

So Starvation was one of our first stops.

Starvation Reservoir is best known for its Walleye, but it also contains Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Wiper, Yellow Perch, and other species. The combination of cold-water and warm-water species makes Starvation an interesting destination for anglers who want to target several different fish during a single trip.

We started out on the north end of the reservoir and began exploring. I was still getting used to the boat, so there was a little bit of fishing and a little bit of figuring things out. We found some rainbows and walleye and started getting a feel for the lake.

Then we got checked by a DNR officer.

After that we went back to fishing, but we couldn't quite get back on the fish we had been finding earlier. Instead of beating the same water to death, we decided to head toward the south end of the reservoir.

We started looking for rock piles and the bridge pylons. Once we found some structure, we started finding fish again. The perch were very cooperative, and we caught quite a few of them. We also picked up a number of smaller walleye.

We even hooked into a really nice rainbow. Unfortunately, that one didn't make it to the boat, but that's fishing.

After spending the morning fishing, we took advantage of the afternoon and did skiing, wakeboarding, tubing and a little cliff jumping. You gotta love Starvation. You can fish, explore the reservoir, pull the kids around, and still have plenty of water to yourself.

After getting back to camp, we still had some daylight. We grabbed some fishing gear and headed down to the shore. This turned out to be one of the better surprises of the trip. We started catching rainbows from shore, and some of them were pushing 18 inches.

There is something pretty satisfying about catching a good-sized trout from shore after spending the day chasing fish from a boat. You don't need a bunch of electronics or a complicated setup. Sometimes you just need to find the right place and put a bait in front of a fish. We caught several good rainbows before calling it a day.

 

For me, Starvation checked a lot of boxes.

We found walleye, perch and rainbow trout. We caught fish from the boat and from shore. We found places to fish, explored different parts of the reservoir, and had plenty of room for some family boating and watersports.

We didn't figure everything out. In fact, there are still a lot of things I want to try the next time we come back.

We brought our bounty home and finished the trip the best way I know how—fish tacos.

Watch the video to see our trip to Starvation Reservoir and what we found.

Winter Ice Fishing at Otter Creek Reservoir and Fish Lake

I had been wanting to visit Otter Creek Reservoir for a while. I had heard it held some good-sized rainbow trout, and that was enough to get my attention. I planned a Saturday ice fishing trip with my oldest boy, Kyle, and mentioned it to a coworker. He decided to meet us down there, so we had ourselves a little fishing party.

Otter Creek Reservoir

We arrived early in the morning, unloaded the Snowdog, and headed out across the ice to find a spot. We didn't have to travel far from the marina before finding a place to set up.

We drilled a few holes and got to work. My usual approach to ice fishing is to keep one rod in my hand for actively jigging while setting another rod up on a Jaw Jacker. That way, I can work a lure while the other rod sits waiting for a hungry fish to make a mistake.

We started with small curly tails and paddle bugs on our jigging rods. For the Jaw Jacker, I rigged a plain hook with a nightcrawler threaded all the way up the hook, leaving about three-quarters of an inch hanging off the end.

When the fish are biting lightly, I like to switch to a smaller, brightly colored jig, sometimes tungsten. A smaller presentation can make a difference when the fish are just nipping at the bait. With the Jaw Jacker, I prefer the simple nightcrawler setup. The light rig works well with the trigger, and the fish can move off with the bait before the hook sets.

The first couple of hours were pretty productive. We had several bites and landed multiple rainbow trout, but none of the big ones I had come looking for. The fish were biting light and playing games with us. They seemed interested enough to keep us busy, but not interested enough to cooperate completely.

After a while, one of the Jaw Jackers went off. This one was a decent fish, and things were starting to look promising.

Just as my coworker arrived, Kyle hooked into a real nice rainbow. We all got to see it, and suddenly everyone was interested in finding out what else might be swimming around underneath the ice. More holes were drilled, and we spread out to see if we could find another one.

Unfortunately, that was about the end of the action.

I don't know if all the extra commotion on the ice had anything to do with it or if the fish had simply decided they were done biting for the morning. Either way, we didn't manage to catch any more.

We had come looking for big rainbows, and at least Kyle had managed to find one. I was happy for him, even if I was still hoping for one of my own.

With the fishing slowing down, we decided to make the drive up to Fish Lake and try our luck with the perch.

[Photos: Snowdog on the ice, fishing at Otter Creek, and Kyle's rainbow trout]

Fish Lake

We headed out onto the ice toward an area where we had found success on previous trips. We figured that if the rainbows at Otter Creek weren't going to cooperate anymore, perhaps a few perch would be willing to entertain us.

We got set up and started fishing, but we couldn't quite get into the perch the way we had on earlier visits. We managed a few bites, but the action was slow.

Eventually, our friends decided they had done enough sitting on the ice and headed off to get some late breakfast.

We stuck around a little longer, hoping things might improve. After all, we had already made the drive up to Fish Lake. We might as well give the fish a little more time to change their minds.

Then, out of nowhere, a bush plane landed on the ice not far from where we were fishing.

I've seen plenty of interesting things while fishing, but I had never watched a bush plane land on a frozen lake before. It certainly wasn't something I had expected to see that morning.

A gentleman climbed out of the plane and wandered over to ask how the fishing was going. He was an older fellow with a good sense of humor, and we ended up having a nice visit.

Of course, we hadn't exactly been setting any fishing records that day, so I didn't have much exciting news to report. Still, he was fun to talk to, and it was one of those unexpected encounters that makes an outdoor trip memorable.

Eventually, we wished each other luck and went our separate ways.

Before leaving, he gave us one last present: a low flyover on his way out.

Watching that plane skim across the lake before disappearing into the distance was worth the trip by itself.

Sometimes the Fishing Is Only Part of the Adventure

We didn't catch the trophy rainbow trout I had been hoping for at Otter Creek, and the perch at Fish Lake weren't exactly lining up to jump into our buckets either.

But Kyle caught a nice rainbow, we spent a winter day fishing together, and we got to see something I had never seen before.

That's one of the things I enjoy about getting outdoors. You can make a plan, pick a destination, research the fish, and bring all the right equipment. Sometimes it works exactly as you hoped. Other times, the fish have a different agenda.

And occasionally, a bush plane lands next to your fishing hole.

I would still like to get back to Otter Creek and see if I can find some of those bigger rainbows. The trip gave me enough reason to return, and I have a feeling Kyle would be happy to go along.

As for Fish Lake, I'll keep chasing those perch, too. I know they're out there somewhere.

Final Tally:

• Otter Creek Reservoir: Several rainbow trout, including a nice one caught by Kyle

• Fish Lake: A few bites and some stubborn perch

• One unexpected bush plane landing

• One entertaining conversation with a pilot

• A memorable winter day with my boy

Not every fishing trip ends with a cooler full of fish. Sometimes the best part is the story you bring home.

The Utah Cutthroat Slam

When I heard about the new Utah Cutthroat Slam this year, I knew I wanted to give it a try. The slam was designed with fly fishermen in mind, and while I aspire to become a competent fly fisherman someday, I figured there had to be a way to get it done with the equipment I already knew how to use.

After doing some research, I found a few reservoirs that held the different cutthroat subspecies and came up with a plan. I got excited enough about the idea that I signed up my oldest boy and myself to see if we could check all four boxes.

Four subspecies, four destinations, and a whole lot of fishing. What could possibly go wrong?

Little Dell Reservoir – Bonneville Cutthroat

We started in April at Little Dell Reservoir, looking for Bonneville cutthroat trout. I invited my buddy Adam to come along, and we loaded up the kayaks and a small pontoon boat.

There was just one little problem. The gate letting you get down to the reservoir didn't open until May.

We could either wait another month or find a way to get our boats down to the water. We opted for the second option. There would be no backing the truck down to the shoreline that day. It was going to be a matter of muscle up or go home.

After dragging our boats down to the water and getting everything launched, we started trolling around the reservoir. We tried a few different lures, but one stood out from the rest: a gold Jake's Spin-A-Lure with red dots.

That little lure did the trick. Over the next couple of hours, we all managed to land several fish.

Things were going great until the wind picked up.

My boy was only ten years old at the time, and the wind had other plans for him. His kayak caught the wind and took him for a ride across the water. After a rescue mission, I decided I wasn't particularly interested in repeating the experience.

We called it a day with our first cutthroat species checked off the list.

One down, three to go.

Currant Creek Reservoir – Colorado River Cutthroat

Our next stop was Currant Creek Reservoir in search of Colorado River cutthroat. This time, we brought my brother Lauren along, who is always a hoot to be stuck with in a small boat for a day.

The spring drive up to the reservoir was beautiful. It's hard to complain about a day spent fishing in the mountains, even when the fish don't seem particularly interested in participating.

We started with the same gold Jake's Spin-A-Lure that had worked so well at Little Dell. We tried worms, Rapalas, and just about anything else we could think of. The Jake's lure continued to be our best option, but the fishing was considerably slower this time around.

My son managed to land the first Colorado River cutthroat. It was a decent fish, and we were feeling pretty good about ourselves.

But then we hit a dry spell.

We fished and fished and fished some more, trying to get the second fish we needed. Eventually, after what seemed like an unreasonable amount of effort, I finally landed the second cutthroat.

It was a whopping eight inches long.

That's right. Eight inches of pure fishing glory.

It may not have been the biggest fish I've ever caught, but it counted, and at that point in the trip, I wasn't about to complain.

We had two of the four subspecies in the bag. The Cutthroat Slam was starting to look achievable.

Woodruff Reservoir – Bear River Cutthroat

Our third destination was Woodruff Reservoir in northern Utah. By July, we were ready to get serious about finding our Bear River cutthroat. We brought the boat again and managed to back it down the rocky shoreline and get it into the water.

This time, we brought my brother Keith along for the adventure.

We started fishing the way we normally would on a reservoir, trolling and working through our usual collection of lures. We tried spoons, worm harnesses, Rapalas, and FlatFish. We even put the downriggers to work.

Unfortunately, there was plenty of vegetation to keep snagging our gear, and not much else seemed to be happening.

I was beginning to wonder if there were any fish in the reservoir at all. I wasn't seeing much on the sonar, and we weren't getting any bites.

After spending a good amount of time trolling without success, we decided to change tactics. We pulled up the gear and started checking the shoreline and some of the bays with the sonar, looking for fish holding in deeper pockets.

Eventually, we found a few promising spots.

Instead of trolling past the fish, we dropped down nightcrawlers on a drop-shot rig and worked the areas where we'd marked them.

Finally, we had found the ticket.

 

The bites started coming, and we landed several good-sized trout. The lesson for the day was pretty simple: sometimes you can troll around a reservoir all day trying to convince a fish to chase your lure, or you can find the fish and put a worm right in front of its face.

Three down, one to go.

Yellowstone Cutthroat – The Final Box

The last fish on the list was the Yellowstone cutthroat trout. This was the one I expected to be the hardest, both because of the distance and because of the more remote places we would need to explore to find them.

For this trip, I took my two youngest kids and brought along a couple of fly rods.

Now, fly fishing is something I aspire to be good at, but I wouldn't exactly call it my strength. Still, if I was going to complete a Cutthroat Slam designed around catching these fish on a fly, it seemed like a good opportunity to practice.

We bounced between a few different locations before finally finding the right little spot. It was a small creek with plenty of brush, overhanging trees, and cover along the banks.

It was also a nightmare for anyone hoping to make a nice, clean fly cast.

Fortunately, we found a stretch of creek where plenty of fish were tucked in underneath some trees and bushes. They were right where we wanted, provided we could figure out how to get a fly in front of them.

That's when we had to figure out how to make a slingshot cast.

The technique involves pinching the fly, pulling it back while bending the tip of the rod under tension, and then releasing it so the fly shoots forward in the direction the rod is pointed. With the right amount of tension and a little practice, you can get a fly into places where a traditional cast would be nearly impossible.

It was exactly what we needed.

We managed to land a few Yellowstone cutthroat. They weren't big fish, but they were beautiful, and every one of them felt like an accomplishment.

There is something particularly satisfying about catching a fish after you've worked so hard for it. We had to find the right water, figure out how to present the fly, and learn a new casting technique to get the job done. 

Maybe it was the distance we traveled, the time it took to find them, or the challenge of catching them on a fly rod. Whatever the reason, those little Yellowstone cutthroat were some of the most rewarding fish of the entire slam.

And just like that, we had all four.

Four Down, More to Go

Completing my first Utah Cutthroat Slam was a success. We caught Bonneville cutthroat at Little Dell, Colorado River cutthroat at Currant Creek, Bear River cutthroat at Woodruff Reservoir, and Yellowstone cutthroat in a small mountain creek.

The trip took us from trolling reservoirs with spinning gear to dropping nightcrawlers into deep pockets, and finally to learning how to slingshot a fly beneath overhanging branches.

It was a good reminder that there isn't just one way to catch a fish. Sometimes the trick is finding the right lure. Sometimes it's changing tactics. And sometimes it's figuring out how to put a fly where you didn't think you could.

Unfortunately, my oldest boy wasn't able to join us for the Yellowstone cutthroat trip, so he missed out on completing the slam with me. My two youngest still need to catch the other three subspecies themselves.

That means there's unfinished business.

I have a feeling we'll be back soon.

Final Tally:

• 4 cutthroat trout subspecies caught

• 3 reservoirs visited

• 1 remote mountain creek explored

• One new fly-casting trick learned

• Plenty of time fishing with my kids and brothers

• 1 Utah Cutthroat Slam completed

Manila Pond Madness

Over the past several years I have been afflicted by, "The Muzzle Loader Deer Hunt Course". It's a real thing, look it up. For what ever reason, each year as the deer hunt gets closer some unplanned, unanticipated event comes up preventing me from participating in the hunt. This year my work schedule prevented me from taking time off. For some unexplained reason I opted to get up and take the family to Manila Creek Pond instead of hitting the hills this Saturday morning.

Bluegill action was non stop and everyone was able to catch more little fish than they had fingers to count them. I decided to take the opportunity to teach the boy the basics of fly fishing. Within a few short minutes he picked up the back cast and started showing early signs of a new addiction. He fished non stop for almost three hours catching bluegill about every other cast.

Scattered between the Bluegill we caught several Rainbow Trout and somehow one of them ended up swallowing the hook. We tried everything shy of mouth to mouth trying to revive the poor little rainbow but despite our efforts he bellied up.

Not long after our failed release we caught the attention of a near by seagull who gave us an interesting show.

Eventually we had to pry the kids away from the pond in order to take them home for lunch. Nobody kept count of the number of fish we caught this morning but my best estimates are somewhere north of fifty.

Final Tally:

A whole lot of Bluegill

& a Beautiful Morning

Strawberry in September

I received a text from a friend insisting that we should go fishing this weekend. The peer pressure was overwhelming and I gave in. We brought our two oldest boys and arrived at Strawberry Bay Marina just after 7am with hopes of catching a tagged Rainbow Trout.

The boys were excited and quickly started making dollar bets on who was going to catch the first fish. The worms proved to be the ticket as we all took turns reeling in Cutthrout.

It was nowhere near our best day at The Berry, only landing about a dozen fish. However those we did catch were heavy, most were pushing the 22" mark with a couple just over.

We never did bring in a Rainbow but had a great time regardless. The afternoon winds started up early but we stuck it out until about noon before heading back for pizza.

We noticed a big gathering at the visitors center on the way out and realized the salmon were running. Red, hook jawed salmon splashing through the shallow winding Strawberry River, AWESOME!

On the way out of the visitors center my boy was wearing a new shirt. I asked where he got it and he responded that he got it because he made a donation. I ask what money he donated and he replied, "The dollar I won catching the first fish, duh!".

Final Tally:

12 Hefty Cutts

0 Rainbows

0 Tags

1 T-Shirt