Trout fishing in Utah is like dubbing your image into a Trout Unlimited postcard.
The streams are clear, clean and swift, with thick vegetation on the fringes that support a rich terrestrial ecosystem. The cold from the water drove the heat from my body but could not abate the rays beating down on my head. Everywhere I looked, a stark desert landscape rose in all directions in bright shimmering hues of buff and red.
My first stop was on the Strawberry River below Fred Hays State Park at Starvation Reservoir near Duchesne, Utah. I arrived late on Thursday, July 30, and was told at the gate that the campground was full. A polite, respectful and courteous countenance, complete with "Yes, sir" and "No, sir," miraculously produced a reserved site overlooking the lake that would not be occupied until the next afternoon.
"You can have it for $25," the attendant said. "It has full water and electrical hookups and a pavilion, but you must be gone by 2 p.m."
"With this heat, I'll be gone long before then," I said.
"It is hot right now, but when the sun goes down and the wind comes up, it will get very cool," the attendant responded. "You will be in heaven!"
After setting up my camper, I hastened back to the valley to a public river access. It was textbook trout habitat, with long riffles, deep pools and eddies swirling beside cut banks. I assembled my 3-weight Reilly Rod Crafters Kildare fly rod, tied on a red and gold streamer, and took a few tentative steps into the swift current. I quickly learned that close quarters dictate casting length and method on western streams.
Because of the wall of grass and brush on the bank, back casting is not possible. This obviously complicates casting upstream against a strong, incessant wind. Unless you can wade to the middle of the stream and cast parallel to the bank, roll casting is your only option. That complicates streamer fishing because it requires constant line stripping.
I cast to every swirl, seam and current break without effect, despite trout rising on emerging flies almost at my feet. A dry fly probably would have worked, but I was stubborn to try it.
The next day brought me to the tailwaters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, a large, magnificent impoundment of the Green River on the Wyoming border. I couldn't wait to fish it, but first I needed to find a campground. I found one a few miles from the crossroads at Dutch John, home of the world's largest fishing fly. All sites were occupied, but a guy chased me down and stopped me at the entrance as I was leaving.
"I saw your Arkansas tags and figured you've come too far to not have a place to camp," he said. "I'm in a tent at Site 2, so there's plenty of room for your little camper if you want to camp with me."
His name is Tim Mawhinney, a native of Birmingham, Ala., and a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent who relocated to Salt Lake City to avail himself of the great hunting and fishing in the West. He knows the Green River by heart, and he took me to a couple of his favorite holes a few miles from the campground.
They say the Green River is overcrowded, but most of the traffic is in the form of drift boats and inflatables. There aren't many wade fishermen, so I spent a glorious afternoon in glorious solitude. The casting limitations were the same as on the Strawberry River, but deep water and even swifter current exacerbated them.
Because the Green River is a lot wider, I was able to make long roll casts and strip line effectively. I caught a 17-inch rainbow trout and ended the day with a 12-inch rainbow. That's modest success, but it accomplished my modest goals.
As I left, I talked to a couple fishing upstream. The woman told me they were supposed to be at a wedding, but a fishing detour wrecked their plans. She asked where I was from.
"Arkansas," I replied.
"Oh, wow! You're a White River guy," she said deferentially.
"Yes ma'am," I replied. "Have you fished it?"
"Noooo," she said wistfully.
"Well, let me tell you that 'White River' thinks Green River is pretty darned awesome. I wish I could stay a week."
Her smile lit up the valley. It made her partner smile, too.