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Ryan Mosley, Flaming Gorge/Green River Project Leader for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, sent in this report. The Green continues to produce great numbers of big fish, but it looks like the hot summer temps are taking an impact on some of those fish caught.
Here's his report sent in Tuesday.
The hatches were pretty intense last night in A-section, mostly composed of caddis, with a few cicadas and yellow sallies mixed in. As a result, the water would occasionally "boil" with surface activity, and a well positioned cast or drift almost guaranteed a strike.I stuck to a big presentation, flinging a cicada the whole evening. Of the several browns I caught most were very aggressive, absolutely slamming the fly and upon successful hook-set, doing some aerial acrobatics similar to those used by trampolinists. I also ran into avid angler Derek Nielson of Santaquin, UT, while he was landing a nice brown (see pic). His fortune resulted from using a Fat Albert with a zebra midge dropper.I should note there have been some recent sightings of a few random fish mortalities throughout the lower sections of the river. With the increased angler pressure this time of year, higher than normal air temperatures, and very healthy trout (which don't give up easily), poor catch and release tactics can easily increase trout mortality. Anglers can minimize mortality by landing fish quickly (preferably in a rubber net), keeping the fish in the water as much as possible, and letting the fish revive before releasing them. If an angler wants a snapshot of his/her catch, they should wait for the photographer to be ready, grab the fish for a quick pose, and quickly put the fish back in the water or net. Minimizing handling and air time when the temperatures are this high will reduce delayed mortality.It's a great time to be out fishing the Green, with plentiful and healthy trout, abundant hatches, and breathtaking scenery/wildlife that can make even the most attentive angler miss a strike. Happy Independence Day and be safe in the outdoors!