Lower Salt River

[wolleybug]

Lost 2 trout at phon D yesterday. They were down in the fast moving water. The water was crystal clear.

[wolleybug]

Found some trout 1/2 mile above granite reef. If you want therm on the fly rod you need float tube or kayak

[wolleybug]

Fished a mile of river at sheep's crossing and found trout just above the rapids in the big pond area across from the big sandy area on the north side.

[wolleybug]

10 trout today, they must have liked the cooler temps this morning

[wolleybug]

Found trout in the rapids of sheep's crossing and in the slow flows a mile above granite reef dam, a few good size and nice coloring than the typical stockers.

[wolleybug]

Anybody else been fishing the lower salt?
I have been catching at least 2 rainbows every trip. They have been scattered from blue point all the way down to granite reef. Actually caught a big meaty one last Thursday at phon D.

[jimc]

I have had the same experience, mostly around Blue Point and the Bridge area. Nice 12+ inch rainbows with "shoulders" on occasion. A couple have broken me off on 5x. I see a couple rising in the afternoon, but they are hitting midges and not too many larger flies. So I've kept to the beaded nymphs and beaded semisealed leeches on the inside of the currents.
I am pretty pleased with the remaining fish in that area. There has been steady improvement in the fish number and quality over the past 12 months.

[wolleybug]

I think it will be a good summer. I have caught trout in the middle of August with tubers floating down the river 2 years ago. With the numbers of trout i have been getting lately hopefully they hold over for some time.

[jimc]

As I mentioned previously, the quality and number of trout in the Lower Salt has been improving over the last 18-24 months.

In the last month, I've been able to pull 14-18 rainbows from the stretch between Water Users and the Bridge.

These have been the most successful jaunts that I've ever had to the Lower Salt River. I am not ready to attribute this success to my improved skills, just yet.

I have been covering a lot of different areas/flow types. I have been using many different techniques. But, I believe that something has changed about the River itself and the management/stocking of the river. It is definitely a change for the better.

Any thoughts?

[wolleybug]

Good to hear your success
I haven't fished up that section since the winter months when there was low flow and few trout to be found.