Below White Pine Trailheadon Little Cottonwood Creek
What's working on Little Cottonwood Creek
- 01Pleasant fall weather with clear skies and moderate temperatures.
- 02USGS flow data is currently unavailable.
- 03Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs), Pale Morning Duns (PMDs), and October Caddis are expected to be active.
- 04Midges remain a consistent year-round food source.
- 05Egg patterns are crucial due to trout spawning activity.
What to tie on at Below White Pine Trailhead
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Zebra Midge (Black)
Midges are a primary active insect even in cold water, making this a staple year-round pattern, highly effective for enticing finicky trout in the current conditions.
Iced Out Midge Pupa
Specifically designed for cold tailwater conditions, this pupa imitation matches the subsurface midge activity common in late winter and early spring, relevant for the unseasonably cold weather.
Buy at AmazonFlashback Baetis Nymph
Aligns with active early spring mayfly nymph activity, making it an excellent imitation for Blue-Winged Olive nymphs that are a crucial food source in colder spring water.
Tungsten Bead Pat's Rubber Legs
Large stonefly nymphs are present year-round and provide a significant calorie source. This weighted nymph is excellent for getting down to fish in deeper, colder runs.
Buy at AmazonPine Squirrel Leech (Olive)
Small leech patterns effectively mimic sluggish baitfish and annelids in cold water, enticing strikes from larger, lethargic trout in early spring conditions.
Glo Bug (Orange)
Resident trout remain keyed into egg patterns, particularly with the upcoming spring rainbow spawn. An orange egg pattern is highly effective in these conditions.
San Juan Worm
Effective year-round, especially after rainfall or runoff. The current moderate snow could lead to snowmelt, washing aquatic worms into the creek.
Buy at AmazonTactical Peeping Caddis TH Jig
Caddis are actively emerging in spring; this jig nymph is highly effective for targeting larger fish on undercut banks, mimicking active caddis pupae.
Yellow Sally
Summer stoneflies are abundant in freestone streams.
Buy at AmazonUtah season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Fly shops nearby
Local flies, current advice and guided trips.