Porcupine's Been Hot

Ice fishing has been good at Porcupine Reservoir, in Cache County. Pan-sized rainbows are biting all around the reservoir. Bigger rainbows and a few browns are harder to find, but are also available, along with some nice splake and big kokanee.

Porcupine is located south and east of Hyrum, up in the mountains. A good gravel road leads to the reservoir, but it's usually snowpacked and icy this time of year. In early January there was snowpack on the road from the town of Avon to the reservoir. It was easy to drive to the bottom of the hill below the dam — any car or truck could make it. But the final hill was almost solid ice and was a challenge. Four-wheel drives and frontwheel drives were making it without problem, but most other vehicles couldn't make it up the hill.

But don't let that keep you from the reservoir. It's an easy hike from the bottom of the hill up to the ice.

Most fishermen are hitting the area near the dam — and catching lots of pansized rainbows. Ice flies tipped with meal worms have been the hot bait, but salmon eggs and Powerbait also works at times. The little rainbows are moving around, in and out of an area, and changing depths. Sometimes they are down 10-15 feet, sometimes down 20-30. There are usually several people fishing near the dam; ask them how deep the fish are. Or use a fish finder.

Put your bait down and then wait patiently for a few minutes, to give the fish a chance to swim by. If you don't see any action within a few minutes then change depths or move to a new location.

Red salmon eggs are also taking a few kokanee near the dam. The kokanee may be deeper than the rainbows, they are often down 30-40 feet.

If you want to target the kokanee you have to hunt them down. Some people report finding them along the south side, about halfway down the reservoir, and some have been located near the inlet. (Be careful of weak ice near the inlet.) You can often catch kokanee jigging small, shiny lures tipped with meal worms or salmon eggs.

Fishing can be very good when you find a bunch of hungry kokanee. The kokanee are in good shape, fat and healthy.

Porcupine generally offers good fishing throughout the year. People launch small boats along the north side, down near the inlet, and have great success trolling or stillfishing.

There are no developed camping facilities at the reservoir but there are several spots along the road which are nice for primitive camping or day use.

There are a lot of other fishing opportunities in the Porcupine area. The Little Bear River below the reservoir offers good fishing for rainbows and whitefish. It's mostly private property along the river, but you can find access at several points. Be considerate so we can retain that access.

The Blacksmith Fork River, over the mountain to the north, is one of the best brown trout streams in the state. Blacksmith also offers good numbers of whitefish.

Hyrum Reservoir has been spotty fishing, with good action for big perch when you find the right spot. Rainbow fishing there as been slow to fair, but the bows are big and in good shape.