High Water On The Weber River

Tuesday was another day of warm weather. When I got to the Weber River it was 58 degrees. Just one problem, the water was flowing over the banks and was quite muddy.

I checked the U.S. Geological Survey site for water discharge on the Weber River near Wanship (below the Rockport Dam) and it said that Monday it had risen from 200 cfs to 300. Then on Tuesday it had risen to 400. The following day, on Wednesday it was up another 100 cfs to 500. Before January the river was running at its usual 80 cfs.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=120&site_no=10129500

After filling out the survey paperwork at the river access site, I proceeded to the overflowing river. The rocks on the bottom could not be seen. I went downstream a bit until I came to a bend in the river. The fast flowing water was flowing along the far side while the inside of the bend had calmer water. I was hoping I could catch something in this slower water, since the fish may use it to rest from the faster water.

Sure enough, after a few casts I managed to hook a brown. It took the San Juan Worm I was using. I was pleased to see it jump right after being hooked.

I managed to keep it from running into the faster water and heading down stream. After a short fight I easily pulled it up onto the brush the water had flooded into. After two quick pictures I let it slide back into the calm water near the shore.

I fished for a bit more but decided it was too hard to fight the current to get into a good casting position and the water was too high and fast to work my way upstream or downstream.