Green River Video
Check out this great video done by the Salt Lake Tribune in conjunction with the Division of Wildlife Resources. It has some great underwater footage.
Winter Flows
As many of you have noticed the flows have changed as of November 8th. The BOR has implemented a double peak flow upon request of WAPA. During these flows there are some studies going on to try and determine the effect flow change has on the fish. I am happy to say that these studies are happening do to a combined effort between the guide association, WAPA, and Utah DWR. So far I have not seen a significant change in the fishing do to these flow changes. It may have a greater effect when the winter hatches begin and the spawn is over. Please let us know any feedback you have through email or at a local flyshop.
ESPNoutdoors Flycast America
I had the chance to host Gabby and Scott from Flycast America. This is a great fishing show that is shown on ESPN in South America. Several folks have asked to see it. Fortunately Gabby posted it on YouTube. So here it is. Most of it is in Spanish.
The Best Flyfishing Rods for the Green River
I get asked this question a lot. Personally I like Sage fly rods and in a 5wt for the Green. This year the Sage ZXL is my fly rod of choice. It has the ability to make long casts with big dry flies. The Z-axis is another popular choice from Sage. It has more of a tip flex which is great for quick relocation of flies and also great for mending. Most any 5wt rod will do depending on your style or preference. Most every company makes a great fly rod, it's a matter of which rod fits you. Take the time to test out different rods and find the right rod for you. Most any fly shop will have demo rods to try out. Good times and dancing lines!!!
Thoughts on Flow Meeting from June 11
Before I get into my thoughts, Let me share some positives as it relates to fishermen. We were able to get stable water temps by the moving of the selective withdrawl gates. This had an immediate and noticable impact on the fishing for the better. Secondly, the timing of the fluctuations were changed so that there would be a longer period of consistent fishing during the day time. As of today, there should be consistent fish from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm if you are floating or wade fishing Little Hole. The times would be two hours earlier around the Dam.
As I observed and participated in what I would call a passionate meeting regarding the flows on our beloved river, I noticed that my views of the people involved, evolved. I greatly appreciated all the time and effort to make this meeting happen. I gained some confidence in the Bureau of Reclamation, while losing any confidence I had in the power company (western area power administration). While the Bureau has a difficult task of trying to balance the many entities using this unique resource, I got the feeling they where trying to do their best to try to satisfy everyone. I think part of my animosity towards WAPA was the fact that their representative rubbed me the wrong way. Constantly over generalizing, being disrespectful towards others, and sort of telling the truth doesn't gain my trust. He also made it very clear that WAPA's customers were more important than the guides customers or forest service customers. This was particulary worrisome as he continued to refer to fishermen as the "trout people". In my view he had objectized the fishermen to the point that he didn't view them as human beings with thoughts and feelings in order to justify his economic choices. In the end it was clear that WAPA would willing to make some timing adjustments on the flows as long as they didn't have to give up any money in the end. WAPA made it very clear their financial well being is more important than the local economy surrounding the dam. I hope we can continue to find common ground in the future.
Streams Flows: We need your help.
The stream flows have been increasing significantly every afternoon over the last 10 days. I have received many emails concerning the flows. Please send any concerns to Heather Patno at HPatno@usbr.gov. She is the decision maker in this process. They (the bureau of reclamation) drop the water to 800 cfs over night then increase it to 2800 cfs by 1:00 pm. This increase is timed to get peak pricing for power and thus make the most money. As is often the case, it's all about the money. In this case, it's more money at the fishermens expense. This increase is 30% higher that any other year. 30% more water= 30% more money. This increase ends catching for the day. Then when the big drop occurs over night all the fish stay in the deep middle. This allows for very little dry fly opportunities along the banks. We need the help of all fishermen to let the bureau know that we care about the fishing on this great river. Please give Miss Patno an email and let her know your feelings on the subject.
High Water Starting May 11th
The Bureau of Reclamation has informed us that they will be raising the water to near power plant capacity for the next 5-7 days. This means the river will increase from the current 800 cubic feet per second to 4500 cfs. By May 12th the river should hold steady at 4500 cfs unless weather changes flows downstream. The river flow is increased each spring in conjunction with the Yampa river to create a flood plain for chubs and suckers down stream to spawn. Fishing on the river changes dramatically during this time. The first couple of days fishing can be difficult do to debris in the water.
Fall fishing for big Browns
With the recent temperatures, this september hardly feels like fall. As October begins, this fish reminds me of how many big fish have been caught in my boat during this time of year. In the last three years I have had one of the two biggest fish of the year caught in the last week of September or first week of October. These fish have all come on the B section. While fishing has not been at its best the last couple of weeks, I have found some nice fish on the "B". This fish was 21 1/2 inches, the second biggest of the year. While fishing can be a little slower right now, be persistent, you might just catch a Green River trophy.
When is the Best Time to Fish?
Here is a question I get a lot!!! My standard answer is that is depends on how you want to fish. If you want little dry flies the answer has to be, BWO's in april. If you want to fish big dries? Mid-May to mid-June and hope that there is a good Cicada hatch. Otherwise, July and August tend to be the best big dry months. If you just want to catch fish, April, May, and June the fish seem to be the most active. If you want to avoid the crowds, mid-October to mid-April on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The best time to catch big fish has to be late fall and winter. They start to show themselves during the day time. With that brief summary, I think that the best time to fish is before a weather front comes through. It doesn't seem to matter what time of year it is, the fish are very active before the front. As soon as the front comes through they can shut off immediately. If possible, no matter the time of year, try to plan your fishing adventures around the weather. When is the best time to fish? Let the weather show you.
More about Ryan
My name is Ryan Kelly. I am a flyfishing guide on Utah's Green River. I have been a Green River Guide for the last 10 years currently guiding with Flaming Gorge Resort. I have also guided on Utah's Provo River and Patagonia, Chile. I have an incredible wife and beautiful daughter. We love the outdoors and living in Flaming Gorge country. I love to flyfish and I love to teach. Guiding gives me the opportunity to do both. Some of my earliest memories in life are floating down the river fishing with my Lucky Stick. At age eight I started using a fly rod and fell in love with it. 
I was referred to as "the kid" by one of the local forest service workers. My real passion is tying and creating new flies. I create or variate new flies on a weekly basis. I love to find bugs on the river and bring them home. I put them on the fly tying desk and think up new ideas. When I create a fly that catches fish with great efficiency it fuels my passion more. I hope this site will give you a view into the Green River and fuel your passion for flyfishing!
What I Like Best About The Green
There has been a lot said about the Green and there is great information on the links above. I want to tell you about the things I like best! First is the fish. I think we have the prettiest fish anywhere. A couple of times a day I will look down in the crystal clear water and be taken back by the bright red stripe of a rainbow or golden belly of a brown. These fish often look like there in spawning colors year round. The brilliant color of the fish are almost matched by the brilliance of the scenery. Imagine being a thousand feet below the red canyon rim with the sun glistening making it look like it's on fire. It's incredible! This may be the only river I know that you can catch fish on Dry flies every day of the year. With as many as 20,000 fish in a mile you can always find a few looking up. I love how hard the fish fight on the lower sections of the river.
Many times a customer will tell me he's got a monster on and it turns out to be 15 inches long. I often call them the minnows on steroids. You would never know by the crowds on the famed A-section, but fish on the C section may go there whole life without ever feeling steel in there mouth. This section was also rated the best place in North America to catch a football sized trout on a dry fly. Earlier this year I had a friend catch one that looked more like a rugby ball. The history of this area is amazing. There is fantastic stories about famous outlaws such as Butch Cassidy, Sundance, Tom Horn and others. Brown's Park (where the C-section meanders) is one of three main hideouts on the outlaw trail. Brown's Park was referred as "the most lawless place in the west" (The Outlaw Trail, author Robert Redford). If they didn't like you they might just kill you. Its rugged country and rugged people lived there. Last, but not least, is that we have so many different terrestrials. Cicadas, Mormon Crickets, hoppers, beetles, ants, and many others. It allows you to be creative in your fly tying and fish big dry flies. Watching a fish open his mouth over a fly the size of your thumb is amazing. It's what makes the Green the Best.