Utah ·
Weber River Fly Fishing Report - January 1/4/2026
WEBER RIVER FLY FISHING REPORT
Utah — Middle Weber (Rockport / Coalville / Echo corridor)
Report Date: January 4, 2026 | Next Update: January 11, 2026
Current River Conditions
Winter low-water pattern: The Weber is running very low through the middle corridor — many productive seams are reduced to isolated pockets. Fish are concentrated in deep runs, plunge pools and tailouts. Please read the tactics section to fish these conditions efficiently and ethically.
Flows & Key Gauges
Middle Weber (Rockport → Echo): very low — sample gauge snapshots: Wanship area ~25 CFS; Coalville area ~40–45 CFS (conditions vary by hour).
Advice: check updated USGS/UDWR gauges before launching; some stretches are essentially unfishable at these discharges.
Middle Weber (Rockport → Echo): very low — sample gauge snapshots: Wanship area ~25 CFS; Coalville area ~40–45 CFS (conditions vary by hour).
Advice: check updated USGS/UDWR gauges before launching; some stretches are essentially unfishable at these discharges.
Water Temperature
Typical early‑January range: mid 30s–low 40s °F (near freezing to ~6°C).
Fish are sluggish in the coldest periods — mid‑day will offer the best activity windows.
Typical early‑January range: mid 30s–low 40s °F (near freezing to ~6°C).
Fish are sluggish in the coldest periods — mid‑day will offer the best activity windows.
Weather & Accessibility
Winter conditions: cold mornings (icing on banks), clearer skies midday; short daylight. Roads are generally open but watch for icy pullouts and wind-swept snow patches.
Winter conditions: cold mornings (icing on banks), clearer skies midday; short daylight. Roads are generally open but watch for icy pullouts and wind-swept snow patches.
Fishery Status & Ethics
Brown trout show winter holding and localized spawning behavior in sheltered gravels — minimize targeting redds and avoid crowding holding fish. If you encounter spawning fish, move on after a few casts.
Brown trout show winter holding and localized spawning behavior in sheltered gravels — minimize targeting redds and avoid crowding holding fish. If you encounter spawning fish, move on after a few casts.
Hatch & Food Activity (What to expect)
| Food Source | Size | Activity | Prime Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midges (larvae/pupa/adult) | #18–26 (nymphs/emerger), #18–24 (dries) | Primary food — steady to active on calm, milder days | Warmest mid‑day hours; low wind |
| Baetis / Small mayflies | #18–22 | Light — limited emergences on warm afternoons | Short mid‑day windows |
| Cased caddis / caddis pupa | #14–18 | Occasional — best near slower banks and woody structure | Late afternoon / early evening (if calm) |
| Streamers / sculpin/juvenile baitfish | #4–8 | Always relevant — trout key on deep pools and structure | Low light (early/late) or cloudy days |
Recommended Flies (winter Weber)
Below are the flies I trust for the Weber in early January. Each link goes to a ready-made pattern — choose sizes listed in the text and trim artificials to match the water clarity (smaller in clear pockets).
Nymphs / Euro Nymphing (primary winter game)
-
Egan's Poacher — Olive
Great as an anchor/indicator or as a heavy point fly when you need to get deep quickly in low flows. -
Egan's Poacher — Black
A darker profile that fishes well in stained pockets and shadowed runs. -
Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig — Olive
Tungsten jig Frenchie-style nymph — ideal for dead-drifting tight to pocket seams and behind boulders. -
Tungsten Dart — Red
Small, dense dart for quickly reaching fish in deep silted slots and seams.
Dry Flies & Emergers (when fish show on the surface)
-
Corn‑fed Caddis (CDC) — Tan
A high‑visibility CDC caddis that will read to picky winter trout when caddis are present. -
Corn‑fed Caddis (CDC) — Peacock
Alternative caddis profile — effective at close range in foam lines and pocket water. -
Parachute / Blue‑Wing Olive style
Small PMD/BWO parachutes for the occasional baetis or small mayfly activity. -
Stealth Link Mercer — PMD
A fine emerger/dry combination when you see subtle sipping or rises in off‑color seams.
Streamers & Big Profiles (searching deep winter fish)
-
Coffey's Sparkle Minnow — Sculpin
A sculpin profile for swinging through deep runs and along structure where big trout sit in winter. -
Sculpzilla — Olive
Articulated sculpin-style streamer — excels in slow, deep tails of pools. -
Galloup's Slick Willy — Whitefish
A slender baitfish profile for long, slow strips in winter-lit pools. -
Coffey's Sparkle Minnow — Pearl/Gold
A brighter baitfish option when fish key on small fry or whitefish in clearer pockets.
Winter midges / chironomids (critical)
-
Black Zebra Midge (beadhead)
Tiny, weighted midges for indicator rigs and tight euro drifts. -
Top Secret Midge — dry
Small dry midge / parachute for visible sipping fish on calm afternoons. -
Egan's Frenchie Chironomid
A tungsten chironomid for soft, short drifts around silt margins and drop-offs. -
Jujubee Midge Flash — Zebra
Attractor midge when presentation needs a touch of flash in deeper pocket water.
Tactics — Catching fish when the river is low and cold
- Nymph first: run a tight two‑fly or indicator rig with a heavier beadhead at the point and a smaller dropper 12–18" up. Fish deep seams, slow tails and the seam just below current breaks.
- Euro & tight‑line: short, precise presentations with light tippets and heavy tungsten flies will put the fly in the strike zone without drag.
- Watch the banks: pods of trout often sit in deep pockets within a few feet of shore; keep casting angles shallow and line minimal.
- Streamers: slow retrieves — strip, pause, strip — along the edges of big structure at dawn/dusk or on overcast days. The large sculpin/baitfish profiles work best on swing or slow strip.
- Euro & tight‑line: short, precise presentations with light tippets and heavy tungsten flies will put the fly in the strike zone without drag.
- Watch the banks: pods of trout often sit in deep pockets within a few feet of shore; keep casting angles shallow and line minimal.
- Streamers: slow retrieves — strip, pause, strip — along the edges of big structure at dawn/dusk or on overcast days. The large sculpin/baitfish profiles work best on swing or slow strip.
Quick rigs & leader suggestions
Indicator Rig (bank or wading)
9' 4X–5X leader, short 6–18" tippet to point fly (beadhead), 12–24" to dropper (lighter, #18–22). Use a small indicator and keep weight minimal in clear pockets.
9' 4X–5X leader, short 6–18" tippet to point fly (beadhead), 12–24" to dropper (lighter, #18–22). Use a small indicator and keep weight minimal in clear pockets.
Euro / tight‑line
10'–12' 0X–2X nylon or fluorocarbon leader, 0.5–1.5m overall looped system; small tungsten point nymphs (2.0–3.5mm beads) — short, direct drifts.
10'–12' 0X–2X nylon or fluorocarbon leader, 0.5–1.5m overall looped system; small tungsten point nymphs (2.0–3.5mm beads) — short, direct drifts.
Streamer setup
7–8 wt rod, textured sinking or sink-tip line for longer casts; 5–8" leader to fly; slow strips and long pauses to entice reactions.
7–8 wt rod, textured sinking or sink-tip line for longer casts; 5–8" leader to fly; slow strips and long pauses to entice reactions.
Where to focus
- Deep tailouts of pools and runs where the current compresses — trout will hold here to conserve energy.
- Undercut banks and pocket water immediately downstream of boulders — short accurate drifts with a small nymph will pay off.
- Slow seams that carry emergers on calm days — a small emerger/dry can trigger selective takes mid‑day.
Angler safety & etiquette
- Watch for ice on banks, slippery rocks and thin snow over mud. Wear traction and use wading staff if needed.
- Keep a low profile around spawning redds — move on if you spot fresh nests or actively spawning trout.
- Pack out what you bring in — winter access points can be remote and snowy; call for help if you get stuck.
Local notes & final tips
Right now the Weber is a winter midges and nymph game. If you want excitement, find a deep tailout and throw a dense nymph (or slow‑strip a sculpin) when light is low. If fish are sipping, strip away the heavy stuff and watch for tiny surface rings — that’s when the small dry/emerger options above will win the day.
