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Utah's game fish: Rainbow trout
Coloration can vary. Most mature rainbows, however, have a distinguishable red or pink streak on their side from head to tail. The body is a gray-blue or olive above the lateral line and a silver color below. The body, dorsal fin and tail have black or brown dots. Wild rainbow will often have white-tipped fins.
Characteristics Rainbow trout tend to be shallow to mid-depth "bottom feeders," which makes them easier for shore anglers to catch. They also feed year-round and are a favorite target of ice fishermen. This is probably the most popular fish in the trout family, because it is typically easier to catch, has exceptional strength and is noted for its showy jumping. And, as with all trout, its culinary qualities are excellent. The rainbow, however, does not compete well with other fish, particularly the Utah chub.
Anglers hopping on buggy bandwagon
You're not seeing things; that tall grass really is wriggling, but not to worry, for there are no supernatural forces at work. The constant movement - and the rustling noise that accompanies it - is caused by thousands of tiny grasshoppers. Central New York had a heavy hopper hatch last summer, and this year's crop appears to be just as abundant. Fishermen, especially trout anglers, should take note, for when those jumpy insects start making crash landings on local streams, hungry browns, brookies and rainbows will hear the dinner bell ringing. Normally, I don't expect to see full-grown grasshoppers in any numbers until the third or fourth week of August, but they're running ahead of schedule this year. As soon as the water in Nine Mile Creek, Chittenango Creek and other rain-swollen streams drops and clears, live hoppers or artful imitations of the real thing should prove deadly.
river people at heart
But, while owning a fly-fishing shop helps pays the bills, Mann and Williamson are river people at heart. They study rivers, fish them and praise them. "The Flambeau is as good as rivers get,'' Mann said last week, while he operated the oars on a drift boat on the Flambeau River. "It has smallmouth bass, muskie, catfish. The Flambeau ranges from lots of fish to big fish. It's loaded." We had met at the Flambeau with two drift boats, lots of fly rods and plenty of bottled water to endure one of hottest summer days in years. Williamson piloted one boat with Dave Carlson, a television outdoors reporter from Eau Claire, Wis. Mann operated the other boat, where I would fish with wildlife artist Bob White from Marine on St. Croix. A bounty of rainfall in northern Wisconsin has pushed the Flambeau River to normal levels, a stark contrast to conditions earlier this summer.
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