A Day at Teapot Lake – First Tigers on the Line

Yesterday I decided to make the drive up to Teapot Lake, tucked away in Utah’s high country. It’s a couple of hours from home, so I hit the road early and slid my pontoon boat onto the water right around 8 a.m. The weather couldn’t have been better — clear blue skies, a light breeze, and glassy water that let me see straight down into the shallows.

Fish were rising almost immediately, sipping at tiny bugs on the surface. I tied on a few different dries — size 20 PMDs, a CDC Baetis, even a BWO — but the trout weren’t having it. They were keyed in on something microscopic, and I just couldn’t fool them.

So, I switched gears and dug into my streamer box. I cycled through a few patterns, but the one that really lit things up was a new streamer I’ve been tinkering with. It doesn’t even have a name yet, but it’s got a lot of movement, some sparkle, and a bright bead head that pulls it down just right. Once I tied that on, the day completely turned around.

The takes were consistent and exciting. I picked up four solid rainbows, and to my excitement — seven tiger trout. It was my first time ever landing tigers, and they did not disappoint. A few shook loose before I could get them to the net, but every strike had my heart racing.

Being out there solo gave the day a quiet, almost meditative feel. At one point I looked up to see a bald eagle circling overhead, riding the thermals against the mountain backdrop. Aside from one guy in a float boat and a handful of folks fishing from the shore, it was just me, my little pontoon, and a whole lot of fish.

By the time I packed up around 3 p.m., I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. A bluebird day, new species checked off the list, and a streamer pattern that earned a permanent spot in my fly box — that’s about as good as it gets.

Check out other related stories like https://soggywadersflyshop.com/adventure-blogs/minersville-reservoir/