# Fishing on green river, Deso grays june 26



## markdl (Feb 24, 2009)

Catfish...water is pretty muddy.


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## [email protected] (Jun 1, 2010)

Nope


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## Crazy Beaver (Mar 31, 2012)

Not a fishing river 


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## Domar Dave (Feb 4, 2011)

If you are strictly an elitist fly fisherman, the answer is no. If you occasionally like to kill something and eat it, there are thousands of delicious catfish in the entire Green/Colorado river system. They were introduced decades ago and are prolific. In Utah there is no limit on catfish in the entire Green River, since they are considered serious competition for the endangered native fish species. It can be quite entertaining to throw out some bait in front of camp and see what shows up. Fresh catfish fillets fried in butter are really a treat. And you can feel good about your contribution to the ecosystem. I haven't fished for them in Deso, but I have caught tons of small channel cats downstream of there on Cataract trips and in the San Juan. I like fly fishing for trout on clear mountain streams as well as the next guy, but don't overlook the kick of bait plunking and eating what you catch now and then. It's all fun.


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## atg200 (Apr 24, 2007)

Lots of mercury in the river - eating a little bit of fish from the river is fine, but i wouldn't eat a lot.

I've caught tons of catfish in Deso just using a safety pin tied to a piece of dental floss, but I just release them afterwards.


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## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

You will hear a number of stories of kids and others catching small channel cats on make shift poles.

It is my understanding that their are some monster channel cats and some other species of catfish in the lower reaches of the Green River.

There are also likely Northern Pike and Burbot (fresh water ling cod with the body of an eal and the head of a catfish). The Pike and Burbot are invasive species that must be kept and killed - illegal to release.

With warm water and any structure I am sure there are bass as well.

I have a July 19 launch date for Deso and Gray. Hoping to hook a cat or pike the size of my leg.


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## Rick A (Apr 15, 2016)

I caught 4 small mouth bass from one of the side creeks a few years ago. I would have to check my guide book to know for sure which. I will be bringing a collapsible rod on my trip 7/1.


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## [email protected] (Jun 1, 2010)

jonseim said:


> I've got a 6/26 launch and wondering if there's any fish worth chasing in that stretch of river.
> Thanks


My first answer was Nope. That was based on the ? of any fish worth chasing? There are lots of fish to be caught on bait, but I don't consider that chasing more like waiting out


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## richjz (May 23, 2012)

Deso was made for cutting a pole from the willows and a tying line and hook to it. Any food as bait will result in a catfish hook up in under a minute (we use grapes). It's not really fishing, my kids call it catching. High mercury levels so we don't eat them. My understanding is it would be better to not return them alive to the river as they are a danger to the pike minnow (bony spines get caught in their throats killing the endangered species) but DWR regulations don't allow it. There is no limit though. If you catch a small mouth or walleye they cannot be returned to the river alive. 


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## GilaRobusta (Mar 19, 2015)

[email protected] said:


> My first answer was Nope. That was based on the ? of any fish worth chasing? There are lots of fish to be caught on bait, but I don't consider that chasing more like waiting out


Fly fishing is quite easily done on all Western rivers for a variety species all 100 billion times cooler than the pellet head rainbows (like in your profile picture). 

Catch a Gila robusta (Roundtail Chub) or a Colorado Pikeminnow of size greater than 8" and it will out perform any trash fish like Rainbow Trout (Pikeminnow can reach lengths of a meter plus). Hell Flannelmouth Suckers will put one hell of a bend in 'yer 5 weight, it's sporting, not every tom dick and harry orvis shopper can catch 'em either. Please use super awesome catch and release technique when handling native fishes.

Bring clouser minnows in multiple colors ( I like olive and white or Chartreuse and white) and some large rubber legged beadheads, a crayfish pattern or two. Pinkies (aka baby mice) are long noted as the best live bait in the Green River System.

If you want to fish, go fish. People use to club fish on the first expeditions, fly fishing classes it up a bit while allowing you to actually do something besides poop in a box and get boat envy on the river. 

Don't feed the catfish to your pregnant or soon to be pregnant spouse or daughter.

J.


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## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Catfish, catfish, catfish. Plenty of em'. Fun to catch. No 10 short shank hook with almost anything on it will work but worm meat definitely works best. For large ones you gotta go deep so don't expect a lunker but they are tasty with pancakes. I have heard of using mice in the deep holes and presume a larger hook too.


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## Domar Dave (Feb 4, 2011)

The latest Fish Advisory from the State of Utah says that adults can eat up to six eight- ounce meals of catfish per month from Desolation Canyon with no detectable effects. That would be a pretty large catfish dinner more than once a week with little to no risk. Even when I lived in Moab and ate the local catfish on a regular basis, I didn't eat that many. Three decades later, I am still very healthy. So a fresh catfish meal on a river trip is still a special treat that should be enjoyed without too much fear. The food in your cooler that you bought from Safeway probably has as much or more dangerous toxins. The majority of catfish in that river system are around a pound to a pound and a half. My understanding is that the younger the fish, the less contamination. I used to pack a breakdown backpacking rod with 4 lb test line because the size of these fish were so consistent in Cataract Canyon. But one time I hooked a ten pounder and it took forever to coax it in. And pretty much stripped the gears on the tiny reel. 

My house in Moab was built by a guy named Rutledge in 1912. In his biography there was a newspaper article about him mail ordering catfish fingerlings and picking them up by wagon at the train station in Thompson Springs. He put them in the Colorado River near Moab. Probably not the first or last person to do this. But it shows that channel catfish were considered very desirable a century ago.


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## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Thanks Domar Dave. Good info. I find the catfish in Deso special for a couple of reasons. First, they are vigorous, a little more streamlined and colorful than typical channel cat or bullhead. Still bottom feeders, but I think they can handle river currents pretty well too. Second, they are wild and the meat is surprisingly good. One might expect a muddy flavor but not so, at least not to the point of being offensive. Maybe even better than trout meat which to never had much flavor. Except for an occasional 1 or 2 pounder, most everything we've caught in Deso has been pan-size, often just 8-10", but it's easy to catch enough of them to make a meal. I think we mostly catch small ones due to fishing where convenient in shallow waters just off a beach. The larger fish will be in the holes. We sounded the river once and found the deepest holes in Gray Canyon, some down to 30-40 feet, but did not have time to stop and fish them. Was told by a veteran Green River pilot that the locals use mice for bait when fishing below the Tucker Canyon roller-dam.


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## Domar Dave (Feb 4, 2011)

Great to hear there are others who think the lowly catfish are worth catching and cooking. Have to agree they are lively, colorful and tasty - not muddy. Been on lots of river trips where the other group members thought I was a little weird for bothering with them. But then when they tasted the results they loved the fillets. Of course not everyone knows how to fillet a catfish, or even wants to try. I do think trout tastes great too, but in this day and age killing one is almost a capital offense - at least morally if not legally. At least with catfish you don't have that guilt trip.


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## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Another thing I admire about the Cats are their toughness. I've had them on a stringer for 2-3 days and then released them after running out of time to do the skinning. No problem - - they swim away.


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