Little Cottonwood Creek
creek in Utah
Little Cottonwood Creek is easily accessible from Salt Lake City but quickly transports anglers into a high mountain environment. It's a classic small stream fishery, best fished with small dry flies and careful wading.
What's working on Little Cottonwood Creek
- 01Pleasant fall weather with clear skies and moderate temperatures.
- 02USGS flow data is currently unavailable.
- 03Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs), Pale Morning Duns (PMDs), and October Caddis are expected to be active.
- 04Midges remain a consistent year-round food source.
- 05Egg patterns are crucial due to trout spawning activity.
Past reports week by week
8 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Flashback Hare's Ear Nymph
An excellent general searching nymph that mimics various active aquatic insects in the currents, effective year-round and especially in fall.
PMD (Pale Morning Duns)
Pale Morning Duns are actively hatching in fall, providing a key food source for opportunistic feeders.
Zebra Midge
Midges are a primary and consistent food source in tailwaters and creeks year-round, making this an essential pattern as water temperatures cool in the fall.
Buy at AmazonOctober Caddis (Dry)
Fall is prime time for October Caddis hatches, often the largest caddis hatch of the year in western rivers.
Buy at AmazonMahogany Dun
Mahogany Duns (Paraleptophlebia) are known for late summer and fall hatches, providing dry fly opportunities.
Buy at AmazonBlue-Winged Olive Comparadun
Blue-Winged Olives are actively hatching in fall, especially on overcast days, and this low-profile dry fly is excellent for selective trout feeding on emergers and adults.
Olive Woolly Bugger
A reliable year-round streamer, effective for imitating leeches and baitfish, especially in the colder fall flows where aggressive trout will be seeking larger meals.
Blood Dot Egg
Fall marks the egg season for trout, and this pattern imitates salmon/trout eggs, a crucial food source.
Buy at AmazonWhere to fish and who to ask
Below White Pine Trailhead
Further up the canyon, offering more solitude and smaller, feistier trout.
Tanners Flat Campground Area
Good access to the middle sections of the creek, with numerous pools and runs.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Western Rivers Flyfisher
Trout Bum 2
Fish Tech Outfitters
Trout Bum 2 Fly Shop & Guide Service
Get Little Cottonwood Creek reports by email
Save this water and we'll email you a weekly summary of conditions, hatches and what's working.
Utah season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Read before you go
Winter Fly Fishing: Essential Cold Weather Tips & Tactics
Master winter fly fishing with proven cold weather strategies, gear selection, and tactics for catching trout when temperatures drop.
Fly Line Types Guide: WF, DT, Running & Shooting Heads
Master fly line selection with our comprehensive guide to weight forward, double taper, running lines, and shooting heads for every fishing situation.
Fly Fishing Pack vs Vest: Which Setup Is Right for You?
Compare fly fishing packs and vests to find the perfect gear setup for your angling style and fishing conditions.
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses: Lens Color & Polarization Guide
Master lens color selection and polarization technology for superior vision and fish detection on the water.
Fly Fishing Nets – Rubber vs. Nylon & Why It Matters for Fish
The net you choose dramatically impacts fish survival. Here's why rubber nets are superior to nylon for catch-and-release success.
Best Budget Fly Fishing Combo Setups for Beginners
Expert guide to affordable fly fishing combos that won't break the bank but deliver quality performance for new anglers.
Quick answers
Common questions about Little Cottonwood Creek.
What flies work best on Little Cottonwood Creek?
Our top scored fly patterns for Little Cottonwood Creek right now are Zebra Midge (Black) (80% confidence), Iced Out Midge Pupa (80% confidence), Flashback Baetis Nymph (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in Little Cottonwood Creek?
Little Cottonwood Creek holds Brown Trout, Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
What are current flow conditions on Little Cottonwood Creek?
Live USGS streamflow readings for Little Cottonwood Creek are charted in the sidebar of this page and updated automatically from the nearest gauge.
Is Little Cottonwood Creek fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for Little Cottonwood Creek each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.