Mark Adams shows off a nice brown trout from the lower Provo River. Browns make up about 70 percent of the catch, while rainbows and cutts account for the rest. Photo courtesy of Trout Bums 2 Guide Service.

When out-of-state fly-fishing junkies start planning a weeklong sabbatical to the Beehive State, usually the first stop on their agenda is the distinguished Green River tailwater below Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Some stretches hold 12,000 trout that average 16-plus inches per river mile, with the potential to hook a true-blue monster. The tailwater draws anglers from around the country. It’s a place where many fly-fishing dreams have come true.

But the Green isn’t the only stretch of river in Utah where dreams are made. For traveling anglers, the Provo River just might be one of the most overlooked and underrated trout destinations in the entire West.

As it flows through the scenic Wasatch Mountains, it offers nearly 30 miles of some of the best riffles, runs and pools imaginable, plus excellent numbers of trout and the opportunity to hook double-grippers as well.

The popular Versus television show “The Fly Fishing Masters” aired a three-day team tournament that was filmed on the Provo. Teams competed on various stretches of the river, and I watched with anticipation as Team Under Armour -- made up of Rick Hartman, George Daniel, Lori Ann Murphy and Lance Egan -- claimed the purse.

I was impressed with the numbers they caught, and the size of some of them wasn’t too shabby either.

Brandon Bertagnole of Park City Outfitters said the Provo is way underrated.

“It’s a small river compared to other big rivers like the Green or the Madison,” said Bertagnole, “but for its size, it produces more fish than any other river in the West.”

Fish numbers are outstanding, he said, and it’s not uncommon for anglers to have 30- or even 40-fish days.

“About 80 percent of the clients we take to the Provo have little fly-fishing experience,” he said. “But they still catch fish.”

The guide attributes this to the sheer number of trout populating the river.

“He’s right,” said Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Officer Richard Hepworth. On average, the middle and lower Provo have about 3,500 trout per river mile, with about 90 percent being brown trout. For a river this size, those are excellent numbers.

Hepworth’s most recent survey data show that the average angler hooks more than one fish an hour. That may not seem like much, but when you consider that this “average” angler catches eight to 10 fish a day, you can understand how those with experience on the water can enjoy those 30- and 40-fish days.

Not only are there lots of feeding mouths in the water, but their average size is about 12 to 14 inches. And according to guide Bertagnole, 16- to 18-inch trout are not uncommon.

Hooking into a 20-plus-incher is a real possibility.

Hepworth also said the Provo has the potential to crank out greater numbers of hefty trout. This self-admitted big-fish junky doesn’t believe that it will happen until anglers start keeping fish in some stretches. In his opinion, there might be too many trout in some parts of the river, which in turn might be affecting their growth rate.

Catching good numbers of fish will make any angler smile. The opportunity just to hook a couple of 18- to 20-inchers in a day’s fishing will keep you coming back.

In addition to numbers and sizes, this wade-walk river has excellent access. Except for a stretch in the upper section, the Provo is nearly all public and flows beside several highways 150, 189 and 32, which give virtually drive-up access to many sections of the river.