Best Fishing Spots in Utah

A Deeper Look at Fishing in Utah

Fishing Heritage in Utah

Utah's fishing history is shaped by the dramatic geography that defines the state, from the high desert basins of the Great Salt Lake region to the alpine peaks of the Uintas, the red-rock canyon country of the Colorado River system, and the cold, deep impoundments of the Wasatch Front. Native cutthroat trout were the original gamefish here, and the Bonneville cutthroat, Yellowstone cutthroat, and Colorado River cutthroat all evolved in distinct watersheds long before European settlement. Mormon pioneers arriving in the 1840s found mountain streams full of cutthroat and lakes with native suckers and chubs, and within a generation the imported brown, brook, and rainbow trout had been stocked into virtually every cold-water drainage in the territory. The Bureau of Reclamation's dam-building era reshaped the state's fishing in profound ways.

The completion of Flaming Gorge Dam in 1964 created a 91-mile, 42,000-acre reservoir on the Green River, which became one of the world's premier lake trout fisheries. Below the dam, the Green River tailwater emerged as one of the most legendary trout streams in North America, producing trophy brown and rainbow trout in clear, cold water with prolific bug hatches. Glen Canyon Dam, completed in 1966, created Lake Powell, transforming a river canyon into a 250-square-mile striped bass and smallmouth fishery on the Utah-Arizona border. Strawberry Reservoir, originally built in 1906 and expanded in the 1970s, became Utah's most popular trout lake after a major chemical reclamation in 1990 wiped out non-native chubs and allowed the cutthroat fishery to recover dramatically.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, formed in its modern configuration in 1967, has managed these waters with an aggressive stocking program, native species recovery efforts, and strict trophy regulations on key waters. Today's Utah angler can chase 40-pound lake trout in Flaming Gorge in the morning and a 24-inch wild brown trout on the Green River in the afternoon.

The Best Fishing Spots in Utah

Flaming Gorge Reservoir straddles the Utah-Wyoming border in the high desert of the Uinta Mountains and is the standout big-water destination in the state. The lake is famous for trophy lake trout, with fish over 30 pounds caught annually and the occasional 40-pounder reported. Kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and burbot all thrive there as well. The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam is, simply put, one of the great trout rivers of the world.

Designated as a Blue Ribbon and Quality Water by the state, the river holds 8,000 to 12,000 trout per mile in its upper sections, with brown and rainbow trout regularly exceeding 20 inches and trophy fish over 25 inches caught every year. Strawberry Reservoir in the Uinta Mountains is Utah's flagship trout lake, where Bear Lake cutthroat and rainbow trout average 18 to 22 inches and grow on a forage base of chubs and shrimp. Lake Powell, the massive Glen Canyon impoundment, offers striped bass, smallmouth, largemouth, and walleye across hundreds of miles of red-rock canyon shoreline. The High Uintas Wilderness offers a lifetime of backcountry fishing for native cutthroat, brook trout, and grayling in alpine lakes accessible only by hiking.

The Provo River, both the Middle and Lower sections, provides classic dry-fly trout fishing within easy reach of Salt Lake City and Park City. Bear Lake on the Idaho border is a turquoise alpine lake holding native Bonneville cutthroat and the unique Bonneville cisco. The Logan River, the Weber River, and the Ogden River round out the urban-accessible trout offerings, while Fish Lake on the Wasatch Plateau is famous for huge splake and trophy lake trout.

Game Fish Species You'll Find in Utah

Trout dominate Utah angling, and the variety is impressive. Rainbow trout are the most commonly stocked species statewide and are caught in virtually every cold-water lake and stream. Brown trout grow large in tailwaters like the Green and the Provo, with 25-inch fish a real possibility. Native cutthroat trout, in three distinct subspecies, are managed carefully across their historic ranges, with Bonneville cutthroat in Bear Lake and Strawberry, Yellowstone cutthroat in some Uinta drainages, and Colorado River cutthroat in the eastern slope streams.

Brook trout fill the alpine lakes of the High Uintas. Lake trout are the trophy species of Flaming Gorge and Fish Lake, where they can exceed 40 pounds. Tiger trout, a sterile brook-brown hybrid, are stocked in many lakes and grow fast on a forage diet. Splake, a brook-lake hybrid, are stocked in select waters and reach 10 pounds in places like Joes Valley.

Kokanee salmon are landlocked sockeye that turn brilliant red and run up tributaries each fall in spectacular spawning displays. Mountain whitefish, a native cousin of trout, are abundant and underrated in the Logan and Provo. Smallmouth bass thrive in Lake Powell, Flaming Gorge, and several smaller reservoirs and grow to four pounds and beyond. Largemouth bass are present in lower-elevation lakes and ponds.

Striped bass in Lake Powell average two to four pounds and are caught in great numbers when boils erupt on the surface in summer. Walleye live in Willard Bay, Lake Powell, and Starvation Reservoir. Burbot, an invasive cousin of cod, are now a popular winter species at Flaming Gorge.

Fishing Licenses and Regulations in Utah

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) administers all fishing licenses and regulations. Anglers age 12 and older must purchase a fishing license. Annual, multi-year, multi-day, and one-day licenses are available, plus a combination license for those who also hunt. Several waters carry special regulations and these can change year to year.

The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam has a slot limit and reduced bag for trophy management. Strawberry Reservoir requires anglers to release all cutthroat trout between 15 and 22 inches. Lake Powell has interstate compact regulations with Arizona that allow either-state license to fish the entire lake but require care with bag limits. Many high-mountain lakes have a trout limit of eight, while many trophy waters reduce that to two or four.

Burbot must be killed and not released at Flaming Gorge as part of the invasive species control program, and the same applies to several other introduced species across the state. Always check the current Utah Fishing Guidebook online or at any DWR office before fishing.

Best Seasons for Fishing in Utah

Utah's fishing year is split by elevation. Low-elevation reservoirs and tailwaters fish year-round, with the Green River producing in every month of the year. Ice-fishing season runs from December into March on most mid-elevation lakes and is hugely popular at Strawberry, Scofield, Fish Lake, and Flaming Gorge. Spring is when the lake-trout pre-spawn bite turns on at Flaming Gorge in May and the smallmouth start hitting in Lake Powell.

Alpine lakes in the Uintas thaw in late June or early July and remain accessible through late September. Kokanee salmon spawn in tributaries in late September into October. Fall brown-trout fishing on the Green and the Provo is the calendar highlight for many fly anglers, when aggressive pre-spawn browns chase streamers.

Local Fishing Tips for Utah Anglers

On the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam, the dry-fly fishing during the cicada hatch from late May into June is one of the great experiences in American fly fishing, when 22-inch browns slurp foam patterns off the surface. Booking a guide trip with one of the Dutch John outfitters is the easiest way to learn the river and the local hatches. At Flaming Gorge for lake trout, downrigging with white tube jigs or live chubs at 60 to 100 feet is the proven trophy tactic, with the May spawn period and October pre-winter feed offering the best windows. Strawberry Reservoir in summer requires fishing chironomids under indicators in 15 to 25 feet of water for the best cutthroat action.

The High Uintas backcountry rewards anglers who pack light and hike past the trailhead lakes, where pressure drops dramatically just two miles in. Lake Powell summer striper boils require a fast hookset and a topwater walking bait, and the action can be as good as anywhere in the West. For winter ice fishing at Strawberry, bring multiple jig setups and small spoons, and always check ice thickness yourself rather than trusting reports. Watch elevation when planning trips, because high-altitude sun, wind, and storms can turn dangerous fast in the Uintas.

Utah Fishing FAQ

Sources & Further Reading

• https://wildlife.utah.gov/
• https://wildlife.utah.gov/fishing.html
• https://wildlife.utah.gov/fishing-rules-regs/fishing-guidebook.html
• https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/fgd.html
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ashley/recreation/fishing/