Fishing in Southern Utah

Southwestern Utah has many good trout streams. The Sevier River paralleling Hwy 89 is known for brown and rainbow trout fishing. The East Fork the Sevier, north of Bryce Canyon, offers good action for browns, cutts and rainbows. Panguitch Creek below Panguitch Lake, and the Beaver River near Beaver are also popular streams in the south.

WHERE TO FISH

Fishing Lakes

Lakes are plentiful in Southern Utah. Lake Powell, along the Utah/Arizona border, is nationally renowned for bass and striped bass fishing and is Utah's favorite boating destination. Sand Hollow and Quail Creek reservoirs near St George are also developing a reputation for big bass.

Forty miles southeast of Richfield, Fish Lake has long been famous for Mackinaw, splake and rainbow trout. Johnson Reservoir, 7 miles northwest of Fish Lake, and Gooseberry Reservoir, 12 miles northeast of Fairview, on SR 31 have excellent trout fishing from the bank. Joe's Valley Reservoir, 18 miles northwest of Orangeville on SR 29, and Electric Lake, about 26 miles northwest of Huntington, are popular for relaxed fishing.

Boaters regularly go to Otter Creek Reservoir for trout, or Yuba Reservoir for walleye and yellow perch. In the southern end of the basin, Panguitch Lake, southwest of Panguitch, is famous for trout. It also is excellent for ice fishing. Puffer Lake and Kents Lake, in the Tushar Mountains east of Beaver, are favorite areas for casual fishing. Trout-fishing reservoirs include Minersville (west of Beaver), Paragonah Reservoir (east of Paragonah), and Newcastle Reservoir (east of Newcastle).

South of Torrey, Boulder Mountain alone has over a hundred lakes. Pine Lake north of Bryce Canyon, and Navajo Lake between Cedar City and Hwy 89 are among favorite mountain lakes for trout, as are Upper and Lower Enterprise Reservoirs west and south of Enterprise and Yankee Meadows Reservoir southeast of Parowan. Gunlock Reservoir northwest of St. George is good in spring and fall for bass and crappie.

Southeastern Utah offers Oowah and Warner Lakes in the La Sal Mountains; Ken's Lake near Moab; and Lloyd's Lake, Monticello Lake and Foy Lake in the Abajo Mountains all of which have good trout fishing. Recapture Lake and Reservoirs 3 and 4 offer trout and bass fishing near Blanding.

Fishing Lakes and Streams in Southern Utah

Anderson Meadow Reservoir

Contains rainbow and brook trout. Travel 18 miles east of Beaver on U-153. Take the Kents Lake road. Elevation 9,000 feet. Camping nearby. Drinking water, chemical toilets, permanent tables and grills. Trailers permitted.

Antimony Creek

Contains rainbow, brown trout. Take the dirt road just south of the town of Antimony. The road pretty much follows the stream. Best fishing is in the spring shortly after the run-off dies down. Small stream with only primitive camping.

Antimony Lakes

Contain cutthroat and brook trout. Follow Antimony Creek out of Antimony and then climb the mountain. Four wheel drive only. Primitive camping.

Asay Creek

Contains rainbow and brown trout. Some private land in lower reaches. Camping nearby.

Ash Creek Reservoir

Contains no sports fish. Almost dries up each year and cannot sustain a population of fish.

Aspen-Mirror Lake

Contains rainbow trout. Closed during winter and early spring. This small lake is near Navajo Lake on Cedar Mountain. Closed January 1 through April 24.

Baker Reservoir

Contains rainbow and brown trout. Located between Central and Veyo, west of St. George, one mile east of U-18 on the Santa Clara River. Small Bureau of Land Management campground. No boat ramp.

Barker Lake

Contains brook and rainbow trout. Take Highway 12 to Escalante. Go 12 miles north. Camping nearby. No boat ramp.

Beaver River

Contains rainbow and brown trout. There are two stretches that contain large numbers of fish. One is above the town of Beaver along Highway 153 and the other is west of Beaver below Minersville Reservoir. Portions are closed during the winter - check the regs.

Blind Lake

Contains brook, rainbow trout, splake. Access on about 10 miles of dirt road (very rough) and then 1 1/2 mile hike, off of highway 12 in the Boulder Mountains. Record sized splake are caught here. No boats with motors.

Boulder Mountain Lakes

See the Boulder Mountain map published by Utah Fishing and Outdoors Magazine for locations and information about the 80 lakes in the Boulder Mountain area: 1-800-366-8824.

Bowns Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout. Stocked with fingerlings. No boat ramp. Fishing is generally good and pressure is light. Access on a dirt road off Highway 12, on the edge of the Boulder Mountains. Primitive camping in area.

Corn Creek

Contains brown and rainbow trout. Located just southeast of Kanosh.

Enterprise Reservoirs (Upper and Lower)

Contain rainbow trout. Elevation 5,700 feet. West from Enterprise 8 miles, then south 5 miles to lower reservoir. Forest Service campground nearby, boat ramp, restrooms. Tributaries to both reservoirs closed through the winter and spring.

Escalante River

Contains rainbow and brown trout in upper reaches. Gets warm as it flows into the Escalante Canyons and contains catfish and suckers. Some trout near mouths of tributary streams.

Fairview Lakes

Contain rainbow trout. Stocked with catchable rainbow. Private land but open to public. Boat ramp but no camping. Please respect the private land. Fishing from boats with motors is unlawful.

Fish Lake

Contains lake trout (mackinaw), cutthroat, rainbow, brown and brook trout and splake. Elevation is 8,700 feet. U.S. 89 to Sigurd then follow U-24 south to U-25 northeast. Lodges, cafes, cabins, Forest Service campgrounds, picnic areas, boats. Lake trout go up to 30 pounds and a few splake are over 20 inches. Fun ice fishing for splake and rainbows. Check the special regulations for lake trout.

Forsyth Reservoir

Rainbow and various hybrid trout. Just up the road from Mill Meadow Reservoir.

Fremont River

Rainbow and brown trout. Generally good fishing but lots of private land.

Gunlock Reservoir

Contains largemouth bass, crappie and catfish. Elevation is 3,600 feet. Located northwest of St. George, 16 miles off Highway 56. Follow Santa Clara River north from Shivwits. Primitive campgrounds, boat ramp. Contains lots of crayfish and some big bass.

Ivins Reservoir

Contains largemouth bass and catfish.

Johnson Valley Reservoir

Contains rainbow and cutthroat trout. Elevation is 8,750 feet. Located about three miles northeast of Fish Lake off of Highway 25. Forest Service campground, boat ramp.

Kanab Creek

Contains no large population of sports fish. Water level varies too much to support many fish.

Kents Lake

Contains rainbow, brook and brown trout; splake. Take U-153 15 miles east of Beaver. Turn at the Kents Lake Road. Camping nearby.

Kolob Reservoir

Contains rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout. Private land around the reservoir. About 18 miles north of Virgin, on the edge of Zion National Park. Several campgrounds near by. No facilities are available at the reservoir. Artificial flies and lures only. Only 2 trout over 18 inches. Kolob Creek, upstream from Kolob Reservoir is closed January 1 through 6 a.m. on the second Saturday of July.

Koosharem Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout. Elevation is 7,000 feet. Take Highway 89 past Salina to U-24. Follow U-24 to the reservoir if you are coming from the north. Take Highway 89 to Junction, east and north on U-62 to U-24 to the reservoir if you are coming from the south. No facilities, primitive camping. A few rainbow get up to 3 pounds.

LaBaron Reservoir

Contains brook and rainbow trout. Access approximately 23 miles east and south of Beaver on U-153. Elevation is 9,600 feet. Plenty of parking for trailers and campers. Outstanding scenery. No boats with motors.

Leeds Creek

Contains native cutthroat trout. Access out of Leeds past Silver Reef. Small stream that is difficult to fish because of the overhanging brush.

Little Reservoir

Contains rainbow and brown trout. Take highway 153 twelve miles east of Beaver. No boat ramp.

Lower Sand Cove Reservoir

Contains largemouth bass. Small reservoir between 10 and 20 acres in size.

Mammoth Creek

Contains rainbow, brown, cutthroat trout. Some private land. Camping nearby.

Merchant Valley Reservoir

Contains brook and rainbow trout. Access 16 miles east of Beaver on U-153. No facilities. Just a wide spot in the river, but fishing can be good.

Mill Meadow Reservoir

Rainbow, browns, splake and other hybrids. North of the town of Fremont.

Minersville Reservoir

Contains big rainbow trout, smallmouth bass. Located twelve miles west of Beaver off U-21. State park, boat ramp, campgrounds, restrooms, hookups. Excellent fishery both during the summer and when frozen.

Navajo Lake

Contains rainbow and brook trout. Elevation is 9,127 feet. Access through Cedar City, then southeast 22 miles via U-14 to lake. Lodge, cabins, campgrounds, picnic areas, boats.

Newcastle Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout, smallmouth bass. Elevation is 6,250 feet. Access west from Cedar City via U-56 near the town of Newcastle. No facilities.

Otter Creek

Contains rainbow, brown, cutthroat trout. Runs between Koosharem and Otter Creek reservoirs. Some private ground. Small stream that can provide some fun fishing. Primitive camping. Closed in winter.

Otter Creek Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout. Elevation is 6,250 feet. Access on U-62 east of Junction, 4 miles north of Antimony. State park, campground, modern restrooms, boat ramp. Convenience store, RV parks.

Panguitch Lake

Contains cutthroat and rainbow trout. Stocked with fingerlings. Elevation 8,250 feet Access through Panguitch then southeast for 17 miles on paved road. Cabins, boats. U.S. Forest Service campground, boat ramp, concessions, lodges. All Panguitch Lake tributaries are closed during winter and spring.

Paragonah Reservoir (Red Creek)

Contains rainbow trout. 24 miles north of Cedar City. Take the Paragonah exit. Follow the signs east to the reservoir. Small boats only. All tributaries are closed during the spring.

Pine Lake

Contains rainbow trout. Elevation 8,000 feet About 40 miles southeast of Panguitch, go south on U.S. 89 to U-12, east on U-12 to the boundary of Bryce Canyon north toward Widtsoe Junction, 10 miles to Pine Lake sign, 5 miles east to the lake. Forest Service campground, picnic areas, drinking water, can launch small boats. Small lake in a spectacular setting.

Pine Valley Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout. Stocked with catchables. No boat ramps. Camping in the area. Fishing from boats or float tubes is unlawful.

Piute Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout. Elevation 6,067 feet. Access north of Junction via U.S. 89. Primitive camping, boat ramp. Rainbow trout up to 6 pounds are occasionally caught.

Posey Lake

Contains rainbow and brook trout. Take highway U-12 to Escalante and the forest service road 153 from Escalante to the lake. Camping nearby.

Puffer Lake

Contains rainbow trout. Elevation is 9,672 feet. Access just off U-153 on a gravel road 20 miles east of Beaver. Campgrounds, boats, cafe, lodge, condos. Popular ski resort nearby.

Quail Creek Reservoir

Contains largemouth bass; crappie; bluegill and rainbow trout. Excellent facilities including boat ramps and camping. State record bass and crappie could be caught here. Check the special regulations. Heavy use.

Sand Hollow Reservoir

Excellent bass and bluegill fishing in a scenic reservoir with very nice facilities.

Santa Clara River

Contains rainbow, brown trout. Fishing is good from Veyo at U18 northeast to Pine Valley. Various towns and facilities nearby.

Sevenmile Creek

Contains cutthroat and brook trout. Elevation is 8,700 feet. This wild trout (not stocked) stream is located just north of Johnson Reservoir, north of Loa. There are several campgrounds in the area. The fish are small and numerous.

Sevier River, East Fork

Contains rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Access along U-22 from Antimony or Bryce Canyon. Used up for irrigation in its upper reaches. Runs through a steep-sided canyon for much of it's length above Otter Creek Reservoir. Difficult to fish with lots of steep slopes, brush and rocks.

Sevier River, West Fork

Contains rainbow, brown, cutthroat trout; whitefish, carp and suckers. Access via HWY 89 between Hatch and Circleville.

Sevier River (Lower)

Contains brown and rainbow trout; walleye; channel catfish; smallmouth bass; perch; suckers; carp. Flows through Garfield, Piute, Sevier, Sanpete, Juab and Millard counties. Good bass and walleye fishing below DMAD reservoir, good catfishing most of its length. Some trout where the East Fork enters the main river and below Piute Reservoir.

Skutumpha Reservoir

Contains rainbow and cutthroat trout. Up Salina Canyon, out of Salina.

Three Creeks Reservoir

Contains rainbow and brown trout. Take Highway U-153 16 miles east of Beaver. No boat ramp. Small lake.

Tropic Reservoir

Contains rainbow and cutthroat trout. Elevation is 7,831 feet. Go south from Panguitch on U.S. 89, east on U-12 to Bryce Canyon Road, take dirt road south along the East Fork of the Sevier River, along the edge of Bryce Canyon National Park, to the reservoir. Big pine trees and very pretty place. Boat ramp.

UM Creek

Rainbow, cutthroat trout. Special regs. Artificial fly and lure only.

Upper Sand Cove Reservoir

Contains bass. Minimum bass size limit 15 inches. All bass less than 15 inches must be immediately returned to the reservoir. This small reservoir is located between Veo and Gunlock (near St. George).

Virgin River

Contains rainbow trout along Highway 22 between U-24 and U-12. Near Zions National Park it gets muddy and only contains some endangered suckers from then on. The North Fork contains trout north of Zion National Park and south of Navajo Lake.

Wide Hollow Reservoir

Contains rainbow trout, largemouth bass. Elevation is 5,800 feet. Approximately one mile west of Escalante. Escalante Petrified Forest State Reserve is nearby. Campgrounds and modern restrooms near lake. Boat ramp. All bass caught must be immediately released.