Fishing

You will discover trout fishing at its best in our many mountain lakes, reservoirs, and streams with the surrounding scenery as beautiful and diverse as the fisheries themselves.

From low-lying streams like the Sevier River and large lakes surrounded by forests like Panguitch Lake to clear mountain lakes high in the Boulder Mountain, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to catch your limit of rainbow, brook, cutthroat, or German brown trout.

Panguitch Lake is one of the most popular fishing lakes in Bryce Canyon Country, located in the Dixie National Forest at an elevation of 8,400 feet. The name Panguitch was adopted from the Paiute word for “big fish” and there’s no shortage of them here. The lake has excellent fishing year-round, especially in summer when you’ll find some of the largest rainbow trout in Utah.

And with several lodges on the shores open year-round, Panguitch Lake is a hotspot for winter ice fishing. It’s easy to find a quiet spot to yourself along its ten miles of shoreline, and it’s a great lake for fly fishing. Panguitch Lake is 18 miles southwest of Panguitch just off Scenic Highway 143, and can be easily reached from Bryce Canyon City, Tropic, Henrieville, Cannonville, Escalante, and Boulder via Scenic Byway 12 to Scenic Highway 143. Nearby attractions include Cedar Breaks National Monument, Duck Creek Village, and Brian Head.

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With more than 80 lakes, Boulder Mountain offers a world-class fishing experience. It’s considered one of Utah’s major high-elevation lake areas at 10,238 feet and has a fairly long fishing season. The majority of the lakes on Boulder Mountain are fishable, either stocked or with significant natural fish populations. Most of the lakes on Boulder Mountain can be reached by a short hike from the road, and cutthroat and brook trout are often within casting distance of the shoreline of smaller lakes. With so many remote lakes to choose from, it won’t be hard for anglers to find a haven where they can fish the clear mountain waters in solitude.

The 52-acre, 57-foot-deep Blind Lake is the largest on Boulder Mountain, and one of the premier lakes in Utah for large-catch brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. To reach Blind Lake, take Forest Road 179 to Green Lake and hike south for one mile. Located just north and west of Boulder and Escalante, Boulder Mountain is easily accessible from most points in Bryce Canyon Country via Scenic Byway 12. Boulder is a great base of operations for fishing Boulder Mountain, with lodging, dining, and outfitters at the ready.

Otter Creek Reservoir is one of Utah’s top spots for year-round rainbow trout fishing thanks to regular stocking and plenty of natural food sources. Anglers will also find a fair amount of cutthroat and brown trout, plus smallmouth bass at this premier fishery. Ice fishing season begins about mid-December, and waters usually thaw in April for open fishing.

Bait fishing from shore is best in spring, early summer, and early fall. Traditional trout baits and small lures are effective for fishing Otter Creek Reservoir. Otter Creek Reservoir is located at Otter Creek State Park, just four miles north of Antimony via UT-22. The East Fork of the Sevier River just below Otter Creek also offers decent rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout fishing with limited access to public lands.

Fishing licenses, Utah State fishing rules, and detailed area maps can be obtained at local outfitters throughout Bryce Canyon Country, or from the BLM and U.S. Forest Service. Be sure to check road conditions prior to heading out, as some dirt or mountain roads may be impassable in winter or when wet. As always, respect the lands and waters of Bryce Canyon Country by packing out what you bring in.

We are very proud of our beautiful waterways and we want to keep them as clean and unspoiled as possible. Please do your share in helping to preserve and protect our land and waters. Please do not litter, pack out what you take in, and pick up any litter you find. 

If you are camping, use developed campgrounds when possible. Use existing fire pits at developed or primitive camping areas. Please be careful with fire. Keep a clean camp or you may attract the company of uninvited guests like bears, skunks, or mountain lions. Go prepared in primitive areas. The water in all Utah streams must be boiled or purified before drinking. Or, carry in drinking water with you.

Local businesses have fishing licenses and copies of the Utah Fishing Proclamation, which lists the complete rules for fishing in the State of Utah. Detailed maps of the area can be obtained from the U.S. Forest Service, the BLM, and sporting goods stores. Check locally for road and weather conditions before traveling on any dirt or gravel back roads. Many are impassable in wet weather.

Fishing Guides

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