Utah Fishing Reports
South

Revised 02-16-18

Links give descriptions of the lake and facilities available. Check proclamtion for details on fishing restrictions as these may not be complete.

WHIRLING DISEASE -- For waters indicated, please prevent the spread of WHIRLING DISEASE by cleaning mud from waders and equipment. DO NOT TRANSPORT any parts of fish caught here to other waters.Click here for DWR information.

(Feb 9) Catchable-sized rainbow trout have been stocked. Anglers report mixed fishing success. Bait and fly anglers report fair to good fishing, while trolling has not been productive. Some large brown trout are present and can be more readily caught during the colder months.

(Jan 26) Catchable-sized rainbow trout have been stocked. Anglers report mixed results. Bait and fly anglers have done fair to good, but trolling has not been productive. Some large brown trout are present and can be more readily caught during the colder months.

(Feb 9) The flow is low and clear, so tread lightly to avoid spooking the fish. There are good numbers of rainbow trout that are biting well on woolly buggers. Expect surface ice in the morning.

(Jan 26) Lower: The water flow is low and clear, so tread lightly to avoid spooking fish. There are good numbers of rainbow trout that are biting well on wooly buggers. Expect surface ice in the morning.

(Feb 9) The flow is below 20 cfs. Some surface ice forms on cold mornings, although there is still plenty of open water to fish. The slow-moving runs have less oxygen in winter, so target stretches with fast-moving water in between deep pools.

(Feb 9) The 2018 Fish Lake Perch Tournament has been canceled due to insufficient ice. You still have a chance to win a prize, however. If you catch a tagged perch, take it to the Lakeside Marina Store, and you will be entered into a drawing that will take place at the end of the summer. Ice conditions are changing daily due to variable weather. Before you go out, we recommend calling Fish Lake Resorts at 435-638-1000 to check on current ice conditions. The open water near Joe Bush on the north end has grown significantly. The ice is seven to eight inches thick north of there to the Narrows. Ice from the Bowery Haven to the Lodge is safe close to shore, but unknown beyond a large pressure ridge. The ice is eight inches thick from the Lodge to Lakeside Marina, and then 10 to 12 inches thick, south of Lakeside. Uneven ice conditions can be found anywhere, so use caution and drill test holes as you go out. ATVs and snowmobiles are not recommended due to the uneven conditions. Fishing for perch is good to excellent on the bottom in 12 to 30 feet of water. Use small jigs and ice flies tipped with nightcrawler, mealworm or perch meat. Small trout can be picked up in the same area with the same technique. Use larger jigs or fish a few feet off the bottom to target trout and avoid perch. For larger trout, fish on the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water or suspended at 15 to 20 feet over deeper water. Ice fishing is one of the best ways to target lake trout in deep water, but only go out where you know the ice is safe. Fish on the bottom in depths of 70 to 95 feet with large jigs or spoons tipped with chub, sucker or perch meat. A fish finder is key to finding lake trout, reacting to their activity and enticing a strike.

(Jan 26) Ice conditions are changing daily because of the variable weather. We recommend calling Fish Lake Resorts at 435-638-1000 before you go out to check on current ice conditions. The wind over the weekend blew off much of the thin ice in the middle, but the cold temperatures since then have mostly capped that back over. There is a large hole near Joe Bush. All the clear ice is thin because it is only a few days old. There is older, thicker ice around the edges on the south end. The ice is eight to ten inches thick near Doctor Creek, but access has not been plowed so you will have to walk. The ice gets thinner as you go north, down to four to six inches near the bathroom between Lakeside and the Lodge. The ice is very uneven, so use caution and drill test holes as you go out. Anglers are able to get out to areas with depths of about 12 to 15 feet on safe ice, and are finding fair to good fishing for perch and small trout.

(Feb 9) The boat ramp is closed until March, but it is possible to launch kayaks and float tubes from shore. The reservoir was treated with rotenone in 2015 to remove illegally introduced smallmouth bass, which pose a serious threat to native fish in the Virgin and Santa Clara rivers. We have begun re-stocking largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie. Small largemouth bass (up to 10 inches long) are now abundant and can provide some fun action.

(Feb 9) The ice is almost completely gone, with one small sheet left near the dam. Anglers report mixed fishing success. Some days, fishing from shore is better, but other days, fishing from a pontoon is better. This probably means that rainbow trout are moving in and out of the shallows.

(Jan 26) The wind blew away all of the ice over the weekend. Since then, cold temperatures have started to refreeze much of the reservoir, but the new ice is less than 1/2-inch thick. You may find fair fishing in open water.

(Feb 9) The east shore has safe ice up to 10 inches thick from the north boat ramp to Bear Paw Beach. The middle of the lake has uneven ice and some open water. Anglers report fair to good fishing. It can get very crowded on the weekends.

(Jan 26) The east shore has safe ice up to 10 inches thick from the north boat ramp to Bear Paw Beach. The middle of the lake has finally capped with ice, but the new ice is less than 1-inch thick and has some large cracks. Anglers report fair to good fishing. It can get very crowded during the weekend.

(Feb 9) Bass activity slows down as the water cools in the winter, but a few nice fish are still picked up every year during the colder months. The keys are to fish deep (20 to 30 feet down) and use a slow presentation. Finesse baits like Senkos, dropshot rigs and shaky heads are very conducive to a slow presentation. Slow-rolling spinnerbaits can also be very effective.

(Jan 26) Bass activity slows down as the water cools in the winter, but a few nice fish are still picked up every year during the colder months. The keys are to fish deep, at depths of 20 to 30 feet, and to use a slow presentation. Finesse baits like Senkos, drop shot rigs and shaky heads are very conducive to a slow presentation. Slow-rolling spinnerbaits can also be very effective.

(Feb 9) The reservoir is ice-free and filling. Rainbow trout will be stocked soon. We began introducing black crappie in 2017 in order to establish a new population for anglers to target. If you catch any crappie, please release them so that they can spawn next spring.