Utah Fish Report

he reservoir elevation has increased 3 feet to a current elevation of 6,009 feet, and is forecasted to come up another 20 feet by midsummer. Currently, all of the launches are iced in with the exception of Mustang Ridge and Cedar Springs, but the ice is degrading rapidly. Only the area around the dam is open to boats, but there is some open water around the reservoir that is accessible for shore anglers, such as the back of Sheep Creek and Linwood Bay. Snow has been melting in the afternoon so expect muddy roads on warm days.

Lake trout: Recent fishing reports indicate that lake trout fishing success has been variable in the open water. Start looking for fish in 50-80 feet of water; try shallower waters early and deeper waters later in the day. If you're not marking fish, move. If you're not catching marked fish, change up your presentation. Good lures to vertically jig are jigging spoons such as Crippled Herrings, jigging raps, blade baits and 3.5 inch tube jigs in 1/4- to 3/8-ounce weight and tipped with a small piece (size of your thumbnail) of sucker or chub meat. White, glow and chartreuse are good colors to start with. This is a great time of year to target lake trout, specifically small ones that are overabundant. Please help the resource by harvesting some of the overabundant lake trout under 25 inches (limits apply). This size class of fish makes exceptional table fare.

Kokanee salmon: Opened to harvest on Dec. 1 but there have not been any recent reports.

Rainbow and cutthroat trout: Try fishing close to shore using small spoons and jigs in white, pink and chartreuse, tipped with a small amount of bait like Gulp maggots or worms. If you're using more than one rod, jig one and deadstick the other with a bait presentation. Trout will commonly hit either option, but may show more preference to one technique.

Smallmouth bass: No recent reports. Remember the limit in Utah is three fish and catch-and-release only in Wyoming. In Utah, please minimize harvest of the larger bass, considering that they're older, slow-growing fish.

Burbot: No recent reports, due to poor ice conditions. Burbot fishing will be good on the north end once the ice comes off, allowing for safe navigation. Target burbot at night along rocky points and shorelines in 10 to 40 feet of water, using glow-in-the-dark lures like Yamamoto grubs, Radical Glow tubes, Ned's Bait Box plastics and Northland Buckshot spoons. Tip the lure with a small piece of sucker/chub meat, recharge the glow frequently, and jig or deadstick the presentation a couple inches from the bottom. Please remember all burbot must be killed.