Joes Valley Reservoir Report

Joe's Valley Reservoir - Orangeville, Utah (Emery County)


by Utah Division of Wildlife
8-29-2025
Website

Fishing forecast (September through November): 

Splake: Splake will cruise the shallow shoreline before daylight feeding on Utah chub. Utah chub will congregate to spawn in shallow rocky and weedy areas, and splake will target the chub as a food source. Try using dead Utah chub as bait to catch fish during this timeframe. Cut off a 1-by-1-inch piece of chub meat and thread it on a 1/8-ounce or 1/4-ounce jig head. Cast the bait out and let it sit on the bottom. Casting tube jigs and swimbaits tipped with chub meat will also work from shore. Keep your jig close to the bottom as you retrieve/reel, because most fish will hug the bottom. Other good lures to try will be silver/white or black/white crankbaits. For best results, try trolling a pop gear and a spoon, or a flatfish in a bright color.

 Rainbow trout: Good fishing for rainbows is typical for this time of year. Use standard trout-fishing tactics from shore like worm and marshmallow/salmon egg, PowerBait, spinners and spoons. Troll a pop gear and worm or spoons to target fish in deeper water. Rainbow trout have been stocked into the reservoir since 2018. 

Tiger muskie: Look for fish along rocky shorelines in water 5 to 15 feet deep. Most fish are feeding on Utah chub and crayfish along the rocks. This is a perfect opportunity to target fish with a fly rod. Large streamers (4-10 inches) cast along rock outcroppings will produce best results. Cast swimbaits or crankbaits that look like chubs (silver/white and black/white) as another option. Fish will move to shallower water in the fall. 

Cutthroat trout: Cutthroat trout in the reservoir are self-sustaining and use the tributaries to spawn. Target cutthroat with similar tactics as splake. Use tube jigs tipped with chub meat and crankbaits in the fall.