Let’s Go Fishing

If you’re headed to Capitol Reef then you’re gonna do all the usual (and very excellent) hiking, scenic routes, and sightseeing. But if you yearn to cast your line any chance you get, then you may be curious to find out where the good fishing is near Capitol Reef. And lucky for you, we at the Lodge know of three perfect places.

Photo by Strauss Western via unsplash.com

Fish Lake. The Obvious Choice.

Fish Lake is the largest natural lake in Utah (no dams up here.) It’s located between Richfield and Loa, so about 40 minutes from Capitol Reef. It’s a great choice any time of year, but especially in fall, when the aspen trees are all golden. (Shout out to Pando.)

Fish Lake can be pretty busy during the tourist season. So expect some company. There are lots of campgrounds, some stores and tackle shops, and three ramps to the water. If you want a nice, developed area to fish, this is your spot. Plus there are a bunch of nearby trails if you fancy some alpine hiking.

You can find rainbow trout, splake, lake trout, kokanee salmon, brown trout, tiger trout and yellow perch in Fish Lake. Although, yellow perch are an invasive species. So there is no limit on those.

Photo by Red River Ranch.

Boulder Mountain. Off the Beaten Track.

Boulder Mountain is just outside of Capitol Reef. If you’ve been in and around the park, then you’ve definitely seen it. It’s the big forested mountain to the south. And it’s got loads of lakes and reservoirs.

These lakes and reservoirs are a bit harder to access compared to Fish Lake. Some will require off-road ve class=”pb-3 text-muted h3″hicles, but most can be reached via a high-clearance truck. (And some you will need to hike to.) The most popular method is usually to get to the Boulder Top Road from Bicknell. But there are also several dirt roads behind the town of Teasdale.

As a bonus, you can drive the (paved) Scenic Byway 12 route from Torrey to the town of Boulder. It’s one of the best drives in the area. Especially in fall.

You can find Colorado River cutthroat, Brook, and Tiger trout in the lakes of Boulder Mountain.

Photo by Red River Ranch

Fremont River. A Personal Favorite.

The Fremont runs right through our backyard. In fact, as a side note, we’ve partnered with Chunky Trout Outfitters to allow guests to have guided fishing tours at our ranch. So check them out if you want to fish here.

But if you want to fish a different section of the Fremont, there are plenty of good spots right next to Capitol Reef. The river flows from Johnson Valley Reservoir to Mill Meadow Reservoir and is about 8 miles long. It’s pretty reedy, so expect to fight the foliage to get to the waterline. Head for the deep pools on the edges for the best results.

You will most often find rainbow and brown trout in the Fremont River.

Photo by Andrey Trusov via unsplash.com

Get Prepped. Get Set. Fish!

Fishing in Utah requires you to have a Utah fishing license. Which you can get here. You’ll also need maps (and maybe a guide) if you’re heading to the more remote locations. There are several shops in Torrey that can help outfit you for your adventure. Hopefully you’ll get to add a great fishing trip to a great Capitol Reef National Park trip! Enjoy!