Catch fish in solitude

DWR biologists list best waters to get away from it all

We're providing information about the best waters to fish in Utah this spring.

Part 1 of the series — Best waters to fish with friends and family — is available here. Part 2 — Best close-to-home waters to fish in Utah — is available here.

Catching fish isn't the only reason people fish. If you choose the right water, peace, quiet and solitude — in a beautiful setting — are waiting for you too.

A trip to a water that features all of these things is a perfect way to escape your daily routine, breathe some fresh air and have some fun. And, in many cases, you won't have to travel far from the Wasatch Front to find it.

Fishing for tiger muskie should be good at Joes Valley Reservoir this spring.

So which waters in Utah should you visit this spring? Where are the best places to escape the crowds and enjoy good fishing? Randy Oplinger, sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says fishing for the fish listed below should be good at the following waters. These nine waters are his top picks for the best places to get away from it all and catch fish in Utah this spring:

Northern Utah

• Bear Lake (cutthroat trout)
• Blacksmith Fork River (cutthroat trout and brown trout)
• Echo Reservoir (trout)
• Logan River (cutthroat trout and brown trout)
• Lost Creek Reservoir (trout)

North-central Utah

• Settlement Canyon Reservoir (trout)
• Sixth Water Creek (cutthroat trout and rainbow trout)

Northeastern Utah

• Flaming Gorge Reservoir (kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout and smallmouth bass)

Southeastern Utah

• Joes Valley Reservoir (tiger muskie)

Watch fishing reports

Now that you know which waters to focus on, it's time to hop online and check some fishing reports. In addition to learning how fast fishing has been, you'll learn about the tackle and techniques anglers are using to catch fish.

A page on the DWR's website — wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots — is a great place to start. In addition to fishing reports, the site provides information about the waters themselves, including how to reach them, the type of facilities you'll find and the fish you'll likely catch. If the fishing report is the only part of the site you're interested in, you can subscribe to it. Each time the report is updated, it will be emailed to you.

Two additional websites — bigfishtackle.com and utahwildlife.net — also provide current fishing information for waters across the state. Utah fishing-related Facebook pages are also good places to check.

Learn-how-to-fish websites

If you're new to fishing, or you'd simply like to brush up on your skills, lots of online websites and videos cover the basics. A great place to start is TakeMeFishing.org.