Fish Lake

Fish Lake in Sevier County is a lake in Utah and covers about 2,581.5 acres, reaches about 89 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 91,901.8 acre-feet.

The size of Fish Lake rewards a simple area-by-area plan instead of long random moves. Deep water at Fish Lake gives fish room to move away from shore as summer heat and bright light build.

What Makes Fish Lake Different

Fish Lake is a deep natural mountain lake enlarged by a low dam. Cold open water, rocky shelves, weeded shallows, and a strong forage base support lake trout, splake, kokanee, rainbow trout, yellow perch, and other fish.

Jig or troll for lake trout and splake, search open water for kokanee, and use small jigs near weeds and shelves for perch. Separate the big-fish pass from the panfish pass.

How Fish Lake Fishes

Utah’s record splake came from Fish Lake. The lake’s depth and forage allow hybrid trout and lake trout to grow, but fish can suspend well above the 89-foot bottom.

Kokanee spawning work is also part of Fish Lake’s identity. During the rest of the year, locate the school before choosing a trolling depth instead of following a fixed summer route.

Yellow perch provide both a target and food for larger predators. A perch school on a shelf can be a clue for the lake trout or splake holding just outside it.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Fish Lake include Common Carp, Lake Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Splake, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Muskie, Utah Chub, Utah Sucker, and Yellow Perch.

For yellow perch on this water, keep a small jig tipped with a worm or minnow close to bottom on a shelf.

Try this for tiger muskie: cover weeds, points, and open lanes with a large minnow lure or bucktail on strong tackle.

At Fish Lake, try this for rainbow trout: cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water.

The first common carp pass on this water should place corn or a dough bait on the bottom along a shallow flat.

Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, and Tiger Trout have also been stocked here; that proves fish were released, but it does not promise that they are still common or easy to catch.

How to Read the Water

Do not let the deepest number control the whole day; nearby cover, firm bottom, and food usually matter more than the deepest hole by itself; start where bait gathers, then keep line light around small clear-water fish.

Season by Season

In spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace; follow the outside weed line, then follow bait before changing areas.

A Simple Tackle Plan

A medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles most jigs and small casting baits; add a stronger outfit and a proper leader when tiger muskie are the target.

Record the wind, water color, productive depth, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; use water color to choose the first lure, then match the hook and line to the named target.

Keep the first hour simple: use one moving bait to find active fish, slow down with a jig or natural bait on the best edge, and repeat the same setup when two bites come from matching depth and bottom during that part of the trip; work each small drop before going deeper.

Fish Lake FAQs

What makes Fish Lake different from other Utah waters?

The key difference is that fish Lake is a deep natural mountain lake enlarged by a low dam.

What is a practical first fishing plan for Fish Lake?

For a first trip, jig or troll for lake trout and splake, search open water for kokanee, and use small jigs near weeds and shelves for perch.

What should anglers avoid assuming at Fish Lake?

Do not let the largest depth or an old stocking note replace current water conditions, food, and the confirmed fish list; use stronger line beside wood and sharp rock.