Flaming Gorge
Flaming Gorge Stories
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15 Must-do Adventures in Kanab
Looking for fun things to do in Kanab? Check out our list of the 15 must-do adventures in Kanab and start planning your visit today.
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Après-Ski Like a Local
Curious about those local favorites après-ski spots, those tucked away gems to which the locals have flocked for generations? Read on.
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Beyond the Lake
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Exploring Mule Canyon: House on Fire and Cave Tower
Driving the up the dusty, terracotta-colored road toward Mule Canyon in Cedar Mesa, you get a sense that this is a special place, though you might not be able to put a finger on why.
About the Fish
Key Species: Lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass and channel catfish.
Rainbow trout provide the bulk of the harvest. Kokanee salmon are typically second in harvest and popularity with anglers. TThe trophy lake trout or Mackinaw are the most sought after and most difficult to catch at Flaming Gorge. Regardless, lunkers over 30 pounds are still regularly caught.
Learn more about the types of fish
Shore-side Fishing
Adjacent to the 500-foot-tall Flaming Gorge Dam sits an ADA-accessible fishing pier. You can take in the views from atop the dam, then drop a line from the pier. Moose Pond is a small reservoir found along Scenic Highway 44 that is annually stocked with rainbow trout. Surrounded by mature lodge-pole pines, Moose Pond is easily accessed and if visited near sunset affords ample opportunity to view deer, moose and other wildlife foraging near its shores. Hanging above the gorge, the Greens Lakes at Red Canyon Lodge offer great catch-and-release fishing for rainbow and brook trout. Little Hole on the Green River (learn more about this fishing destination) is also a must-visit, whether you’re fly-fishing or spin fishing. Located in the steep and scenic canyon below the Flaming Gorge Dam there is easy access to miles of trout-filled water where the average fish caught is over 15 inches. Buckboard, Lucerne and Cedar Springs Marinas all offer great shore-side fishing as well.
Boat Fishing
From house boats, speedboats, pontoons, fishing boats, canoes, kayaks and even stand-up paddleboards, angling on the lake is by far the most productive and fun way to fish Flaming Gorge.
Trolling and jigging from a boat are the most prolific forms of fishing on the lake. Long lining with lead, steel or monofilament using divers or down riggers as well as vertical jigging will help hook fish at depth. Bait fishing with night crawlers or power bait can also be productive. And, yes, the basic cast and retrieve method works well too.
Regulations
Flaming Gorge is on the border of Utah and Wyoming. To fish across state lines at Flaming Gorge, you must have a valid fishing license from one state and a reciprocal fishing permit from the other state. For example, if you buy a Utah resident or nonresident fishing license, you can fish the Utah portion of Flaming Gorge.
For the latest regulations, consult the Utah Fishing Guidebook
Passes:
Visitors to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area are required to obtain a “Use Pass.” Passes can be obtained at the visitor centers and are also usually available at kiosks at the launches.
Planning Resources
Flaming Gorge information:
- More about the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
- Flaming Gorge fishing itinerary
- Campgrounds
- Logistics and information (weather, when to visit, groceries and supplies)
- Marinas and boat ramps
Visitor centers are located at the dam and at Red Canyon.
What's Nearby?
The area is 45 miles from Vernal, a great fishing basecamp.
Additional nearby fishing destinations:
- West Fork Duchesne
- Currant Creek Reservoir
- Starvation State Park
- Green River (right below the Flaming Gorge dam)
- Strawberry State Park
Learn more about fishing in Utah:
- Buy a Utah fishing license
- Fishing regulations in Utah
