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Utah's showcase fishery is the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. The cold tailwater produces rainbow and brown trout in the 18 to 22-inch range with regularity, and 6 to 8 fish days are realistic for a competent fly fisher. The A-Section below the dam — seven miles of designated catch-and-release water — is one of the top 10 trout streams in the western United States by any credible ranking.
Strawberry Reservoir in the Wasatch holds trophy cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon. The high Uinta Mountains hold native Colorado River cutthroat in hundreds of high-altitude lakes and streams accessible by trail.
Resident licenses cost $34. Utah fishing is a best-kept-secret conversation that has been happening for 20 years. The Green River is genuinely world-class and receives a fraction of the pressure of comparable Colorado rivers. If you move to Salt Lake City, you are 3 hours from the Green, 45 minutes from the Provo, and 2 hours from Strawberry Reservoir.
The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam is one of the finest tailwater trout fisheries in the West, producing rainbow and brown trout exceeding 20 inches in the A Section. Strawberry Reservoir is renowned for its trophy cutthroat trout. Bear Lake straddles the Utah-Idaho border and holds a unique subspecies of Bonneville cutthroat.
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Sources: State wildlife agencies, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bassmaster, Field & Stream, In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman magazine. License costs reflect annual resident/non-resident fishing license only; additional stamps (trout, salmon) may apply. Updated May 2026.