Fishing On Flaming Gorge National Scenic Byway

The Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway in the state of Utah. It spans approximately 80 miles (130 km) as it travels from Vernal, Utah northward through the Ashley National Forest and the Uintah Mountains to the area around Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in the northeastern corner of the state.

As one of the most aptly named landscapes in the country, Flaming Gorge provides vast scenic vistas that you won't be able to fit into your camera. These views may only live in your memory. Drive this byway and watch Flaming Gorge and the Uintas unfold from several different perspectives.

If outdoor recreation is your thing, then this byway is the place for you. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, created as a recreational destination, contains nearly half of the byway. There you can hike, river-raft, swim, canoe, camp, bike, and much more.

Just before sunrise, when the cool night air begins to settle into morning dew and streaks of red light the peaks of the Uintas, the waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the Green River become an angler's paradise along the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway. Grab your tackle and pull on your waders for a spot on the shoreline or cast a line from the comfort of your boat for some of the best fishing Utah has to offer. Try for a pole-bending battle with a trophy trout or fish for abundant smaller fish that surface to feed before the noonday sun drives them back to the depths of the reservoir.

Fishing, one of the most popular water recreation activities on Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the Green River, draws both die-hard and first-time anglers from across the nation. Take advantage of world-class fishing opportunities for lake trout ("Mackinaw"), brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish. If you're lucky, maybe your catch will rank among the state- and world-record-sized fish caught by Flaming Gorge anglers, including lake trout weighing over 50 pounds, brown trout over 30 pounds and rainbow trout over 25 pounds.

As you travel along the northwest branch of the byway near Flaming Gorge, pull over and cast a few lines at Moose Ponds, West Greens Lake, Sheep Creek, or any of the other numerous nearby lakes and streams, where abundant cutthroat trout are found among the many species of fish found in the region. Watch dozens of children enjoy fishing and draw for prizes donated by local businesses in the annual youth fishing event at Moose Ponds, which is held each June and sponsored by the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources and the Ashley National Forest.

Come in rain, shine, or even in snow (ice fishing is a popular winter pastime in the area), and you'll find fishing opportunities year-round on the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway. Create memories of family fishing fun or enjoy the solitary tranquility of a mirror-like lake on an early-morning excursion among majestic mountain terrain.