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Why Fish Here
Blacksmith Fork is the smaller, quieter of Cache Valley's two canyon rivers, and the state regulations put it on the Blue Ribbon list alongside the Logan. The rules here tilt toward keeping browns: one fish over 15 inches, plus a bonus of four brown trout, so the total can reach eight if at least four of them are browns. The road follows the water about 15 miles up from Hyrum to Hardware Wildlife Management Area, which DWR keeps open year round and where elk gather in winter.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Small stimulator + dropper
Bait and lures: Dries, small spinners
Best time: Afternoon. Season: May-October
Local tip: Intimate canyon creek - watch for moose.
Species Playbook
Brown Trout
Rig: Fly: sow bug/zebra midge under indicator; Spin: single-hook Rapala or spinner
Bait: Flies (sow bugs, streamers), Rapalas, worms after rain
When: Dawn, dusk, and overcast days; fall (spawn season) fires them up
Wary and smart. Downsize line to 4 lb fluoro on clear days.
Cutthroat Trout
Rig: Strawberry: white tube jig 15-30 ft; Bear Lake: troll minnow-profile lures
Bait: Tube jigs, dead minnows (where legal), dry flies in creeks
When: Morning bite is king; ice-off is legendary
The Bonneville cutthroat is Utah's state fish. Strawberry slot: release cutts 15-22 in.
Mountain Whitefish
Rig: Small beadhead nymph or tiny jig near bottom
Bait: Zebra midges, wax worms, small nymphs
When: Winter! They bite all day when trout won't
Native, underrated, and they'll rescue any winter river trip.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Hyrum Reservoir (Fishing, 6 mi) · Hyrum State Park (State Park, 7 mi) · Porcupine Reservoir (Fishing, 7 mi) · Logan River 1st-3rd Dams (Fishing, 9 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Blacksmith Fork River?
- Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish.
- What is the best bait at Blacksmith Fork River?
- Dries, small spinners
- When is the best time to fish Blacksmith Fork River?
- Afternoon. Season: May-October.
- Why fish Blacksmith Fork River?
- Because it is a small, wadeable canyon stream with wild browns and a limit that actually encourages you to take a few home. You can cover a lot of it on foot in an afternoon, working one pool to the next. It is a good fallback when Logan Canyon is busy.