Conditions Right Now
Your Loadout 🎣 Stock Up on Gear
Tackle + Bait Slots
Winter loadout: auger, ice cleats, short jig rod, insulated bibs.
Why Fish Here
Jordanelle is really three parks with different rules, and picking the right one decides your day. Hailstone is the motorized hub with an eight-lane ramp and a marina, so that is where the wakeboats go. Rock Cliff, at the Provo River end, is non-motorized boating only, with elevated boardwalks over the river wetlands and more than 200 kinds of birds and mammals recorded. Ross Creek has its own non-motorized ramp if you want to launch a kayak away from traffic, and the bass limit across the reservoir is six.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Drop shot & ned rig on rocky points; troll needlefish for trout; perch jigs off Rock Cliff
Bait and lures: 3" plastics, jerkbaits, worms
Best time: Morning & evening. Season: May-October; ice at Rock Cliff arm
Local tip: Kayak-friendly bass water 15 min from Park City. The Provo River inlet (Rock Cliff) is quieter and fishier.
Species Playbook
Smallmouth Bass
Rig: Ned rig, drop shot, tube jig on rocky structure
Bait: 3 in green-pumpkin plastics, crawfish crankbaits, topwater early
When: Morning & evening in summer; all day spring/fall
Count to the bottom, drag it slow over rocks. Fights way above its weight class.
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.
Rainbow Trout
Rig: Slip-bobber or sliding sinker rig, 4 lb mono line, size 8-10 baitholder
Bait: PowerBait (rainbow/garlic), nightcrawler, small spinners (Panther Martin, Jake's)
When: Early morning & last 2 hours before dark
Utah's #1 fish. If a pond got stocked this week, cast anything shiny. Perfect first fish for kids.
Yellow Perch
Rig: Drop-shot two small jigs tipped with worm near bottom
Bait: Mealworms, perch meat (where legal), tiny tube jigs
When: Midday is fine - ice fishing staple
School fish. Through the ice, they save the day when trout sulk.
Wiper (Hybrid Striper)
Rig: Cast crankbaits or white curly-tail grubs into surface boils
Bait: Shad-pattern cranks, spoons, swimbaits
When: Dawn patrol along the dikes, May-September
Freight train on a line. Watch for churning shad on the surface.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Jordanelle State Park (State Park, 2 mi) · Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail SP (State Park, 5 mi) · Provo River (Middle) (Fishing, 6 mi) · Weber River (Fishing, 8 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Jordanelle Reservoir?
- Smallmouth Bass, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Wiper (Hybrid Striper).
- What is the best bait at Jordanelle Reservoir?
- 3" plastics, jerkbaits, worms
- When is the best time to fish Jordanelle Reservoir?
- Morning & evening. Season: May-October; ice at Rock Cliff arm.
- Why fish Jordanelle Reservoir?
- Because you can pick your experience. Hailstone handles motorboats, camping and a marina, while Rock Cliff and Ross Creek are non-motorized only, which keeps the Provo River arm quiet for kayak anglers working rocky points for smallmouth. The bass limit is six.