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Why Fish Here
Navajo Lake has no outlet stream. Water leaves through sinkholes in the limestone under the lake bed, runs about a mile through a cave, and comes back out at Cascade Falls as the head of the North Fork of the Virgin River. An earthen dam is what keeps the whole lake from disappearing down the hole in dry years. Utah chub have overrun the water before, so check a recent stocking report before you plan a trip around the trout.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Bubble + fly at dusk; worm under bobber
Bait and lures: Worms, small spoons, flies
Best time: Evening rise is reliable. Season: June-October
Local tip: 10,000 ft lava-dammed lake on Cedar Mountain - cool all summer.
Species Playbook
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.
Brook Trout
Rig: Ultralight spinner or bubble-and-fly rig
Bait: Small spinners, worms, ants/attractor dry flies
When: All day at altitude; evenings best in summer
Aggressive and gorgeous. Boulder Mountain grows Utah's biggest brookies.
Splake
Rig: Ice jig tipped with sweetener; casting spoons open-water
Bait: Jigs + mealworm/minnow piece, Kastmasters
When: Winter (ice) and just after ice-off
Brook × lake trout hybrid. Joes Valley has a trophy slot - check regs.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Navajo Lake Campground (Camping, 0 mi) · Duck Creek Campground (Camping, 4 mi) · Point Supreme Campground (Cedar Breaks) (Camping, 7 mi) · Spectra Point / Ramparts (Hike, 7 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Navajo Lake?
- Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Splake.
- What is the best bait at Navajo Lake?
- Worms, small spoons, flies
- When is the best time to fish Navajo Lake?
- Evening rise is reliable. Season: June-October.
- Why fish Navajo Lake?
- Because it fishes cool while the desert below bakes, and because getting there is easy. A passenger car handles the access road, there is a boat launch, and the Forest Service campsites around the lake number about 120. One rule to know: you may keep only one trout or grayling over 22 inches.