Why Target Them
Cutthroat are Utah's native trout, which is why the state manages them differently from everything else swimming here. There are four subspecies, Bonneville, Bear River, Colorado River and Yellowstone, each in its own drainage, and the Bonneville is the state fish. The Utah Cutthroat Slam asks you to catch and release one of each where it belongs. Expect slot limits on the big cutthroat waters; at Strawberry, fish from 15 to 22 inches go back.
How To Catch Them
Where: Strawberry, Bear Lake, Uinta lakes, high creeks (state fish!)
Go-to rig: Strawberry: white tube jig 15-30 ft; Bear Lake: troll minnow-profile lures
Best bait and lures: Tube jigs, dead minnows (where legal), dry flies in creeks
Best time: Morning bite is king; ice-off is legendary
The Bonneville cutthroat is Utah's state fish. Strawberry slot: release cutts 15-22 in.
Your Loadout 🎣 Stock Up on Gear
Tackle + Bait Slots
Also works: dead minnows (where legal) · dry flies in creeks
The all-round reservoir kit: enough backbone for wind and depth.
Where To Catch Them (26 waters)
Strawberry Reservoir · Bear Lake · Scofield Reservoir · Porcupine Reservoir · Causey Reservoir · Lost Creek Reservoir · Weber River · Green River (Section A) · Logan River · Blacksmith Fork River · Strawberry River · Currant Creek · Duchesne River · Lower Fish Creek · Panguitch Lake · Otter Creek Reservoir · Minersville Reservoir · Kolob Reservoir · Boulder Mountain Lakes · Joes Valley Reservoir · Huntington Reservoir (Mammoth) · Electric Lake · Moon Lake · Uinta Backcountry Lakes · Millsite Reservoir · Grantsville Reservoir
Quick Answers
- How do you catch Cutthroat Trout in Utah?
- Go-to rig: Strawberry: white tube jig 15-30 ft; Bear Lake: troll minnow-profile lures Best bait: Tube jigs, dead minnows (where legal), dry flies in creeks
- Where can I catch Cutthroat Trout in Utah?
- Strawberry Reservoir, Bear Lake, Scofield Reservoir, Porcupine Reservoir, Causey Reservoir, Lost Creek Reservoir, Weber River, Green River (Section A).
- When do Cutthroat Trout bite best?
- Morning bite is king; ice-off is legendary
- Why fish for Cutthroat Trout in Utah?
- Because it is the one trout that belongs here. The Bonneville cutthroat is Utah's state fish, and the state record, 10 pounds 2.24 ounces from Lost Creek Reservoir in 2022, shows they grow large in the right reservoir. Bear Lake has its own Bear River strain and allows just 2 trout a day.