Flaming Gorge stretches from north to south across the Utah

Flaming Gorge Lake Trout Seasonal patterns*

May-September--I consider this "prime time." Warming water temperatures push fish down to deep-water structure where they'll hold, eat, and be accessible. I spend most of the time targeting and catching the bigger fish. Fishing pressure is at its highest in May and June, and weekends after mid-June are crowded. The first half of this period brings highly variable weather, everything from sunny and warm to cold and snow. Windy periods are common. After mid-June, its usually sunny and warm, with calm mornings, and gusty afternoon thunderstorms. Lake is crowded on the weekends, so the best fishing is on weekdays once temperatures warm. July, August and September have the most consistent fishing and weather. The later into the season you fish, the more fish we'll be fishing to. They really stack up!

Oct.--This is a transistion month, with lots of options. Target bigger fish that haven't reached the spawning beds, or really hammer the 2-8 pounders as they move onto the beds. Crowds are very light with hunting season in full swing. Weather is usually nice, though cool in the mornings.

Nov./Dec.--Freezing cold, sometimes miserable weather. Plan on snow. Pay your dues for a big fish without the crowds. Early November can still bring some decent numbers of 2-10 pound fish, but when it gets this cold, often around zero, only a very big fish makes it worth the effort. As November progresses, smaller fish catches decrease, and the larger fish finish spawning and start to resume feeding. They'll bite most days, if you can stand the cold and fish properly in the elements. Not for the faint of heart!

Jan.-Apr.--Lake is usually frozen from Jan.until mid-March. After ice-out in March, the fish are spread out throughout the lake, and at all depths from the surface to 140 feet. They will bite if you can find them, but they are very hard to locate. They are moving constantly. The wind blows constantly. It rains. It snows. It blows. In between storms, there's a nice day here and there. Good fishing, when you can get out and its not howling. (Good fishing in the Florida Keys too!)