Brinkley Lake in Summit County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Brinkley Lake stands in Summit County, Utah. Elevation runs to 10,456 feet. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For a base, Kamas sits 28 miles out. Beyond it, Francis at 29 miles and Oakley at 29 miles. Alternatives close at hand: Black Lake 0.8 miles off, Uintah Lake sits 0.8 miles out, Rosalie Lake 1.2 miles off, Margie Lake sits 1.2 miles out and Ouray Lake 1.4 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Brinkley Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Brinkley Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 53°F and December reads 17°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early June. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Anyone fishing Brinkley Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Black Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Brinkley Lake.