Cuddyback Lake in Garfield County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Utah, Cuddyback Lake falls inside Garfield County. Around the bank it is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest place of any size is Panguitch, 51 miles away. Provo sits 154 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Nearby, in order: Sawmill Lake 0.5 miles, Dry Lake 0.8 miles away, Black Lake 1.4 miles, Bear Lake 1.6 miles away and McGath Lake 2.4 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Cuddyback Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Garfield County include brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, Arctic grayling and black-spotted cutthroat trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The near bank of Cuddyback Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 55°F for July and 20°F for January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to Cuddyback Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Sawmill Lake, 0.5 miles out. What applies at Cuddyback Lake may have changed since it was mapped.