Gunlock Reservoir, Utah: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Washington County entry here is Gunlock Reservoir, in Utah. The surroundings are sage and rock. At some 252 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Around 3.0 miles of margin, front to back. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Utah listings. Nearest place of any size is Ivins, 8.2 miles away. The big place round here is Sunrise Manor, 102 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Gunlock Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Washington County list desert sucker, flannelmouth sucker, rainbow trout and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Gunlock Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 78°F on average, January about 38°F. Winter is the comfortable season here rather than the difficult one. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Expect Gunlock Reservoir to follow that timing. Late summer often means an early start or nothing at all.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Upper Sand Cove Reservoir is 5.2 miles off. Confirm access to Gunlock Reservoir locally before you travel.