Hell Hole Lake in Summit County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Hell Hole Lake in Summit County, Utah. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Start from Oakley, 24 miles down the road. Then Kamas, 25 miles, and Francis, 26 miles. Near neighbours include: Kermsuh Lake sits 2.4 miles out, Bourbon Lake 3 miles away, Salamander Lake sits 3.2 miles out, Toomset Lake 3.5 miles away and McPheters Lake sits 3.5 miles out. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hell Hole Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Summit County include brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Hell Hole Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 55°F and December at 20°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late May. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Hell Hole Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Kermsuh Lake sits 2.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Hell Hole Lake.