Fishing at Johnson Lake, Uintah County, Utah

• Overview

  Look for Johnson Lake in the Uintah County part of Utah. The bank is 10,804 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It sits higher than most water we list in Utah. 25 miles away sits Maeser, the nearest town. Roosevelt follows at 27 miles, then Ballard at 28 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Johnson Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Uintah County cover rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp, black bullhead and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Johnson Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 18°F in December to roughly 53°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early June. The open-water window runs from around early June to about mid November in an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Johnson Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Lily Lake is 0.9 miles off. Ask locally about Johnson Lake if anything is unclear.