Fishing at Middle Rock Lake, Uintah County, Utah

• Overview

  Look for Middle Rock Lake in the Uintah County part of Utah. The water sits 10,600 feet up. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The town to know is Roosevelt, 27 miles out. Provo is the closest city, 89 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Middle Rock Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Uintah County: rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp, black bullhead and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Middle Rock Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 18°F and July at about 54°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late May. On average, late May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Middle Rock Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Lower Rock Lake, 0.3 miles away. Treat Middle Rock Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.