Red Belly Lake Fishing Guide, Uintah County, Utah

• Overview

  Utah holds Red Belly Lake, in Uintah County. The bank is 10,554 feet above sea level. At roughly 6 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by Uintah County standards. Maeser sits 23 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Vernal is 27 miles away, with Naples at 29 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Red Belly Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Uintah County include rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp, black bullhead and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Red Belly Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 53°F in July and bottom out at 18°F in December. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early June. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Red Belly Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Twin Lakes is 1 mile distant. Treat access at Red Belly Lake as something to verify.