Fishing Warner Lake in San Juan County, Utah

• Overview

  Warner Lake stands in San Juan County, Utah. The bank is 9,390 feet above sea level. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. It is a small entry by San Juan County standards. Nearest place of any size is Moab, 15 miles away. For a city, Provo is 174 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Warner Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. San Juan County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and green sunfish among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Work Warner Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 24°F in January and 66°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about early April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Warner Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lake Oowah at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Warner Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.