Lakes located on the outskirts of Bryce Canyon offer you sights unmatched in the West. Pine Lake, a nice little lake back in the woods above Bryce Canyon, offers a lot of surprises not seen by many taking the well traveled route. The lake itself, a secret for many years, only encompasses a few acres,the scenery is a selling point by itself, however, the trout that can be caught range from 10-20 inches! The campground is one of the most well kept and peaceful that I have seen! A short dirt road jaunt, over the dam and up the hill, puts you atop Henderson Valley, with a cliffside view that will take your breath away! On a clear day you can see the bottom of the 1000 ft. drop and hundreds of miles of sandstone and pines. It's absolutely Breathtaking!!!

Up the road a little are more fantastic fishing spots! Otter Creek State Park offers FAT Trout from 16-22 inches and bigger. From shore, or from a boat, the fishing is GREAT! A favorite hole of ours is the Eagles Nest when reachable by boat. The Trout are eager to eat and take your lure as long as you are using the color they want that day! Limits are easy, be choosy on the fish you want to keep, and a nice lakeshore lunch makes the trip. Otter Creek has a very nice campground, a nice RV Park, and the hottest showers in the area.

Fishlake, in Fishlake National Forest are even more fantastic spots where the Trout run big and strong. Just ask the anglers that pull the 40+ pound Trout out of the lake every year. That's big enough to make anyones year! Beautiful mountain scenery and the sound of the breeze running through the pines takes all your cares away. Take the scenic drive past Johnson Reservoir and fish the creek down to Mills Meadow Res. for some big browns, scrappy Brookies, and Rainbows. The Reservoir has Tiger trout too, but I've never caught any in Johnson creek. Just up the road Forsythe Res. gave me the state record Tiger Trout for 4 days in 2003. I know where the new record is hiding, but have not had the opportunity to get her,

Paiute resevoir holds many trout and scrappy Smallmouths. I can remember family trips from when I was a kid, fighting the 6-10 lb Laketrout with all I had.

Panguitch is the largest and most historic town in Bryce Canyon country. Located near Bryce Canyon National Park, Panguitch was named by the Paiute Indians after the "Big Fish" they caught in nearby Panguitch Lake. Panguitch is located at 6,660 foot elevation, offering the traveler a mild climate. Whether you are escaping from the summer heat, enjoying the Spring fishing or experiencing one of Utah's best displays of Fall colors, you should make Panguitch your home base for your vacation getaway. Panguitch offers a range of services from a Hospital, Bank, and Post office to accommodations including motels, bed and breakfasts, and Campgrounds. In the city's Historic District you can explore unique stores, museums and the area's largest variety of restaurants and eating establishments. Many of the town's historic homes are built of red brick made in the community kiln. All who participated in the project were paid in bricks in order to build their own houses. Southern Utah offers the highest concentration of natural scenic wonders in America. Panguitch is just 20 minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park and is surrounded by scenic mountains with a view of the Aquarius Plateau. Our location makes it convenient to plan a day trip to any one of the other parks or monuments such as Cedar Breaks National Monument, Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Lake Powell Recreational Area or the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, just to name a few.

Panguitch Lake, (Panguitch the Indian name for "Big Fish") is nestled in the high mountains near the beautiful Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon and Brianhead ski resort. Trout average 2 lbs. and the meat is a bright orange salmon color because of the naturally occuring shrimp that they feast on year round. They are eager to take your lures and offerings of worms, and marshmallows. These trout cannot resist Rainbow Glitter Power Bait and fly fishermen in float tubes can limit out easily in an hour or so. Just before and just after ice out the lake The Panguitch river offers a nice break as you fish the meandering riffles and pools on into the town of Panguitch.

Starting at Bryce Canyon, you can fish Tropic Reservoir.
A small impoundment used for the water supply for Bryce Canyon and surrounding areas. The trout are small but numerous in this scenic little beauty.

Heading North the Vista Views that begin right out of the Park are astounding.

Just before entering the quaint little town of Escalante you really want to make a quick stop at the Wide Hollow State Park to see the petrified forest and maybe hook up with a 6 or 7 lb. largemouth before your trip northward.
The bluegill and trout are a great addition to your catch and numerous enough that all the kids can catch a bunch too.
There are RV spaces and camping spots available as well as canoe rentals daily.
If you plab to camp check out the overflow sites that are right on the water most of the year.

The lakes on and around Boulder Mountain offer some of the best Brookie and Rainbow fishing in the state. Along with the most amazing views and scenery that most people have ever seen.

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