Fishing at Deer Creek Reservoir, Utah

Deer Creek Reservoir offers breathtaking mountain views and a variety of fishing opportunities for Utah anglers. Deer Creek is classified as a Blue Ribbon Fishery by the state of Utah, meaning its met the qualifications for being a high quality fishing experience for diverse groups of anglers, and that it gets extra attention from state biologists. Fishing at Deer Creek Reservoir gives an awesome mountain fishing experience without having to drive far from either Salt Lake or Utah County.

What Makes Deer Creek Unique for Anglers Year-Round

It’s often one of the last mountain lakes that you can continue to fish and troll for the big trout, later into the winter. Deer Creek will often go without freezing over in the winter, meaning that anglers are often out on the water into November, and a few that seem immune to cold even venture out in December. What truly makes Deer Creek unique is the opportunity to relax on a beach, fish for walleye, bass, and monster trout, all on the same day at the same body of water. And you’d have only targeted less than half the fish you can find in the reservoir.

Quick Look: What Species You Can Catch Here

• Rainbow Trout
• Brown Trout
• Walleye
• Smallmouth Bass
• Largemouth Bass
• Yellow Perch
• Green Sunfish
• Utah Sucker
• Black Bullhead Catfish
• Bluegill
• Carp
• Crayfish

Top Lures for Deer Creek Reservoir That Actually Catch Fish

The best lures for catching fish at Deer Creek come down to what you’re targeting. You may want to change up your presentation, depending on if there’s a specific type of fish you’re after, but I wanted to give you a few general purpose lures that I’ve always had luck with at Deer Creek Reservoir.

Jakes Spin A Lure

I personally have always done best with the gold Jakes at Deer Creek. It produces well for trout at nearly all the lakes and reservoirs in Utah. I have the best luck with this lure in the early mornings. If the sun hasn’t cleared the hills around you yet, and you’re still in the shade of the mountains, the Jakes will clean up for you on Rainbow and Brown Trout.

Rapala Lure

These are extremely popular for anglers targeting brown trout. These lures are designed and painted to look and act extremely lifelike, like little minnows. Brown Trout are aggressive, and grow to be massive in the lake. Either trolling or casting a Rapala will help you target these big elusive lake monsters.

Top Bait for Shore Fishermen at Deer Creek

Chartreuse Power Bait

The only reason I know what color Chartreuse is is because it does so well at Deer Creek. When I was a kid, I was convinced that chartreuse was a shade of purple. If you’re in the same boat, let me correct you so you can sound smarter than I did- chartreuse is a light greenish yellow. I’ve caught fish on lots of power bait at Deer Creek, but I’ve caught 2-3x as many on the chartreuse. I like to bait a treble hook with this, with just enough power bait on the hook so that it floats and covers the entire hook. I then have about a 3 foot long leader, and 3-4 split shot weights. Cast it out as far as you can, and you should be reeling in a fish before long.

Nightcrawlers at Deer Creek Reservoir

Worms, or nightcrawlers, are a great option for targeting trout, panfish, perch, and bass. They just plain work. You can buy nightcrawlers at most gas stations near the mouth of Provo Canyon, or in about all of them in Heber.

How to Fish Deer Creek Reservoir Utah

This depends on whether you’re fishing from the shore or from a boat. From the shore, you’ll either want to cast your bait out and wait, or use a lure with the proper reeling speed for what you’re using. Short answer- it depends.

If you’re fishing from a boat, you can either anchor and use techniques similar to shore fishermen, or you can troll. I prefer trolling, but I’ve done all of the above out fishing at Deer Creek. We get into more detail on how and where to target specific species of fish below.

Where to Fish at Deer Creek Reservoir

Popular areas include out by the dam, wallsberg bay, and along any of the turnoffs along the highway. The state park has a number of good shore fishing opportunities, and the ability to launch your boat, but there are also a host of free fishing areas at Deer Creek you can access and still have success on the cheap.

Best Times of Day to Fish Deer Creek Reservoir

The best time for catching is usually dawn. I like to get there when its still dark out and fish until the sun hits me, then I head home. I catch the most during the early mornings. That said, this isn’t the most pleasant time to be fishing. It’s usually cold at this time. And you’ve got the cold morning wind going through the canyon at that time as well. I wear a coat to the lake in the early morning, e

Target Species and How to Catch Them

Deer Creek Reservoir has a good variety of fish you can catch. I think its fun that you can target your browns and rainbow trout on the same lake you can target walleye, bass, and perch. Whether you’re out targeting a monster brown or walleye, or if you’re chasing panfish or relaxing next to a pole with power bait, you’ve got a lot of options.

How to Catch Rainbow and Brown Trout in Deer Creek

There are 3 really good options for catching the browns and rainbows at Deer Creek Reservoir. I’ve used all of these and had great success. The first option is that chartreuse power bait. It’s simple, and it consistently works. The next is either casting and reeling in, or trolling a jakes. Lastly, I see a lot of boats out using a trolling rig like what people commonly use to target kokanee. They use a dodger or pop gear and a lure or squid jig. This kokanee trolling setup works really well on the rainbows especially.

Fishing for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

If you’re trying to find bass, either largemouth or smallmouth, you’ll need to find one of the steep super rocky areas at Deer Creek. The best places to target them, in my experience, has been in the steep rocky areas, just to the east of the island, along the highway. I’ve heard of a number of guys that have done well targeting them on the south side, over by the cliffs and rocky outcroppings on that side. Topwater lures haven’t done as well for me at Deer Creek. The best way to get a bite is to bounce soft plastics along the bottom. Because bass are in the rocks, be ready to lose a fair amount of rigs. It just comes with the territory.

Walleye Tactics That Work in This Reservoir

Walleye are one of the more elusive predator fish at Deer Creek. Honestly, I hear more people just going to Utah Lake to target the Walleye, but they are worth the effort, especially when your consolation prize is going to be a trout instead of a white bass at Utah Lake.

Top Tactics:

• Bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or leeches.
• Jigging with paddle tails or curly tail grubs
• Slow trolling crankbaits in 15–30 feet of water.

Focus on points and drop-offs near the dam, especially at dusk or dawn. A fish finder is almost essential for consistent success with walleye at Deer Creek.

I’ve also seen some of the more hardcore anglers using planer boards to target walleye.

Catching Yellow Perch and Panfish with Kids

Yellow perch and other panfish like bluegill offer fast-paced action that’s perfect for families and beginners. These fish school in large numbers and are relatively easy to catch year-round, as long as you can find them. If you’re on the school of perch, its going to be fast fun fishing for everyone. We suggest you try Wallsburg Bay or near the Charleston boat ramp.

Recommended setups for perch:

• Simple bobber rigs with worms or mealworms.
• Ice jigs like Tungsten teardrops tipped with waxworms, especially in winter.
• Tiny soft plastics or marabou jigs fished under a slip bobber.

Occasional Kokanee or Other Surprises: What to Watch For

State biologists have tried in the past to stock and establish a kokanee population at Deer Creek Reservoir. These efforts unfortunately failed, but there is still a remote chance to catch kokanee salmon in Deer Creek. How is that possible? Jordanelle Reservoir, which is just upstream, has a very healthy and robust population of kokanee salmon, and a few occasionally swim downstream. I would not recommend trying to target kokanee specifically at the reservoir. I’ve been fishing and studying the reservoir for about 20 years, and I’ve only heard of a couple people catching a kokanee in Deer Creek.

Deer Creek Reservoir Fishing Regulations and License Info

As of right now, as I write this, the only special regulation for Deer Creek reservoir is around the catfish. You are required to kill any of the black bullhead catfish. Beyond that, bag limits are standard. That said, if an officer stops you and you’re not in compliance, saying that some website on the internet told you it was ok won’t save you from a ticket. I’d recommend checking out per the Utah Fishing Regulations

Conclusion: Why Deer Creek Reservoir Should be On Your Fishing List

Whether you’re an experienced angler chasing trophy walleye or brown trout, or just looking for a peaceful place to fish with the kids, Deer Creek Reservoir delivers a top-tier experience close to Utah’s urban centers. With a variety of species, year-round accessibility, and proven lure and bait options, it’s no surprise this lake has earned its Blue Ribbon status. The key to success is knowing where to go, what gear to use, and when to be there—hopefully, this guide gave you all three.

Frequently Asked Questions