Free Fishing at Deer Creek Reservoir

Deer Creek is located up Provo Canyon, in between Provo and Heber. Other than Utah Lake, its probably the closest good lake fishing for Utah County, and its better for trout fishing than Utah Lake. That said, it can be expensive to go to these places and to pay all their fees. I get it, amenities, bathrooms, boat ramps, all take upkeep, but if you’re just wanting to go throw a pole in the water for an hour or two and you’re not interested in those amenities, it would be nice to avoid the fees. Luckily, there are ways that you can do some free fishing at Deer Creek Reservoir.

The Utah State Park Fee

To get into Deer Creek Reservoir State Park costs a person $15 per car on a week day, and $20 per day for the weekend. Or, if you want to get access to multiple parks, or for a longer time period, you can buy an annual pass for $100 at time time I’m writing this. If you want to bring a boat, or If you’re just there to shore fish and not use the amenities, there are 4 walk in places where you can avoid the fee- legally.

Where to Fish For Free at Deer Creek Reservoir

There are at least 4 places to pull off the highway and walk in for free, and I’ve marked them on the map below. All of these locations have decent parking, and you can avoid the major fees. Some require a little bit of walking, but you can avoid the fee.

East of the Island (Blue)

This has been a fun spot. It’s steep getting down to the water, but it’s not a far walk. Because it’s steep though, the water gets deep pretty quickly. I’m much less likely to snag moss or other plants in this spot.

This is a good spot for trout, or you could also target the bass that like to hang out in the rocks there.

Pull Off at the Middle of the Reservoir (Red)

This is another really deep area with a steep drop off. This area is very similar to the other pull off, the blue area. It has a steep drop off, and a short walk, though it does require a climb down to the water. This spot usually has a little bit more people than blue, just because its closer to Provo and Orem, but its very very similar to the blue location. This is a good spot for trout or bass.

Deer Creek Dam Trailhead (Purple)

South of the Marina/Wallsburg Area (Yellow)

This area has one of the longest walks, but its got good parking, a few trees with a bit of shade, and good shore area where you can put up a few chairs. This is the spot I usually go to if I’m looking for a free spot to fish at Deer Creek Reservoir, and this is where my parents took my brothers and I as kids. Its a good family friendly area. The challenge is just that walk.

How I Catch Fish at Deer Creek:

I’ve fished Deer Creek for years, both from shore and in a boat, paying and fishing there for free. I’ve killed it and I’ve been skunked. There are 2 main factors in catching fish at Deer Creek: What you use, and what time you’re there. The time to be there is at first light. I like to hit the water 30 minutes before sun rise, and the fishing usually slows down about 2 hours after that. I made an entire in depth guide on fishing at Deer Creek Reservoir together to help you get specifics on targeting specific species at the reservoir, where to go, and what to use. Below is a quick overview.

As for gear, I’ve had the best success with a Gold Jakes Spin Alure and with Chartreuse Power Bait. I usually try 2-6 colors every time I’m bait fishing. Chartreuse kills it at Deer Creek. It’s not the color I usually have success with most everywhere else, or by any means my go to color (go rainbow Power Bait), but it kills it at Deer Creek. 2-3x as many fish on chartreuse, and rainbow came in second. Also, just as an FYI, at the time I’m writing this, the price for Chartreuse Power Bat on Amazon is as low as anywhere I’ve seen it. As for the Jakes, it works great both casting from the shore, or trolling. If you want to catch the most fish at Deer Creek, troll a couple Jakes first thing in the morning. It’s not free to launch the boat, but you’ll kill it.

Jakes Spin Alure

Chartreuse Power Bait