Strawberry Reservoir is Utah's best and people's choice trout fishery. Why? It might have something to do with consistently good action for large rainbow & cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon; rainbows and cutts up to 24 inches are caught regularly; and larger fish show up occasionally. The most humongous cutthroat ever caught in Utah was taken here back in old-timey times in 1930, weighing in at 27 pounds.
LOCATION: 65 miles east of Salt Lake City, 23 miles east of Heber City in Uinta National Forest
ELEVATION: 7,602 feet
Strawberry is a paradisical reservoir where fish grow faster than bacterial blooms. The water exceeds water quality standards, and its tributary streams are an ideal spawning habitat--60% of the cutthroats in the reservoir result from natural reproduction.
Non-game fish are also in the reservoir and compete with the trout (natural selection in action). Strawberry Reservoir management now favors a Utah native variety, the Bear Lake cutthroat trout, because it competes fiercely against the native non-game species. Healthy balance is the name of the game here.
Rainbows stocked into Strawberry are sterile so they won't cross with pure-strain cutts. The sterile Rainbows grow wicked fast and are a sport fishing dream come true.
Kokanee also reproduce in the reservoir's tributaries. Management stocks them annually to keep the numbers growing.
PRO TIPS:
- Fishing from a boat or float tube is better than angling from the shore.
- Spring & fall are the best seasons for bank fisherman--water is cold and the fish can swim freely. Summer warms the surface, and the fish freak out and dive deeper to cooler temperatures. If you're there in the summer, seek out cooler spots.
FYI - Them's The Rules:
- Limit: 4 fish (trout & kokanee are counted together)
- No more than 2 can be cutthroat trout under 15 inches
- No more than 1 can be a cutthroat trout over 22 inches
- All cutthroat trout from 15 to 22 inches must be immediately released
- Release all cutts because they are needed to eat those fierce non-game fish
GEAR
Flies, lures, jigs and baits will get you what you came for, but many anglers prefer to fish with flies or jigs since they make it easier to release fish unharmed if you're using a lure with only one hook. Those silly fish tend to swallow baits, which makes it harder to release the fish.
MARINAS
There are four developed marinas with paved boat ramps at the reservoir:
- Strawberry Bay Marina
- Renegade
- Soldier Creek Marina
- Aspen
CAMPGROUNDS & FACILITIES
The Strawberry Bay and Soldier Creek Recreation Complexes are full service developments that contain:
- Campground loops
- Sanitary dump stations
- Day use areas
- Group pavilions
- Marina stores
OTHER INFO
- The Strawberry Bay Recreation area contains a restaurant and a full service lodge
- Additional day use developments around the reservoir: Haws Point, Mud Creek, Chicken Creek East and West, Soldier Creek Bay and Soldier Creek Dam
- The Forest Service operates a Visitor Information Center at the junction of US-40 and the West Side road
- The reservoir is open to fishing year-round--enjoy ice fishing December-February
WINTER ACTIVITY
The Strawberry area receives heavy snowfall during winter, and there's plenty of snowmobiling trails in the area. It's common for anglers use snowmobiles to access their favorite ice fishing spot on the reservoir.
