Baker Reservoir Fishing Near St. George Utah

Baker Reservoir Fishing Near St. George Utah

If you are an avid angler and have been visiting St. George, Utah for quite a while, then you must be familiar with the Baker Reservoir. It is among the most popular fishing sites in Utah and it is said to have the lowest elevation trout waters within Utah. If you are planning to visit the site, it is best to know some information about it.

Details of the Baker Reservoir

The Baker Reservoir is located in the Washington County of Utah. To reach the place, simply drive about 25 miles in the northwest of St. George, right on SR-18, or perhaps, you can drive south coming from the city of Enterprise. It is has a size of 65 acres and an elevation of 4,869 feet. There is no time restriction so you can visit at anytime you want to. Fishing at Baker Reservoir would mean catching Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout, and if you are lucky, you might be able to catch a Green Sunfish, too. For the state wide rules and regulations on fishing at Baker Reservoir, it is best to refer to the Fishing Guidebook of Utah.

Site Description

The Baker Reservoir is considered as among the lowest elevation trout waters all over Utah. Several attempts have been made to manage the reservoir with some water species, but have failed. However, fishing for trout in the Reservoir has been good. Unfortunately, some illegal fish introductions have led to minor problems. Largemouth bass, including the goldfish, black crappie, bluegill, as well as green sunfish have not provided a good quality sport fishing in the reservoir.

Despite the recent attempts to remove the problem fishes using rotenone in 2001, the green sunfish, as well as the goldfish, have still remained a nuisance and provide only a few opportunities for fishing.

Warm Water Sport Fishes

The warm water sport fishes will not likely do well due to extreme water fluctuations in the area which is needed for irrigation. You will not find any conservation pool and the reservoir can be nearly drained during low precipitation years. Stocking a huge amount of rainbow trout and then managing them for wild brown trout have been proven to be a great option in maximizing recreational fishing opportunities. The brown trout will get into the reservoir coming from the upstream of the nearby Santa Clara River.

The Baker Reservoir always contains about five to eight pound brown trout even after the following dry years. During the warm days, following the cold spells in February and March, it is a good time to catch huge brown trout in the reservoir and what’s great is that it seldom freezes over.

Fishing for trout could slow down during the summer heat, although it becomes good during fall, spring and winter. Fishing right on the bank using bit or a lure is recommended. It is also ideal to fish at the reservoir with the use of a float tube. Some of the nearby fisheries within the Washington County are the Enterprise reservoirs, Santa Clara River, Sand Cove Reservoir, Gunlock Reservoir, Sand Hollow Reservoir, as well as Quail Creek Reservoir.