Fishing in Carbon County, Utah
County seat: Price. Census 2020 residents: 20,412.
- 4lake pages
- 3launches
- 2river pages
Pick for cutthroat troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Starvation Reservoir: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Planning a first trip in Carbon County
Courthouse business for Carbon County is done in Price; the county counted 20,412 residents in 2020. Gazetteer mapping shows 1,479 square miles of land and 6 square miles of water. Scofield Reservoir heads the county's 4 Utah lakes and reservoirs with their own page. Blue Ribbon water here: Scofield Reservoir and Lower Fish Creek.
Launch data from UGRC and DWR show 3 launches here, plus 8 shore or pier points on DWR's shore list. Moving water with a DWR page here includes Lower Fish Creek and Price River. Neighborhood ponds DWR manages here include Carbon County Community Fishing Pond, Knight-Ideal Pond and Gigliotti Pond. Hatchery trucks made 61 logged stops in the county in 2026, releasing 175,606 fish into 5 waters.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 11, 2026. UGRC Boat Ramps layer (ArcGIS service) and the DWR Fish Utah access list, read November 11, 2026.
Slickrock-to-summit pins across Carbon County
UGRC Boat Ramps layer (ArcGIS service) and the DWR Fish Utah access list, read November 11, 2026. Lake pins are the DWR map point for each water.
Lakes spread across Carbon County
| Lake | Size | Launches | Status | DWR lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scofield Reservoir | 2,815 acres | 3 | Blue Ribbon fishery | bear Lake cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger muskellunge, tiger trout, bonneville cutthroat trout, walleye, muskie Ti |
| Carbon County Community Fishing Pond | 3 acres | 0 | community fishery | bluegill, rainbow trout, walleye |
| Knight-Ideal Pond | 3 acres | 0 | community fishery | rainbow trout, channel catfish, bass Largemouth |
| Gigliotti Pond | 1 acres | 0 | community fishery | rainbow trout |
Size as the DWR Fish Utah page for this water prints it (DWR), read November 11, 2026. Waters with no DWR acreage print their mapped outline instead. Utah DWR Fish Utah planner (dwrapps.utah.gov), read November 11, 2026.
For the cutthroat trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 How often DWR names each fish close to Carbon County
Bars count lake pages within 40 miles of Price where Fish Utah rates the fish likely or possible; rainbow trout leads.
DWR Fish Utah species lists (likely or possible), counted per lake page within 40 miles; DWR’s ratings, not a catch survey. Utah DWR Fish Utah planner (dwrapps.utah.gov), read November 11, 2026.
Further named basins on the Carbon County Utah map
State maps carry 4 more named lakes inside Carbon County; they stay on this list.
| Water | Size | Listed by |
|---|---|---|
| Grassy Trail Reservoir | about 31 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Andersons Reservoir | about 12 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| U S Steel Corp Storage Reservoir | about 11 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Millerton Reservoir | about 10 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
Outline area from the UGRC Utah Lakes NHD layer (ArcGIS service; mapped polygon area, not a DWR surface-acre figure), read November 11, 2026. Listed waters are not claimed to hold fish. Utah DWR Fish Utah planner (dwrapps.utah.gov), read November 11, 2026.
Utah rivers to wade in Carbon County
- Lower Fish CreekBlue Ribbon water, guidebook entry, 4 DWR access points
- Price River2 DWR access points, 4 USGS gauges
Flow gauges around Carbon County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Price River Near Scofield, Utah | 4 cfs, 1.28 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:30 pm |
| Price River Below Golf Course Near Helper, Ut | 21 cfs, 7.54 ft gage height | Nov 14 6:15 pm |
| Price River At Wellington, Utah | 44 cfs, 8.24 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:45 pm |
| Price River At Ridge Road Near Wellington, Ut | 135 cfs, 8.88 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 14, 2026 6:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Utah DWR Fish Utah planner (dwrapps.utah.gov), read November 11, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Utah trailer launches around Carbon County
- Madsen Bay State Park Boat Ramp at Scofield ReservoirScofield Reservoir, boat ramp, camp host, covered Picnic ares, docks – accessible
- Mountain View State Park Boat Ramp at Scofield ReservoirScofield Reservoir, boat ramp, camp host, covered Picnic ares, docks – accessible
- Scofield State Park Boat RampScofield Reservoir, boat ramp, for any vessel class, administered by Utah State Parks in the UGRC layer
Fishing piers in Carbon County
- Gigliotti Pond Parking AreaGigliotti Pond, fishing pier
- Ivy Street access and walking trailhead at Price RiverPrice River, shore access
- Knight-Ideal Pond Parking AreaKnight-Ideal Pond, fishing pier
- Lower Fish Creek dam Shore AccessLower Fish Creek, shore access
- Lower Fish Creek road Shore AccessLower Fish Creek, shore access
- Restroom and fish cleaning station Shore Access at Carbon County Community Fishing PondCarbon County Community Fishing Pond, shore access
- Carbon County Community Fishing Pond Parking areaCarbon County Community Fishing Pond, shore access
- Public Parking and access at Scofield ReservoirScofield Reservoir, shore access
UGRC Boat Ramps layer (ArcGIS service) and the DWR Fish Utah access list, read November 11, 2026. Neither layer publishes fees or opening hours.
How the Utah reservoirs of Carbon County were reading
Scofield Reservoir
Reclamation daily values for Scofield Reservoir, November 10, 2026.
Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region reservoir data (hydrodata), latest daily values, read November 11, 2026. Provisional.
Utah stocking rows for Carbon County waters
Rows run newest first, with water names shortened the way DWR's 2026 table shortens them.
| Date | Water as DWR prints it | County | Fish | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 9, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 21,060 | Cutthroat |
| October 27, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 9,992 | Tiger trout |
| October 27, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 555 | Tiger trout |
| October 27, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 2,775 | Tiger trout |
| October 19, 2026 | CARBON CNTY P | Carbon | 1,278 | Rainbow |
| October 19, 2026 | GIGLIOTTI POND | Carbon | 504 | Rainbow |
| October 19, 2026 | KNIGHT IDEAL POND | Carbon | 1,278 | Rainbow |
| October 19, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 630 | Cutthroat |
| October 19, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 1,135 | Cutthroat |
| October 8, 2026 | SCOFIELD RES | Carbon | 3,853 | Cutthroat |
DWR fish stocking table for 2026, year to date (DWR stocking report; water names are DWR abbreviations), read November 11, 2026.
Shops a short drive past the Carbon County line
- Scott's Fly Shoppefly shop, Spanish Fork, 57 miles
- Wholesale Fishing Supply Incbait and tackle shop, Mona, 58 miles
- Hook Line Sinkerbait and tackle shop, Payson, 59 miles
Yellow Pages and park listings; straight-line miles only where the listing has an exact address point.
Utah guidebook limits on Carbon County water
The limits here are from the 2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, which takes effect January 1, 2027; the 2026 Utah Fishing Guidebook stays in force through December 31, 2026 and differs only where a row says so. Start from these statewide rows in Carbon County; a named water's entry replaces them. DWR charges adults $40 (resident) or $120 (nonresident) for a fishing license good 365 days from purchase.
| Species group | 2027 daily limit | 2026 daily limit | Guidebook note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baitfish (common carp, fathead minnow, redside shiner, Utah sucker, Utah chub, white sucker) | No limit | same | (NEW) Formerly called "nongame species"; baitfish species are listed on page 20. |
| Black crappie and white crappie (a combined total) | 50 | same | – |
| Bluegill and green sunfish (a combined total) | 50 | same | – |
| Bonneville cisco | 30 | same | – |
| Bullhead | 24 | same | – |
| Burbot | No limit | same | REMINDER: Do not release any burbot you catch. All burbot caught must be immediately killed. |
| Channel catfish | 8 | same | – |
| Community fisheries | 2 | 2 | The limit includes fish of most species. All tiger muskellunge must be released. NEW: There are restrictions for largemouth bass at some waters. See page 39. |
| Crayfish | No limit | same | REMINDER: You may use bait to catch crayfish on waters where bait use is prohibited for fish, as long as none of the lines have hooks attached. |
| Kokanee salmon | See trout limit | same | Kokanee salmon are part of the total trout limit. Anglers may not possess kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (a combined total) | 6 | same | – |
| Northern pike | 20, only 1 over 36 inches | same | – |
Guidebook exceptions printed for Carbon County waters in Utah
- Carbon County Community Fishing PondThe daily limit is 2 trout – common carp do not count toward the daily limit. (Fish Utah page)
- Gigliotti PondThe daily limit is 2 trout – common carp do not count toward the daily limit. (Fish Utah page)
- Knight-Ideal PondThe daily limit is 2 fish. (Fish Utah page)
- Lower Fish CreekFrom the railroad bridge (approximately one mile below the Scofield Reservoir dam) downstream to the confluence with the White River. (2027 guidebook, p. 45)
- Scofield ReservoirLimit 4 trout (a combined total). (2027 guidebook, p. 51)
Utah special-regulation waters
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026. License prices as printed in the 2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 8 (the 2026 guidebook prints the same prices; checked against the DWR fees page), read November 11, 2026.
DWR record entries from Carbon County
| Species | Weight or length as listed | Water | Year | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger trout | 19 lbs. 2 oz. | Scofield Reservoir | 2013 | catch and keep |
| Tiger trout | 32" | Scofield Reservoir | 2023 | catch and release (length) |
Utah state record fish as DWR lists them (records page), read November 11, 2026.
DWR-approved events fishing Carbon County
Clubs and the DWR list put 1 entries on Carbon County water, with 1 ahead.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 31, 2027 | Frozen Frenzy- Scofield Reservoir | Scofield Reservoir | Frozen Frenzy |
Event as listed by the organizer (source), read November 11, 2026.
In the same basin as Carbon County
Town pages within Carbon County
- Price2020 count 8,216
- Helper2020 count 2,112
- Wellington2020 count 1,605
- East Carbon2020 count 1,556
Adjoining Carbon County
- Duchesne County43 miles north
- Emery County46 miles south
- Wasatch County55 miles northwest
- Sanpete County57 miles west
Piscifun tackle chosen for a Utah day at Carbon County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Identification photos for fish at Carbon County
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Aszazin, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fishing inside Carbon County: the common asks
How many ramps do UGRC and DWR list for Carbon County?
There are 3 launches in the state launch data.
Which Carbon County lake is the biggest on this site?
Scofield Reservoir (2,815 acres).
What species does Fish Utah list around Carbon County?
Fish Utah rates rainbow trout likely or possible on the most lakes within 40 miles, then tiger trout, bonneville cutthroat trout and bluegill.
Where can I buy bait in Carbon County, Utah?
The closest shops sit outside the county and appear above.
What Utah town serves Carbon County as its seat?
It is Price.
What Utah license do Carbon County anglers buy?
Licenses in Utah run 365 days from the purchase date: $40 for a resident adult, $120 for a nonresident adult.
What counties surround Carbon County?
Begin with Duchesne County, Emery County and Wasatch County.
What trout rule covers Carbon County?
Statewide, the trout, kokanee and grayling row sets a daily limit 4 under the 2027 guidebook; the 2026 guidebook prints the same number. Waters with their own entry can differ.
Which Carbon County lakes have special limits?
5 waters with a page here carry their own rules, beginning with Carbon County Community Fishing Pond.
Where is Blue Ribbon fishing in Carbon County?
Scofield Reservoir and Lower Fish Creek, on DWR's Blue Ribbon list.
Is Carbon County on the DWR stocking table?
The 2026 DWR table lists 175,606 fish in 61 rows across 5 waters in the county.
Which Utah events fish Carbon County lakes?
1 entry on file; the next is Frozen Frenzy- Scofield Reservoir on Scofield Reservoir, Jan. 31, 2027.
What Utah record fish came out of Carbon County?
Tiger trout, 19 lbs. 2 oz., from Scofield Reservoir (2013).
Set up a Utah fishing weekend in Carbon County
River pages list DWR access points and live USGS flow.