Fishing in Emery County, Utah
County seat: Castle Dale. Census 2020 residents: 9,825.
- 7lake pages
- 12launches
- 4river pages
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First things to know about fishing Emery County
At the 2020 Census, Emery County had 9,825 residents; Castle Dale is the county seat. The 2023 Gazetteer measures 4,463 square miles of land and 9.5 square miles of water inside the county line. 7 Utah lakes and reservoirs in the county have a full page on this site, and Joes Valley Reservoir is the biggest by DWR or mapped size. DWR gives Joes Valley Reservoir and Straight Canyon Creek Blue Ribbon status.
UGRC and DWR between them place 12 launches and 20 shore or pier points in the county. Flowing water in the county starts with Straight Canyon Creek, Huntington Creek and Left Fork Huntington Creek. For a city-park cast, DWR lists Huntington Game Farm Pond as community fisheries. In 2026 DWR logged 31 plants here: 135,973 fish into 9 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.
Every UGRC and DWR pin inside Emery 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.
Utah lake pages for Emery County
| Lake | Size | Launches | Status | DWR lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joes Valley Reservoir | 1,200 acres | 6 | Blue Ribbon fishery | bonneville cutthroat trout, splake, tiger muskellunge, muskie Tiger |
| Millsite Reservoir | 435 acres | 1 | reservoir | colorado River cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bonneville cutthroat trout |
| Electric Lake | 425 acres | 1 | natural lake | bonneville cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, tiger trout, lake trout |
| Huntington North Reservoir | 225 acres | 2 | reservoir | largemouth bass, rainbow trout, wiper |
| Cleveland Reservoir | 185 acres | 0 | reservoir | rainbow trout |
| Potters Ponds | 16 acres | 0 | pond | rainbow trout |
| Huntington Game Farm Pond | 3 acres | 0 | community fishery | rainbow trout, channel catfish, bass Largemouth |
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.
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Around Castle Dale, out to 40 miles, Fish Utah puts rainbow trout on the most lake lists.
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.
Mapped Utah waters of Emery County kept to one line each
6 further named lakes and ponds in Emery County are listed with their mapped size only.
| Water | Size | Listed by |
|---|---|---|
| Desert Lake | about 100 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Zwahlen Wash Debris Basin Reservoir | about 44 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Horse Bench Reservoir | about 28 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Olsen Reservoir | about 24 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Blue Flat Reservoir | about 11 acres of mapped outline | UGRC lakes layer |
| Straight Hollow South Debris Basin 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.
Moving Utah water in Emery County
- Straight Canyon CreekBlue Ribbon water, 2 DWR access points
- Huntington Creekguidebook entry, 8 DWR access points
- Left Fork Huntington Creekguidebook entry, 4 DWR access points
- Right Fork Huntington Creekguidebook entry, 16 DWR access points
Other Fish Utah reaches in Emery County (1)
- Green River Golf Course Ponds2 DWR access points
USGS stations within Emery County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Price River Bl Miller Creek Nr Wellington, Ut | 38 cfs, 9.18 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:45 pm |
| Washboard Wash Bl Sacco West Div Nr Wellington, Ut | 2 cfs, 5.18 ft gage height | Nov 14 6:00 pm |
| Price River Abv Silvagni Ranch Div Nr Woodside, Ut | 49 cfs, 8.70 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:45 pm |
| Price River At Woodside, Ut | 83 cfs, 7.96 ft gage height | Nov 14 5:30 pm |
| Green River At Green River, Ut | 4,070 cfs, 7.06 ft gage height | Nov 14 6:15 pm |
| Ferron Creek (upper Station) Near Ferron, Ut | 19 cfs, 5.24 ft gage height | Nov 14 6:15 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.
Launch ramps across Emery County
- East side boat ramp at Joes Valley ReservoirJoes Valley Reservoir, boat ramp, restrooms – accessible
- Forest service campground Boat Ramp at Joes Valley ReservoirJoes Valley Reservoir, boat ramp, covered Picnic ares, drinking water, fire rings
- Forest service group camp site and day use parking Hand Launch at Joes Valley ReservoirJoes Valley Reservoir, hand launch, covered Picnic ares, fire rings, hand launch
- Huntington North State Park Boat RampHuntington North Reservoir, boat ramp, camp host, covered Picnic ares, docks – accessible
- Huntington State Park Boat Ramp at Huntington North ReservoirHuntington North Reservoir, boat ramp, for any vessel class, administered by Utah State Parks in the UGRC layer, cycling, hiking, primitive (Tent)
- Joes Valley Boat RampJoes Valley Reservoir, boat ramp, for any vessel class, administered by the U.S. Forest Service in the UGRC layer
- Millsite State Park Boat RampMillsite Reservoir, boat ramp, for any vessel class, administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the UGRC layer, camp host, covered Picnic ares, docks – accessible
- West side boat ramp at Joes Valley ReservoirJoes Valley Reservoir, boat ramp, backpacking, covered Picnic ares, cycling
- Crystal Geyser Boat Ramp at Green River Golf Course PondsGreen River Golf Course Ponds, boat ramp, for float craft, administered by a private operator in the UGRC layer
- Day use parking area Hand Launch at Joes Valley ReservoirJoes Valley Reservoir, hand launch, hand launch, restrooms – accessible
- Electric Lake Boat rampElectric Lake, boat ramp, restrooms – accessible
- Green River State Park Boat Ramp at Green River Golf Course PondsGreen River Golf Course Ponds, boat ramp, for float craft, administered by Utah State Parks in the UGRC layer
DWR shore access in Emery County
- Bear Creek Campground at Huntington CreekHuntington Creek, shore access
- Bridges campground at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Fee area Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Forest service campground at Cleveland ReservoirCleveland Reservoir, shore access
- Little Bear Campground at Huntington CreekHuntington Creek, shore access
- Old Folks Flat Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Parking area (west side) Shore Access at Huntington North ReservoirHuntington North Reservoir, shore access
- Potters Pond CampgroundPotters Ponds, shore access
- Primitive Campground 1 at Huntington CreekHuntington Creek, shore access
- Pull-off 1 Shore Access at Huntington CreekHuntington Creek, shore access
- South Hughes Group Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Staker Canyon Trailhead Shore Access at Left Fork Huntington CreekLeft Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- The Forks Campground (Left Fork) at Left Fork Huntington CreekLeft Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- The Forks Campground at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Turnout 1 Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Turnout 2 Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Turnout 3 Shore Access at Right Fork Huntington CreekRight Fork Huntington Creek, shore access
- Huntington Game Farm Pond Parking areaHuntington Game Farm Pond, shore access
- Shoreline access at Millsite ReservoirMillsite Reservoir, shore access
- Straight Canyon Creek Parking area Shore AccessStraight Canyon Creek, 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.
Dated Utah reservoir figures for Emery County
Huntington North Reservoir
Reclamation daily values for Huntington North Reservoir, November 10, 2026.
Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region reservoir data (hydrodata), latest daily values, read November 11, 2026. Provisional.
Joes Valley Reservoir
Reclamation daily values for Joes Valley Reservoir, November 10, 2026.
Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region reservoir data (hydrodata), latest daily values, read November 11, 2026. Provisional.
The 2026 DWR plant log for Emery County
Water names below are DWR's own abbreviations from the 2026 table, newest first.
| Date | Water as DWR prints it | County | Fish | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 16, 2026 | JOES VALLEY RES | Emery | 27,250 | Splake |
| September 15, 2026 | JOES VALLEY RES | Emery | 27,784 | Splake |
| September 10, 2026 | HUNTINGTON NORTH RES | Emery | 2,997 | Rainbow |
| August 5, 2026 | WRIGLEY SPRING RES | Emery | 750 | Rainbow |
| July 28, 2026 | POTTERS NO 1 | Emery | 1,000 | Rainbow |
| July 28, 2026 | POTTERS NO 2 | Emery | 1,000 | Rainbow |
| July 21, 2026 | MILLSITE RES | Emery | 5,004 | Splake |
| July 20, 2026 | ELECTRIC L | Emery | 250 | Lake trout |
| July 14, 2026 | POTTERS NO 1 | Emery | 1,000 | Rainbow |
| July 14, 2026 | POTTERS NO 2 | Emery | 1,000 | Rainbow |
DWR fish stocking table for 2026, year to date (DWR stocking report; water names are DWR abbreviations), read November 11, 2026.
Beehive State creel numbers for Emery County
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. Any Emery County water without its own guidebook entry uses the statewide rows below. Utah prices its adult 365-day fishing license at $40 for residents and $120 for visitors, unchanged between the two guidebooks.
| 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 | – |
Utah waters in Emery County with their own limits
- Electric LakeTrout including salmon, grayling, and hybrids a combined limit of 4. (Fish Utah page)
- Huntington CreekBelow Electric Lake. (2027 guidebook, p. 43)
- Huntington Game Farm PondThe daily limit is 2 fish. (Fish Utah page)
- Huntington North ReservoirNear the city of Huntington. (2027 guidebook, p. 43)
- Joes Valley ReservoirLimit 1 trout over 18 inches (goes toward the statewide trout limit). (2027 guidebook, p. 43)
- Left Fork Huntington CreekBelow Electric Lake. (2027 guidebook, p. 43)
- Right Fork Huntington CreekBelow Electric Lake. (2027 guidebook, p. 43)
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.
Beehive State record catches near Emery County
| Species | Weight or length as listed | Water | Year | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albino trout | 9 lbs. 2 oz. | Joes Valley Reservoir | 1989 | catch and keep |
| Wiper | 31" | Huntington North Reservoir | 2026 | catch and release (length) |
Utah state record fish as DWR lists them (records page), read November 11, 2026.
A short way past Emery County
Places in Emery County with town pages
- Huntington2020 count 1,914
- Castle Dale2020 count 1,492
- Ferron2020 count 1,474
- Orangeville2020 count 1,224
Across the Utah county line from Emery County
- Carbon County46 miles north
- Sanpete County52 miles northwest
- Wayne County54 miles south
- Sevier County61 miles west
Piscifun gear a Beehive State angler could bring to Emery County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Canyon walls and alpine shorelines by Emery County through a lens
Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
Photo: Frost Museum, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Reclamation, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Clearing up Emery County fishing myths
Where can I put a boat in the water in Emery County?
12 launches, each in the access list above.
Which DWR lake in Emery County has the most acreage here?
Joes Valley Reservoir, with 1,200 acres.
What fish does DWR name near Emery County?
Fish Utah rates rainbow trout likely or possible on the most lakes within 40 miles, then tiger trout, brook trout and bonneville cutthroat trout.
Where do Emery County anglers pick up flies and jigs?
No Utah shop listing sits inside the county; the closest ones over the line are above.
Which Utah town holds the Emery County offices?
That is Castle Dale.
Which Utah license covers fishing in Emery County?
DWR charges adults $40 (resident) or $120 (nonresident) for a fishing license good 365 days from purchase.
What Utah counties are closest to Emery County?
Nearest first: Carbon County, Sanpete County and Wayne County.
What is the Utah trout limit in Emery 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.
Are there special DWR rules on Emery County lakes?
7 waters with a page here carry their own rules, beginning with Electric Lake.
Which Emery County waters does DWR call Blue Ribbon?
Joes Valley Reservoir and Straight Canyon Creek, on DWR's Blue Ribbon list.
How many fish did DWR stock in Emery County in 2026?
The 2026 DWR table lists 135,973 fish in 31 rows across 9 waters in the county.
Which Utah state records trace to Emery County?
Albino trout, 9 lbs. 2 oz., from Joes Valley Reservoir (1989).
A slickrock or Wasatch morning in Emery County
Launch pages repeat UGRC and DWR details with directions.