What You Can Catch

Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Cutthrouat trout, Mountain Whitefish

Where You Can Go

The Lower Provo River offers many excellent fishing spots with convenient public access. Just below Deer Creek Dam you’ll find productive water, though access can be steep, with improvements underway. Popular stops in Provo Canyon include the Olmstead Diversion Dam, Vivian Park, Upper Falls Park, Nunn’s Park, and Canyon View Park, all of which provide good opportunities for trout fishing, especially browns and rainbows. Smaller access points like Ron Last Park, the Frazier pull-off at milepost 12.7, and two additional primitive pull-offs along the highway also give anglers direct entry to the river. On the south side of the road near Deer Creek Park, you’ll find another reliable access area. Further downstream, the Provo River Parkway and city parks provide shoreline access closer to town, while the river mouth at Utah Lake State Park shifts the fishing toward warm-water species such as bass, carp, and catfish. Anglers should keep in mind that the riverbed itself is public, but some adjacent land is private, so it’s important to avoid trespassing when approaching the water.

What You Can Use

Fly fishing

How You Can Do It

Euro nymphing

Regulations

The Provo River is managed as a blue-ribbon fishery, and anglers should be aware of special regulations that vary by section. Throughout much of the river—especially the popular Middle Provo and Lower Provo stretches—artificial flies and lures only are allowed, which means bait fishing is prohibited. There are also size and harvest limits in place to protect the trout populations: typically, only a small number of trout may be kept, and many stretches are catch-and-release for certain species, especially brown and rainbow trout. The Upper Provo, by contrast, has more general regulations and allows bait in some areas, though limits still apply. Statewide rules, such as requiring a valid Utah fishing license and following daily bag limits, apply to all sections. Because regulations can change from year to year, anglers should always check the latest Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) fishing guidebook before heading out to ensure they’re in compliance.