We have quite a bit of water in these mountains, and plenty of good fishing to go around! Here are some of our personal favorite access points in the Valley.
Pineview Reservoir sits at the top of the Ogden Canyon and is the perfect warm-water lake for anglers, boaters, and ice fishers. Pineview is a unique, 2,874 acre reservoir that offers sport fishing, boating canoeing, swimming, paddle boarding, water skiing, and more. The lake is accessible year round and has sport species such as black bullhead catfish, black crappie, bluegill, carp, large and small-mouth bass, yellow perch, and the prized Tiger Muskies. Fishing can take place on the shore, float tube, ice, motorized boat, or non-motorized boat. According to wilflife.utah.gov, spincast, spinning, baitcast, or fly tackle can be used in this body of water, depending on what type of fish you want to catch.
Pineview has six main interest points for fisherman. Anderson Cove is towards the south shoreline of Pineview, a recreation complex that offers a shoreline campground, group sites, day-use beach, and boat ramp. Here it’s possible to fish from the shore, a float tube, motorized boat, or non-motorized boat. There are picnic tables, barbecue platforms, fire pits, and tons of other amenities here.
Browning Point is located in Eden, Utah between the two north arms of Pineview. The space is accessible year-round with a four-wheel drive vehicle and offers peaceful solitude to fishermen, canoers, and kayakers. Fishing methods include shore, float tube, or ice fishing. You can also bird watch, bike, or swim at this spot. Cemetery Point offers the best shoreline across Pineview, Cemetery Point offers the best shoreline fishing as well as several other amenities. Boaters are welcome to bring their crafts and use the courtesy docks, rental boats, dry storage, and AIS decontamination system. Paddle sports, mountain biking, and water sports are also available at this location. There is no camping allowed but this area is just seven minutes from Lakeside Resort or eight minutes from the Jefferson Hunt Campground. Shore, float tube, boat, and ice fishing are available.
The Middle Inlet provides anglers with shore, float tube, and non-motorized boat fishing opportunities. Though the area is frequently inaccessible during winter, day fishing in the shallow water is perfect for shore fishing. There is no camping but there are ADA compliant restrooms. The Narrows is access point can reach over 30 feet just a short distance from the shore, creating an oasis for shore fishermen. It’s a tucked away spot on the dam arm of the reservoir. After reaching the top of Ogden Canyon, continue straight for approximately one mile. There will be a dirt pull off spot that can accommodate anglers year-round. Tubers beware: you could have to carry your flotation device a decent way before reaching a good place to “set up camp.”
Last but not least, the Blue Ribbon Port Ramp is he perfect place for boaters, Blue Ribbon Port Ramp is a high-use boat launching facility with a multi-lane concrete lamp and paved parking lot. It’s located on the west shore of Pineview and descends rapidly in depth from the shore. Motorized and non-motorized boating is encouraged as well as float tube, shore, and ice fishing. Though there is no campground, the site offers a sewage dump stations and bathrooms.
Causey Reservoir is a medium-sized reservoir located in Ogden Canyon above Huntsville. It sits in an incredible valley ambience and features Cutthroat, Rainbow, Splake, and Tiger Trout as well as Kokanee Salmon. Motorized boats are not allowed but you can canoe or use flotation devices to get out on the water. The surface area is 142 acres and has an average depth of 64 feet.
The Ogden River is a great place for fly fishing. This river is a tributary of the Weber river and begins in the Wasatch Range. There are approximately 35 miles of water and three forks flowing from Pineview Reservoir. It goes through Ogden Canyon, Ogden City, and joins the Weber River near West Haven, Utah. Bonneville Cutthroat and Brown trout frequent the river as well as Mountain Whitefish. The South Fork flows between Causey and Pineview reservoirs spans 10 miles of this scenic river. There’s plenty of public access and much of the water spans between 15-30 feet wide. The depth ranges from 1-4 feet and there are grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants within a few miles of most of this section.
Weber River fishing is often plentiful and diverse. This coldwater river is greater than 30 feet wide in most areas and produces brown trout that reach sizes of up to 20 inches! Much of this fishing paradise is on private property but public access is available through the walk in access program and angler access easements. During winter the mountain whitefish are plentiful. Artificial flies and lures are the only bait allowed and the depths reach up to 7 feet in some areas. There are also many sucker fish including bluehead, mountain, and Utah sucker fish.