Fishing Forum

Where is the closest place to Flaming Gorge to catch lots of big brook trout?
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Sounds like someone is phishing for fishing info, ha ha!
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You would be hard pressed to find big ones in the Uintas. But that is probably the closest place to catch brooks on the north slope.
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[quote T-DOG91]You would be hard pressed to find big ones in the Uintas. But that is probably the closest place to catch brooks on the north slope.[/quote]

There are still a few places up there to catch a 3-4 pound brookie, but they get that big because few people know they are there.
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Ain’t no where to catch “lots” of big brook trout. That’s what makes big brookies the most fabulous fish in Utah!
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I have not caught brook trout in a long time. Maybe I should amend my question to ask where to catch any brook trout near Flaming Gorge.
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I usually think of this the other way around. Where can I fish and not run into Brookies that tend to overpopulate and stunt? But your question is easier as there are hundreds of lakes and streams in the Uintas with brook trout. Most south slope streams have them. White Rocks, Uinta and Yellowstone Rivers aren’t too terrible far away. North slope streams are less likely to have them so should look into lakes there. I haven’t fished lakes much on the North Slope. Amethyst Basin certainly has brookies but there has to be closer ones to Flaming Gorge.
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Pretty sure Browne Lake has them. Most the lakes around Spirit Lake have been poisoned and cutthroat and tigers have replaced them.
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[quote brookieguy1]Ain’t no where to catch “lots” of big brook trout. That’s what makes big brookies the most fabulous fish in Utah![/quote]
Oh, I don’t know about that. I can think of multiple days of catching lots of big brook trout. Two particular trips come to mind where I personally caught 10-15 18-20 inch 4-5 pound brookies. I can also think of lots of days of catching lots of 16-20 inch brookies. Timing and knowing lakes where those fish swim is the key. Time it right and those lakes where big brookies live become easy pickings. That is one reason people pushed the DWR so hard a number of years ago to restrict ice fishing on the Boulder.
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You and I both know those days can happen. But they are not common and you need to consider yourself lucky to know where to find those spots at the right time. And in the Uintas those places are much rarer and tougher to get to.
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I just checked the stocking report for the last 5 years in Daggett County. At least a dozen waters have been stocked with 2-3" brooks over that time. Most are hike-in. My first impulse was to say Browne, but there hasn't been much brookie stocking there. Probably your best bet is Long Park Reservoir. It is consistently stocked with brooks, along with the obligatory rainbows. Spirit Lake has gotten a lot of tigers. You could probably get good info by calling the Vernal office of the DWR.

Google says it's 1:09 and 26.7 miles from Manila to Long Park Res. Very pretty drive.
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