Hunting & Fishing
Updated
What’s biting and what’s open, from Quail Creek to Panguitch Lake. We pull it from the Utah DWR and Utah DEQ, put it in plain words, and link the source so you can read the whole thing.
Fresh fish planted
As of Oct. 19, 2026The DWR hatchery trucks have been busy. Here are the latest plantings in Washington, Iron, Kane, Garfield and Beaver counties, newest first (15 most recent, last 60 days). Size is the average length in inches.
| Water | County | Species | Fish | Avg. size | Planted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JACKSON FLAT RES. | Kane | Rainbow | 2,013 | 9.92″ | Oct. 15, 2026 |
| SAND COVE RES, UPPER | Washington | Rainbow | 2,530 | 9.92″ | Oct. 15, 2026 |
| MINERSVILLE RES | Beaver | Rainbow | 21,660 | 7.56″ | Oct. 13, 2026 |
| MINERSVILLE RES | Beaver | Rainbow | 3,050 | 7.56″ | Oct. 13, 2026 |
| MINERSVILLE RES | Beaver | Rainbow | 5,800 | 7.52″ | Oct. 6, 2026 |
| MINERSVILLE RES | Beaver | Rainbow | 5,800 | 7.52″ | Oct. 6, 2026 |
| WIDE HOLLOW RES | Garfield | Tiger Trout | 501 | 11.67″ | Oct. 2, 2026 |
| BAKER RES | Washington | Tiger Trout | 1,000 | 10.99″ | Oct. 1, 2026 |
| FOREBAY POND | Iron | Rainbow | 350 | 10.78″ | Sep. 30, 2026 |
| LEIGH HILL RES | Iron | Rainbow | 742 | 10.78″ | Sep. 30, 2026 |
| PANGUITCH L | Garfield | Rainbow | 18,400 | 6.79″ | Sep. 30, 2026 |
| PAROWAN POND | Iron | Rainbow | 350 | 10.78″ | Sep. 30, 2026 |
| LEIGH HILL RES | Iron | Rainbow | 1,272 | 10.78″ | Sep. 29, 2026 |
| PANGUITCH L | Garfield | Rainbow | 17,955 | 7.35″ | Sep. 29, 2026 |
| PANGUITCH L | Garfield | Rainbow | 17,735 | 7.35″ | Sep. 28, 2026 |
Fishing
13 local watersQuail Creek Reservoir
Cooler water is waking up the bass and bluegill, and boat traffic is thinning out. Bluegill hold 20 to 40 feet down near cove mouths and points. Rainbow trout stocking is due late October or early November.
Sand Hollow Reservoir
Fall is the easy season here: bass get busier during the day as the water cools, and bluegill school 20 to 40 feet deep. New rule: you can keep 8 largemouth of any size.
Gunlock Reservoir
Bass turn on during daylight as the water cools through October. Look for bluegill suspended 20 to 40 feet down off points, and crappie over deep water mid-lake.
Baker Reservoir
Rough year. Ash and debris from the Forsyth Fire burn scar fouled the water and killed some fish, so expect poor fishing until it clears and DWR restocks. Rainbows usually go in late October or November.
- Algae bloom warning posted July 8, 2026. Keep dogs out, clean fish well (DEQ)
- Fire-scar debris flows: some fish kills reported (DWR)
Kolob Reservoir
Trout get hungry ahead of winter, so fall fishing is fair to good on flies and lures. Special limit: two trout, and only fish under 15 inches or over 22. Camping fees apply and motors are capped at 10 horsepower.
- Not on DEQ’s algae monitoring list. Use your eyes: skip scummy water (how to spot it)
Pine Valley Reservoir
Closed all of 2026. The reservoir is drained while the old dam is rebuilt after Forsyth Fire flood damage. Refill and restocking are planned for 2027.
- Recreation area closed for the 2026 season (DWR notice)
Enterprise Reservoirs
Algae should fade as it cools, and trout fishing gets better with it. Smallmouth bass and green sunfish are plentiful for early-to-mid fall. Upper Enterprise ran very low; expect fewer trout there.
- Very low water at Upper Enterprise this year (DWR)
- Mercury: Upper Enterprise smallmouth bass, adults 5 meals a month; kids 6-16, 1; young kids and pregnant women, none (DEQ)
Newcastle Reservoir
Water is low but you can still launch. Smallmouth have been good to excellent and should stay that way into fall. Wipers are plentiful but picky, best at dawn, dusk and after dark. Rainbows get stocked this fall.
Yankee Meadow Reservoir
Holding up better than most thanks to its conservation pool, though still low. Anglers report good luck on rainbows and brookies with night crawlers and spinners, and it should keep getting better as it cools.
- Noticeably low, but better than most (DWR)
- Not on DEQ’s algae monitoring list. Use your eyes: skip scummy water (how to spot it)
Panguitch Lake
Once the summer algae dies off, shore fishing should be good to excellent as trout cruise the banks. Cutthroat and tiger trout from 15 to 22 inches must go back. The north boat ramp was closed for an extension, likely through the week of Oct. 12.
- Algae bloom warning posted July 29, 2026. Keep dogs out, clean fish well (DEQ)
- North boat ramp closed for extension work (DWR, Oct. 5)
Otter Creek Reservoir
Good all year and staying good. Rainbows move back toward shore as it cools, and late fall should be strong. Small 7-inch rainbows get stocked in November.
- No algae advisory; last DEQ check Oct. 1, 2026 (DEQ)
- Water got low this summer (DWR)
Navajo Lake
Low water and thick weeds make the bank tough; a small boat or float tube lets you fish over the top. Weeds die back in October and November. Rainbows, cutthroat, tiger trout and splake are fair to good, and tiger muskie are a real chance.
- Low water, dense weeds (DWR)
- Not on DEQ’s algae monitoring list. Use your eyes: skip scummy water (how to spot it)
Lake Powell
One of the best times of year on Powell: fish feed hard as the lake cools and boats thin out. The lake is extremely low (3,518 ft on Aug. 25 and dropping), so run carefully. DWR's report is from late August.
- Extremely low lake level; watch for new hazards (DWR)
- Mercury: striped bass, adults 7 to 10 meals a month depending on area; kids 6-16, 2 to 3; young kids and pregnant women, 1 (DEQ)
- Not on DEQ’s algae monitoring list. Use your eyes: skip scummy water (how to spot it)
Hunting
As of Oct. 19, 2026Southern region units: Pine Valley, Zion, Panguitch Lake, Paunsaugunt, Southwest Desert, Beaver and more. Dates are from the 2026 DWR guidebooks; your permit’s dates and unit rules always win.
Mule deer
- General rifle buck (Pine Valley, Zion, Panguitch Lake, SW Desert…)Oct. 17-25Open now
- Paunsaugunt limited-entry rifleOct. 17-31Open now
- Paunsaugunt late rifle (limited-entry)Nov. 2-20Coming soon
- General archery / muzzleloader / early rifleended Sept. 11 / Oct. 1 / Oct. 11Closed
Elk
- General muzzleloader (any bull & spike)Oct. 28-Nov. 5Coming soon
- Southwest Desert, North HAMSS (limited-entry)Nov. 7-30Coming soon
- Limited-entry late archeryNov. 28-Dec. 13Coming soon
- General rifle any bull / spikeended Oct. 16 / Oct. 15Closed
Pronghorn
- Limited-entry rifle (Beaver, Kaiparowits, Mt Dutton/Paunsaugunt)ended Sept. 20Closed
- Muzzleloader (Pine Valley, SW Desert, Panguitch Lake/Zion N.)ended Oct. 1Closed
Wild turkey
- Fall management harvest (permit required)Oct. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027Open now
- Spring limited-entry / generalApr. 10-29 / May 3-31, 2027Coming soon
Upland game
- Chukar & gray partridgeSept. 26-Feb. 15Open now
- Dusky & ruffed grouseSept. 1-Dec. 31Open now
- Cottontail rabbitSept. 1-Feb. 28Open now
- Mourning & white-winged doveSept. 1-Oct. 30Open now
- Youth pheasantOct. 31-Nov. 5Coming soon
- Pheasant (general)Nov. 7-Dec. 6Coming soon
- California & Gambel's quailNov. 7-Dec. 31Coming soon
Waterfowl (Southern Zone)
- Ducks, mergansers, coots & snipeOct. 10, 2026-Jan. 23, 2027Open now
- Dark & white-fronted geese (Southern goose area)Oct. 10, 2026-Jan. 23, 2027Open now
- ScaupOct. 30, 2026-Jan. 23, 2027Coming soon
Local pros & award winners
Public records onlyRecent Southern Utah bass tournament wins
Utah state records caught in our waters
Know a local pro? Send it to news@dixiechatter.com
- Utah DWR – Fish Utah map & fishing reports
- Utah DWR – 2026 Big Game Field Regulations
- Utah DWR – 2026 Big Game Application Guidebook (season dates)
- Utah DWR – 2026-27 Waterfowl, Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook
- Utah DWR – Utah Hunt Planner
- Utah DWR – CWD check stations (fall 2026)
- Utah DWR – State fish records
- Utah DEQ – Harmful algal bloom monitoring
- Utah DEQ – Fish consumption advisories (mercury)
- Southern Utah Bass Anglers – tournament results
- Utah DWR – authorized fishing tournaments
@UtahDWR