Boulder Mountains

The Aquarius Plateau, an uplift on the much larger Colorado Plateau, is the highest in North America. It is over 900 square miles of mostly forested highland, of which is part of Dixie National Forest. The plateau includes Boulder Mountain which peaks at 11,328 feet at Bluebell Knoll and has over 50,000 acres of rolling hilly terrain above 11,000 feet.

Views from atop the Plateau are majestic and diverse.  Some vantage points will uncover canyons and desert basins as bordering the Aquarius are the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument and Capitol Reef National Park.  A short 30 minute drive from the base of the mountains will afford travelers entrance to these less traveled parks.  Give plenty of time to explore and you’ll leave with a new outlook on this corner of southern Utah.  And you’ll likely feel better as the clear mountain air which is far from metropolitan areas will clear the mind and invigorate the soul.

For years we have been offering guided fly fishing trips on the Boulder Mountain and as an outfitter you can be confident that we know the remote lakes well. Though many anglers have found out about these waters, they remain remote and more difficult than most “tender-footers” are willing to venture the effort required to fish them. If you are looking for a trip of a lifetime, fly fishing the Boulder Mountains for monster brook trout, cutthroat (Bonneville, Colorado River, Yellowstone), browns, rainbows, tiger, splake and grayling will not disappoint.

Anglers will need to hire a guide to find most of the quality lakes and streams unless you have a lot of time to explore. And these wild trout will test even the stiffest of graphite rods to their maximum.  This is not a mountain to find yourself unprepared.  Flies of every kind can be found from Damsels and Dragonflies to Midges and Caddis.  But freshwater shrimp are why trout grow to gargantuan proportions.  In fact, state record size Brook Trout normally carry similar measurements from length compared to girth.

Fremont River Guides will take you by 4×4 and UTV’s to get nearer our preferred lakes with some requiring a hike from a half mile to 2 miles.  Others will require a longer trek if anglers have the ability and it is always worth the effort.  All Boulder Mountain Fly Fishing trips require a full day guide fee.  And use of all terrain vehicles for certain waters will be reflective in your charges.

Fly fishing the Boulder Mountains begins in early May when the high elevation snow melts and roads become somewhat accessible.  Most years the lower lakes are fishable by early May and the higher still-waters near the end of the month. The Boulder Creek, Pine Creek, North Creek and others will rise from high altitude snow pack in late May or early June and usually drop and clear quickly.  By June, the snow is all but gone and the wild trout are already feeding heavily in order to take advantage of the short growing season in this high country where most of the good lakes are above 9,000 feet.

Spring conditions will invite colorful Cutthroat to the shallows where site fishing can be productive and visually astounding.  It is not uncommon for guides to land over 50 fish in a day with a couple anglers if you find the right locations.  Timing is a must and the window is short…so commit to booking a guide and you’ll have a day you won’t soon forget.

Early summer brings some prolific midge hatches, occasionally so thick you can hardly fish or breathe.  And every fish will seemingly be cruising the shallows gulping dries from the surface.  Mid-summer hatches make for the best fishing as water levels begin to fall and clarity in lakes is like crystal.  Calm days fly fishing on the Boulder Mountain are unpredictable, but if you are lucky enough to get one you’ll never forget it.  More difficult fish become vulnerable when hatches are allowed to erupt into a perfect storm of bugs.

It would be a mistake to forget the fall season on many of the natural lakes of the Boulders.  As oak brush, choke cherry and Aspen change color, so do the Brook Trout.  Monsters can be had this time of year and timing is everything.  Do not find yourself under gunned.  Rods in the 6-8 weight class are a must for the big boys and anything less is just begging to be shattered into pieces.

These are some of the biggest wild brook trout found anywhere in the country. Yes, anywhere! Did you know the Utah state record brook trout is over 7.5 pounds? That’s right…and there are plenty of fish which surpass this record on the mountain today. Four to five pound fish are common and fish much larger than this can be found in some of the lakes. You will need a guide to find them or a good GPS, hiking boots and a lot of years spent on the trail.

Everyone knows that fishing new waters is fun, but it can sometimes be frustrating to find the best of what the area has to offer.  This is especially true in southern Utah fly fishing the Boulder Mountains for big brookies.  The spawners like specific areas made perfect for this purpose.  And a good guide will know exactly where to find them without wasting valuable time.  Don’t hesitate another year to book an experienced guide.  Then you will know why everyone is saying that fly fishing the Boulder Mountains is one of the last best fisheries for trout like grandpa used to catch.

Many days fishing are a prerequisite to learning which of the over 50 lakes hold big trout.  Some are fun to fish and you could expect to catch good numbers of 8-12 inch stunted Brookies.  Hiring a guide will pay-off for those limited on time and wishing to land monster Brook Trout, Tiger Trout or Cutthroat Trout.

Our professionals are on the water every day and live the lifestyle of a true fly fishing guide.  We eat and sleep to know trout habits and you can expect our Boulder Mountain guides to get you into fish while having a ton of fun doing it.  And we will work hard to meet you expectations for a good day whether that be catching a lot of fish or targeting bigger ones.