Steinaker Reservoir

Overview

Steinaker Reservoir sits at the foot of the Uinta Mountains in Steinaker State Park, about 15 minutes north of Vernal on U.S. 191, at about 5,500 feet. One of the first units of the Central Utah Project, it is filled by a canal from a diversion dam on Ashley Creek and stores irrigation water for the Ashley Valley. The park opened in 1964. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources reports very good fishing for rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill, and brown trout are caught every year. In spring, trout cruise the shorelines after the ice goes off, usually in mid to late March. Bass spawn around mid-May and bluegill from late May into July, and summer brings fast action for both while trout move to deeper, cooler water. Irrigation drawdowns lower the reservoir through summer. The park has a two-lane boat ramp that reaches the conservation pool, campsites, cabins, a fish cleaning station and restrooms, and there is shore access along U.S. 191 on the east side. Steinaker is also fished through the ice.

Regulations

Statewide limits apply at Steinaker, and bass may not be taken by underwater spearfishing in spring. See the current Utah Fishing Guidebook: https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/fishing_guidebook.pdf

Stocking history

Likely species (watershed)

Bluehead Sucker, Brown Trout, Fathead Minnow, Mottled Sculpin, Mountain Sucker, Plains Killifish, Redside Shiner, Speckled Dace

Likely species come from USGS Aquatic GAP ranges for the whole watershed (HUC8). They show what may be here, not a count of this water.

Nearby waters

• Red Fleet Reservoir7 miles · UT
• Little Brush Creek7.5 miles · UT
• East Park Reservoir18.6 miles · UT
• Bullock Draw Reservoir18.6 miles · UT
• Ashley Twin Lakes20.1 miles · UT
• Whiterocks River20.9 miles · UT

More in Uintah

• East Park ReservoirUT
• Red Fleet ReservoirUT
• Lily LakeUT
• Hacking LakeUT
• Pelican LakeUT
• Duchesne RiverUT