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Utah fishing in March

Ice-out begins, stocking ramps, low-elevation waters wake up.

March is the transition. Low-elevation reservoirs and ponds lose their ice, water temperatures climb through the 40s, and the DWR stocking program shifts into gear — March is the first month with several hundred stocking events statewide, concentrated in community ponds and lower reservoirs. Rivers are still at winter base flow, which makes March one of the best wade-fishing months on the freestones before runoff arrives. Up high, ice stays until May or June.

Where to go in March

Freestone rivers before runoff: the Logan, Blacksmith Fork, Ogden, Weber, and Provo. Just-thawed reservoirs: Deer Creek, Jordanelle, Rockport, Echo, Yuba, Minersville. Southern Utah is fully open.

Species in season

What the DWR stocks in March

Historically March is the #8 stocking month in Utah — about 5% of the year’s plants (703 recorded events across 112 waters). These are the waters stocked most often in March:

• Willow Park Pond — 24 plants over 6 years · 13,162 fish · Salt Lake Co.
• Flaming Gorge Reservoir — 20 plants over 4 years · 141,678 fish · Daggett Co.
• Spanish Oaks Pond — 19 plants over 5 years · 11,405 fish · Utah Co.
• Sandy Community Fishery — 19 plants over 6 years · 8,097 fish · Salt Lake Co.
• Smith Family Park Pond — 18 plants over 6 years · 10,388 fish · Weber Co.
• Deer Creek Reservoir — 17 plants over 4 years · 42,352 fish · Wasatch Co.
• Bountiful Pond — 17 plants over 6 years · 16,618 fish · Davis Co.
• Highland Glen Park Pond — 16 plants over 6 years · 4,603 fish · Utah Co.
• Sunset Pond — 16 plants over 6 years · 3,728 fish · Salt Lake Co.
• Salem Pond — 15 plants over 6 years · 16,391 fish · Utah Co.
• Willow Creek Pond — 15 plants over 5 years · 7,157 fish · Utah Co.
• Jensen Nature Park Pond — 14 plants over 6 years · 8,242 fish · Davis Co.
• Leigh Hill Reservoir — 13 plants over 5 years · 16,006 fish · Iron Co.
• Stratton Pond — 13 plants over 6 years · 8,112 fish · Washington Co.
• Burraston Ponds — 12 plants over 6 years · 13,335 fish · Juab Co.

River flows in March

Across Utah’s gauged rivers, March flows typically run about 63% of each river’s year-round median (period-of-record USGS data). Low, clear water: wade carefully, fish early, and watch water temperature.

• Lake Fork River — typically ~0 cfs (0% of annual median)
• Ashley Creek — typically ~18 cfs (23% of annual median)
• East Fork Sevier River — typically ~19 cfs (32% of annual median)
• Upper Weber River — typically ~62 cfs (33% of annual median)
• American Fork River — typically ~16 cfs (34% of annual median)
• Mammoth Creek — typically ~12 cfs (35% of annual median)
• Upper Provo River — typically ~66 cfs (35% of annual median)
• Diamond Fork — typically ~52 cfs (38% of annual median)
• Ogden River — typically ~17 cfs (38% of annual median)
• Yellowstone River (Uintas) — typically ~47 cfs (40% of annual median)
• Beaver River — typically ~21 cfs (49% of annual median)
• Logan River — typically ~117 cfs (60% of annual median)

March tips

• Walleye stage near dam faces and rocky shorelines at Willard Bay, Utah Lake, and Yuba as water passes 45°F.
• Watch the stocking page — freshly planted trout in community ponds are easy pickings for a week.
• Blue-winged olives start hatching on cloudy afternoons; a size 18 parachute is the March dry fly.

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