Big Brush Creek Fishing Guides
A south-slope Uinta creek above Red Fleet Reservoir that loses much of its flow into limestone caves, holding wild brown and brook trout in its upper reaches.
Guides on the Big Brush Creek
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About the Big Brush Creek
Big Brush Creek runs off the south slope of the Uintas northeast of Vernal and, in its lower course, feeds Red Fleet Reservoir. The gauge is sited above the reservoir, so it measures the creek as a creek rather than as a reservoir inflow, and it reports discharge, gage height and rainfall. That combination is the right one for a stream whose flow is as variable as this one’s.
The feature that sets Big Brush Creek apart from its neighbours is geological. The creek crosses a band of limestone and, in the reach known as Brush Creek Gorge, part or sometimes all of its flow disappears underground into a cave system before resurfacing downstream. In low-water periods anglers can walk a dry or nearly dry channel in exactly the place a map promises a creek. This is not a diversion or a drought artefact; it is karst, and it happens every year. Knowing it is the difference between a productive day and a baffling one.
Where there is water, the fishing is good small-stream trout fishing. Brown trout are the mainstay and are wild, brook trout hold in the cooler upper water and tributaries, and rainbow and cutthroat appear through the system. Fish run small by western standards, as they do in most of these south-slope creeks, but they are numerous and free-rising in summer. The creek is brushy and tight in places, which keeps pressure low.
Below the gauge, Red Fleet Reservoir is a stocked put-and-take fishery and a Utah state park, and it makes an easy fallback when the creek is either in runoff or underground. The reservoir also holds the well-known dinosaur trackway on its shoreline, which makes the trip worthwhile even on a day the fishing does not cooperate.
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Access
Brush Creek Gorge - the limestone reach where the creek sinks underground, the defining feature to see and to plan around.
Red Fleet State Park - the reservoir below the gauge, with a ramp, camping and a stocked put-and-take fishery.
Ashley National Forest - the public ground holding the upper creek and its cooler tributary water.
East Park Reservoir - a small high reservoir in the headwaters, worth the drive for wild-feeling trout.
Oaks Park Reservoir - a second headwater impoundment nearby, remote and lightly fished.
Vernal - the nearest town, with tackle, fuel, lodging and guides.
Dinosaur trackway trail - the shoreline walk at Red Fleet, an easy addition for a family trip.
Seasons
Spring: high and cold with snowmelt, usually too heavy to fish well until the flow drops back in late May or June.
Summer: the prime window, with low clear water, free-rising trout and the gorge reach often dry where the creek sinks.
Fall: excellent fishing as brown trout colour up, with cool stable water and very little angling pressure.
Winter: cold and largely iced, with the creek essentially out of play and the reservoir offering limited ice fishing.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Big Brush Creek?
As of Oct 18, 5:00 pm, the USGS gauge BIG BRUSH CRK ABV RED FLEET RES, NR VERNAL, UT reads 45 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Big Brush Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, White Sucker on the Big Brush Creek in Utah.
Where can you access the Big Brush Creek?
Brush Creek Gorge - the limestone reach where the creek sinks underground, the defining feature to see and to plan around. Red Fleet State Park - the reservoir below the gauge, with a ramp, camping and a stocked put-and-take fishery. Ashley National Forest - the public ground holding the upper creek and its cooler tributary water. East Park Reservoir - a small high reservoir in the headwaters, worth the drive for wild-feeling trout. Oaks Park Reservoir - a second headwater impoundment nearby, remote and lightly fished. Vernal - the nearest town, with tackle, fuel, lodging and guides. Dinosaur...
When is the best time to fish the Big Brush Creek?
Spring: high and cold with snowmelt, usually too heavy to fish well until the flow drops back in late May or June. Summer: the prime window, with low clear water, free-rising trout and the gorge reach often dry where the creek sinks. Fall: excellent fishing as brown trout colour up, with cool stable water and very little angling pressure. Winter: cold and largely iced, with the creek essentially out of play and the reservoir offering limited ice fishing.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Big Brush Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Utah agency site: https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.html