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Big Cottonwood Canyon is famous for its ski resorts, hiking trails and beautiful scenery, but what about the stream that runs all the way down the canyon? This stream offers some great fishing opportunities for small pan size trout. There are several locations to access this stream, as it flows through several campgrounds and picnic areas. There are also several pullouts off the canyon road that put you within a short distance of some fantastic fishing holes.
Although I'm not claiming to be a professional at fishing this stream, these are some techniques that work for me. I like to find the slow moving water which is more abundant the closer you get to the ski resorts. This slow water offers deep pools the trout tend to congregate in. When fishing these pools, I like to use small flashy spinners, silver or gold color, that way I can release the fish without to much harm. But if you plan on keeping some small pan size trout for frying, I've found that letting your baited hook drift into these deep pools can be very productive. My bait of choice is Salmon eggs or Night Crawlers. Remember to use a small hook, size 10 or smaller as these fish have small mouths, and they also tend to gobble up your bait so plan on keeping them.
So when fishing this stream find the deeper pools of water, depending on your bait of choice flip your baited hook or lure into each pool several times. If you don't catch a fish, move on to the next hole. If you catch a fish, plan on only catching one or two per hole before you spook the other fish in the area. Please remember that closer to the ski resorts may limit your access to the stream due to private property, and always check your current fishing proclamation so your up to date on the fishing regulations.
Directions:
Big Cottonwood Canyon from Salt Lake City. Take I-215 to the
6200 South Exit. Follow the signs to Solitude and Brighton.
Big Cottonwood Creek runs the entire length of the canyon.
Respect Private Property.
Campgrounds:
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