Utah Fishing Guide
	By: Steve Cook Published by: Utah Outdoors Paperback, 544 pages
Publication date: May 1999 Price: $24.95 ISBN: 0967173809 Category: Fly Fishing

Review

Have you driven by the lower Provo river on a Saturday afternoon lately? Even with all the construction there are still wall to wall anglers. How about the Green? Strawberry? If you're planning a trip to any of these spots you can forget about solitude. So what are your options, I mean, Utah is a desert, right? Well, for a desert Utah sure has a lot of fishable waters, you just have to know where to look for them. For those of us without connections, the Utah Fishing Guide gives a head start in the quest for fishing solitude.

The Utah Fishing Guide by Steve Cook is not a book you want to sit down and read cover to cover. It is a comprehensive, 544 page, dictionary style, reference to Utah fishing water. The main part of the book lists each fishing location with a brief description of the area. Fish species contained in the water and 1999 special regulations are enumerated. While this is not intended to be a substitute for the Utah Fishing Proclamation it is very convenient, especially for those areas where the regulations don't change often. Tactics commonly used, GPS coordinates, best time to go, and when possible, services to contact for reservations or information, are also included. The most practical information is the map image and brief instructions on how to get there. The map information is taken from the Utah Atlas and Gazetteer. USGS 1:24000 quad titles that cover the area, as well as the Utah Atlas and Gazetteer page numbers are also listed.

Separated into northern and southern Utah, with sections covering rivers and streams, coldwater lakes and reservoirs, and warmwater lakes and reservoirs it is easy locate specific water you're targeting for your next outing. It also contains separate sections covering the many waters in the Uintas and Boulder Mountain.

In addition to the detailed references for each fishing water the book starts with basic general information on topics such as using a GPS, dressing for Utah weather, whirling disease, and fly-fishing basics. There is also a quick run down of local private waters.

Sprinkled with art work, quotes, and poems I enjoyed thumbing through the Utah Fishing Guide checking out familiar destinations. Even though this book is not limited to fly-fishing it is packed with information useful to the fly angler who is looking to try something new. Not every water in Utah is described here but there is enough to keep me busy for several years. The introduction states "this guide is to stimulate your curiosity, rather than satisfy it." It definitely worked on me, every time I pick it up I find a new spot I'd like to try. Once you get to trip planning you'll probably want to get more detailed maps, especially if you're venturing into the backcountry.

If you live in Utah or are just planning to visit, Utah Fishing Guide is an invaluable resource for locating fishable waters in the beehive state. The maps and "how to get there" instructions make it simple to pass by the state's over-fished waters to find some solitude in lesser know areas. This book is a definite must have if you're tired of fishing elbow to elbow in the high pressure locations.

Reviewed by Scott Clayton