Strawberry River
Salt Lake City — Blue Ribbon Fisheries are waterbodies that provide some of Utah's most exceptional, high-quality fishing experiences. The program that designates and helps fund these fisheries recently allocated $450,000 toward nine projects aimed at enhancing these waterbodies so they remain outstanding places to fish.
There are currently 43 waterbodies in addition to two mountain areas in Utah — streams, rivers and lakes on the Uinta mountains and on Boulder Mountain — that hold this Blue Ribbon status. The Blue Ribbon Fisheries program was created in 2001 by then-Gov. Mike Leavitt, and was formally established in 2005 through an executive order by then-Gov. Jon Huntsman.
"The program was created because Utah's leaders recognized that fishing is one of the state's most popular and economically valuable recreational activities," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Sportfish Coordinator Trina Hedrick said. "There was a need to recognize the best angling opportunities in the state and to provide additional funding for further improvements to keep them at that level. This program helps fulfill those needs."
High-quality fishing waterbodies are only one important part of the Blue Ribbon Fisheries program, however. The program also allocates funds for improvements to help maintain that quality experience and to allow other waterbodies to reach Blue Ribbon status once they are selected for the Blue Ribbon "potential" list. The advisory council selects improvement projects for various waterbodies each year, and those projects are then funded by a portion of Utah's annual fishing license sales.
A total of nine projects were selected by the Blue Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council this year, and they will be completed throughout the 2025-26 fiscal year. Some of the highest-funded projects include:
- Strawberry River Restoration project: This is the third phase of this project, working to restore habitat on the Strawberry River after it was damaged by the Dollar Ridge Fire in 2018. This phase of the project will focus on the Simmons Ranch area of the Strawberry River, with the goals of reducing erosion, reconnecting the floodplain and providing more aquatic habitat for fish. This project received $86,000 in funding. More details can be found on Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative website.
- Aquatic habitat installation and restoration in northern Utah: This project will include the installation of fish-habitat structures at Pineview Reservoir, Bountiful Pond, Andy Adams Reservoir and Stateline Reservoir. The project will also help repair and restore bank erosion on the Weber River near Coalville. This project received over $70,000. Additional details of the project can be found on the WRI website.
Last fiscal year, 11 Blue Ribbon Fisheries projects and initiatives were funded and completed.
In order to be named a Blue Ribbon Fishery, a waterbody has to meet several requirements and provide highly satisfying fishing and recreational experiences for diverse groups of anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. The waterbodies are selected and reviewed by the Blue Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council, which is a representative committee of 13 anglers appointed by the governor.
"These waters are among the best fishing spots in Utah. They provide not only great fishing, but also ideal habitat for the fish, economic benefits to the local communities, and an overall high-quality experience in the outdoors," Hedrick said. "They offer high fishing success rates (either through high catch rates or bigger fish) and usually have great amenities like boat ramps and fishing piers."
