Utah · Utah County · Lake

Utah Lake

Is the fish you caught here safe to eat? Below is every consumption advisory on file for Utah Lake, by species and size, in plain English — plus what's legal to keep.

1 species with advisories · contaminants: PCBs

What's safe to eat from Utah Lake

Channel Catfish

PCBs

SizeWhoGuidance
All sizes Adults Limit to two meals per month due to elevated PCB.
Women and children 6–16 For women and children 6–16: limit to two meals per month due to elevated PCB.
Pregnant or nursing women and children under 6 For pregnant or nursing women and children under 6: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-11-06

How to prepare fish from Utah Lake

Some contaminants build up in fat and skin, so cleaning and cooking can lower your exposure. Others — mercury and PFAS — are in the muscle itself and trimming does nothing.

PCBs

  • Skin the fish — most of the contaminant sits in the fat just under the skin.
  • Trim the fatty areas away: the belly flap, the top of the back, and the dark lateral line down each side.
  • Cook on a rack — grill, broil, or bake — so the fat drips off the fillet.
  • Throw the drippings out; don't use them for soup, sauce, or chowder.
  • Choose smaller, younger fish — they've had less time to build it up.

Is it legal to keep?

These are Utah's statewide limits — a water-specific rule may override them. Always verify the current regulations before keeping a fish.

SpeciesSizeDaily limitOpen seasonKeep season
Rainbow Trout — 4 Year-round Same as open
Brown Trout — 4 Year-round Same as open
Cutthroat Trout — 4 Year-round Same as open
Tiger Trout — 4 Year-round Same as open
Splake — 4 Year-round Same as open
Lake Trout — 4 Year-round Same as open
Kokanee — 4 Year-round Same as open
Walleye — 10 Year-round Same as open
Largemouth Bass — 6 Year-round Same as open
Smallmouth Bass — 6 Year-round Same as open
Hybrid Striped Bass — 3 Year-round Same as open
Striped Bass — — Year-round Same as open
Tiger Muskie 40" min 1 Year-round Same as open
Yellow Perch — 50 Year-round Same as open
Black Crappie — 50 Year-round Same as open
Bluegill — 50 Year-round Same as open
Channel Catfish — 8 Year-round Same as open
Northern Pike — 20 Year-round Same as open
Burbot — — Year-round Same as open

Official rules: Utah — Utah DWR

Getting on the water

Access points from OpenStreetMap contributors.

About this water

State
Utah
County
Utah
Type
Lake
Location
40.2372, -111.7646
Advisory source
Utah Dept. of Environmental Quality (DWQ) — Fish Consumption Advisories