Fishing Pine Hollow Reservoir: A Complete Utah Angler’s Guide

Anglers heading to this 50-acre high-elevation impoundment in the Uinta Mountains will find rainbow trout stocked each spring by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). At roughly 8,200 feet, the reservoir’s cool, oxygen-rich water holds freshly planted stocker trout through the open-water months. Most successful trips happen in May, June, and the cooler mornings of July, when shoreline anglers and small-boat users work the channels where spring runoff feeds the basin.

This practical walkthrough breaks down everything a Utah angler needs for a productive day at Pine Hollow Reservoir, from seasonal timing and access roads to the lures and techniques that match its stocked rainbow trout.

Pine Hollow Reservoir and Its Place in the Uinta Mountain Watershed

A two-track forest road winds north off Utah State Route 35 near Hanna and climbs through scattered aspen to a dirt parking lot tucked against the south shore of Pine Hollow Reservoir. The impoundment fills a glacial bowl that collects snowmelt from the eastern flank of the Uinta range, and the surrounding slopes are cloaked in lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce. Boat traffic stays light outside the first three weeks of the general trout season.

Geography and Setting

Elevation drives nearly every decision you make on this water. At 8,200 feet, surface temperatures stay cool enough to hold rainbow trout through July, then climb fast once August arrives. Tributary inflow from the surrounding cirque delivers cold, oxygenated water along the north and east shorelines, and those inflows shape where the fish stack up after a hot afternoon. The reservoir also feeds a small irrigation ditch for downstream ranchland, so water levels can drop several feet between June and September.

How It Compares to Nearby Waters

Utah’s High Uintas hold dozens of small stillwaters, and Pine Hollow sits in the same family as lakes like Trial, Hoop, and Scout. Those neighbors are walk-in alpine lakes reached only by foot trail, while Pine Hollow offers rare vehicle access within an hour of a paved highway. The trade-off is pressure: because the road handles most passenger cars from late May through October, you’ll rarely have the shoreline to yourself on a June weekend. Bring a willingness to share a small lake and you’ll be fine.

Species You Can Expect to Catch at Pine Hollow Reservoir

Rainbow trout dominate the catch at Pine Hollow, with occasional kokanee salmon and smallmouth bass showing up where habitat allows. UDWR plants fingerling and catchable rainbows each spring, and those fresh stockers drive the bulk of the angling action through the early season. A typical stocker here runs 9 to 12 inches, and a few holdover fish push past 14 inches by late summer.

Rainbow Trout and the Put-and-Take Cycle

Each spring the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources dumps hatchery rainbow trout into the 50-acre impoundment, turning the water into a put-and-take fishery rather than a self-sustaining population. UDWR typically stocks Pine Hollow once or twice each spring, often in late May and again in early June, depending on ice-out and road conditions. Anglers who hit the water within 10 to 14 days of a stocking event enjoy fast action on freshly planted fish that have not yet learned to avoid a baited hook. By midsummer, surviving rainbows move deeper and become more selective, which is when light-line tactics begin to outproduce scented baits.

Other Coldwater Possibilities

Kokanee salmon and smallmouth bass have been documented in the broader High Uintas system, and a few anglers report incidental catches at Pine Hollow in years when stocking records show broader watershed plants. Treat these as bonus fish, not targets. A wandering salmon or bass usually signals a healthy water year and better conditions for rainbows as well.

With the species list in mind, getting to them and working the water efficiently becomes the next practical step.

Species	Typical Size	Best Season	Targeted By
Rainbow trout (stocked)	9–14 in	May–July	Bait, spinners, flies
Rainbow trout (holdover)	12–18 in	July–September	Small lures, trolling
Kokanee salmon (incidental)	10–16 in	July–August	Trolling small spoons
Smallmouth bass (incidental)	8–14 in	June–August	Soft plastics, crankbaits

Access, Roads, and On-Water Logistics

The last 4.5 miles of the access road to Pine Hollow Reservoir are unpaved and climb steadily through the Ashley National Forest. A high-clearance vehicle helps in early spring, but most passenger cars with reasonable ground clearance handle the route comfortably from late May through October. Cell coverage drops to almost nothing once you enter the basin, so download directions before you leave the highway.

Seasonal Road and Ramp Conditions

Snowpack dictates the opening of the forest road more than any other factor. In a typical year, the gate is plowed by mid-to-late May, but a heavy snow year can push that back into mid-June. There’s no formal boat ramp at Pine Hollow; a dirt launch on the south shore handles small jon boats, float tubes, and kayaks when water levels are at or near full. When irrigation drawdown drops the lake a foot or more, hand-launching from the soft bottom becomes the only option.

Shoreline Fishing, Camping, and Services

Bank access is solid along the south and east shores, where dirt paths and open meadow give you room to spread out. A small Forest Service campground sits within a quarter mile of the parking area and offers roughly a dozen tent sites, a vault toilet, and a few picnic tables. There is no potable water at the reservoir, so pack your own. The nearest fuel and full services sit in Duchesne or Hanna, 30 to 45 minutes back down the mountain.

“Pack out every bit of trash. The U.S. Forest Service does not maintain dumpster service at Pine Hollow, and bear activity along the Uinta crest runs high from July through September.

Seasonal Timing and How Conditions Shape the Bite

Spring through early summer is the prime window at Pine Hollow Reservoir, with cooler water, fresh stocking, and active trout stacked in the upper water column. By midsummer, the bite shifts to deeper structure and low-light periods, and by late September, most anglers have packed rods away in favor of higher-elevation alpine lakes that stay cool longer.

The Spring and Early Summer Window

May stocking events put fresh rainbows in the reservoir within days of ice-out, and those fish hug the shallow shoreline for the first 7 to 10 days. Target any flat or gently sloping bank where the sun warms the water an extra degree or two, and fish within 30 feet of the bank. By mid-June, the fish begin to push toward the deeper middle of the lake and the cold tributary inflows, and the bite transitions from a shore game to a small-boat or float-tube game.

Mid-Summer and Late-Season Adjustments

July and August bring warm afternoons, afternoon thunderstorms, and the strongest surface temperatures of the year. Trout pull to the cold inflow seams on the north shore and drop into the deepest part of the basin, often 18 to 25 feet down. Early morning and the hour before dark become the most reliable windows, and overcast days after a storm can produce the best dry-fly fishing of the season. By mid-September, water levels typically fall, weed growth thickens, and the fish consolidate near the deeper holes. Match the season to the depth, and you’ll catch more trout per hour.

Locating fish by season only helps if you know how to tempt them once you’re over the right depth.

Baits, Lures, and Techniques That Work at Pine Hollow

Freshly stocked rainbow trout at Pine Hollow are not picky, but the technique you choose should match the season and the depth. Bait fishing near the bottom dominates the first two weeks after stocking, then small inline spinners and light-line trolling take over as the fish spread out and cool down through the water column.

Bait Presentations for Stocked Rainbows

Scented baits, salmon eggs, and nightcrawlers fished on the bottom account for the majority of keepers pulled from Pine Hollow each season. A sliding sinker rig with a 4- to 6-pound test leader and a size 10 or 12 baitholder hook handles 90% of the bait action. Cast toward the shoreline edge in spring, then shift to the deeper troughs along the old streambed once summer arrives. Add a small splitshot 12 inches above the hook, and let the bait sit motionless on the bottom.

Lures, Spoons, and Light-Line Approaches

Small inline spinners in chartreuse, rooster tail patterns, and 1/8- to 1/4-ounce spoons produce reaction strikes from rainbows that have been in the lake long enough to ignore bait. Cast parallel to the cold inflow seams on the north shore and retrieve at a steady, moderate pace. When fish drop deeper in midsummer, switch to a worm-tipped spoon or a wedding ring spinner fished vertically from a float tube. Light tackle with 4-pound test and a 5-foot ultralight rod makes every bite feel like a wall-hanger, and the fun factor goes up sharply.

Simple Trolling for Hot Afternoons

When the wind kicks up or the bite slows on the bank, a small jon boat or float tube can cover water quickly with a basic trolling spread. Run two rods off the back of the boat, one with a small dodger and a wedding ring spinner, the other with a lightweight spoon 30 to 40 feet back. Troll along the old river channel in the middle of the reservoir at 1 to 1.5 miles per hour, varying depth until you mark fish on a depth finder. Most strikes come on the turn, when the lure changes direction and speed.

“Match your hook size to the average stocker. A size 10 baitholder hook is the sweet spot for Pine Hollow rainbows. Go smaller, and you’ll miss short-striking fish. Go larger, and you’ll gut-hook half of what you hook.

Utah Licenses, Bag Limits, and Staying Legal on the Water

A valid Utah fishing license is required for any angler 12 and older at Pine Hollow Reservoir, and the standard UDWR trout limits apply unless the current fishing proclamation lists an exception. License sales fund the stocking program that keeps the reservoir productive, and the regulations in place on the day you fish are the only ones that matter.

License and Stamp Requirements

Annual and short-term Utah fishing licenses are available online through the UDWR site, at any Division office, and at most sporting goods stores in the Wasatch Front and Uinta Basin. A basic resident or nonresident license covers general fishing; no special trout stamp is required to fish at Pine Hollow. Set up your account, print a temporary license, and carry a photo ID whenever you’re on the water. The two-year license is a strong value for anyone planning more than a couple of trips.

Bag Limits, Possession Limits, and Special Rules

Standard UDWR trout limits govern Pine Hollow, and those numbers can change with each new proclamation year. Always check the current DWR fishing regulations before you load the truck, especially for any water-specific exception the Division may have added for a given season.

Regulation	Standard Utah Trout Rule	Notes for Pine Hollow
Daily limit (trout)	4 fish	Check current proclamation
Possession limit (trout)	8 fish	Includes fish held at camp or in a cooler
Size limit	None, unless posted	Stocked rainbows typically 9–14 in
License required	Yes, for anglers 12+	No special stamp needed
Bait restrictions	None, unless posted	Verify on the day of the trip

Pre-trip checks save headaches. Confirm your license is current, scan the UDWR website for any Pine Hollow-specific order, and look up the most recent Pine Hollow Reservoir fishing report to see what was planted and when. A 10-minute check the night before often saves a long drive back to town.

Bottom Line

Pine Hollow Reservoir rewards anglers who match their tactics to the season, arrive early after a fresh UDWR stocking, and respect the small, high-elevation character of the water. Bait near the bottom in spring, small lures and trolling through the heat of summer, and you’ll put rainbows in the cooler without a fight. Keep your license current, check the current year’s proclamation, and treat the Uinta watershed like the fragile place it is, and Pine Hollow will keep producing for seasons to come.

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