For some reason, you don't hear much about Utah's fisheries unless it's yet another article about the renowned tailwater, the Green River. Here's a fact: Utah has some of the best trout fishing in the West.

Salt lakes, fresh rivers

The Beehive State doesn't have many large rivers but it is long on secluded lakes and fertile streams. The great thing for the angler is that so many fishing holes are located within a few hours' drive from Salt Lake City.

Options out of the city range from a big brown trout river like the Provo, hundreds of high country lakes in the Uinta Mountains, or from hundreds of miles of wilderness streams in five national forests. Head north, east, or south and you'll find trout water.

Utah is a harshly beautiful state, with a tremendous diversity of terrain ranging from deserts to mountains. Most live along the Wasatch Front. The Wasatch Metro area has a whopping 1.5 million residents. But few major cities in America have such proximity to so many quality trout fisheries.

The closer you fish to Salt Lake City, the more anglers you will encounter on the water. Even so, when it gets crowded on the Provo or the Logan, move up or downstream. There's plenty of water for all.