Why FishRec Doesn’t Share Secret Fishing Spots

By Tiafau Purcell

Great fishing isn’t about finding someone else’s secret spot. It’s about discovering one of your own.

If you’ve spent much time fishing in Utah, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Don’t tell anyone where you caught that.” For some, that sounds selfish. For others, it’s common courtesy.

At FishRec, we believe there’s an important conversation behind that mindset—one that’s about more than simply keeping fishing spots secret. It’s about stewardship.

Fishing Is an Adventure

One of the greatest joys of fishing isn’t just catching a fish. It’s discovering a new place. It’s taking a road you’ve never driven. It’s hiking a trail that leads to a quiet mountain lake. It’s standing in a river you’ve only read about and learning how its current, structure, and insects influence where fish hold. Those experiences create memories that last much longer than any single catch. We built FishRec to help anglers discover those experiences.

What Is Hotspotting?

“Hotspotting” happens when exact fishing locations are widely shared online, often through GPS coordinates, screenshots, or highly specific directions to productive fishing spots. Sometimes it’s intentional. Sometimes it’s accidental. A single social media post can quickly bring large numbers of anglers to a small fishery.

While more people enjoying the outdoors is a positive thing, concentrated pressure on one location can sometimes lead to overcrowding, litter, conflicts between anglers, and added stress on the resource. Every fishery is different, and some waters handle increased traffic better than others. That’s why we believe it’s worth being thoughtful about how locations are shared.

Our Approach

FishRec exists to help anglers explore Utah—not to reveal someone else’s favorite fishing hole.

You’ll find information about:

• Utah waters

• Fish species

• Regulations

• Amenities

• Access points

• Seasonal opportunities

• Fishing challenges

• Educational articles

• Directions to public waters

What you won’t find are exact GPS pins to productive fishing spots, secret holes, or user-shared catch coordinates. Instead, we want to give you the knowledge and confidence to discover places on your own. Because finding your own favorite spot is part of what makes fishing so rewarding.

Better Anglers, Better Adventures

Learning to fish is about more than following directions.

It’s learning to:

• Read water

• Understand fish behavior

• Watch weather conditions

• Match seasonal patterns

• Experiment with different techniques

• Keep exploring

Those skills stay with you no matter where you fish. That’s the kind of confidence we hope FishRec helps build.

Stewardship Comes First

We believe anglers play an important role in protecting the waters they enjoy. That means respecting regulations, packing out trash, treating other anglers with courtesy, respecting private property, and helping preserve fisheries for future generations. Stewardship isn’t just something we talk about—it’s part of how we designed FishRec. Every decision, including not publishing exact fishing locations, reflects that commitment.

Explore Utah

There are hundreds of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, and streams waiting to be discovered across Utah. Some will become places you visit once. Others may become the places where lifelong memories are made. Our hope is that FishRec inspires you to keep exploring, keep learning, and keep caring for the waters that make those adventures possible. Because the best fishing spot isn’t necessarily the one someone else found. It’s the one you discover yourself.

Whether you’re planning your next weekend trip, learning a new technique, or simply looking for a new place to explore, FishRec is here to help.

Explore more. Learn more. Protect more.

Welcome to FishRec.