Some of best fishing may be only a short drive away

Utah anglers will see some big changes at urban fishing ponds in towns across Utah this spring. Plans are to stock some of the more popular urban fisheries a month earlier than usual.

According to Drew Cushing, community fisheries biologist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 16 of Utah's 42 community ponds will receive a total of 40,000 extra rainbow trout.

Stocking will begin during the week of March 20.

What it means to Utah fishermen is that some of the best fishing this spring will be only a short drive away.

Usually the DWR has to wait until the end of April to stock the ponds, but the division needs to get an early start on stocking the extra fish.

"The extra fish will mean more fish for anglers to catch, and they'll be able to catch those fish a month earlier than normal. We'll also be able to stock the 16 ponds every week instead of every two weeks," said Cushing.

"That means there will be more fish for anglers to catch more often."

The DWR normally stocks about 100,000 rainbow trout into 42 community waters each year. The total number of fish planted will remain the same, but 16 of those ponds will also receive an extra 40,000 trout. That brings the total number of trout stocked into the community waters this year to 140,000.

The extra 40,000 fish will be placed into the following ponds:

• Pioneer Park Pond in Brigham City

• Glassman's Pond in Ogden

• Meadow Creek in Roy

• Maybey Pond in Clearfield

• Clinton Pond in Clinton

• Kaysville Pond in Kaysville

• Bountiful Pond in Bountiful

• Willow Pond in Murray

• Kidney Pond in South Jordan

• Midas Pond in South Jordan

• Highland Glenn Pond in Highland

• Spanish Fork Pond in Spanish Fork

• Spanish Oaks Pond (kids only) in Spanish Fork

• Salem Pond in Salem

• Skyline Pond in St. George

• Tawa Pond in St. George