Fishing with kids in Utah
Kids under 12 fish free. Here are the ponds nearest each city, sorted by how recently the DWR stocked them — the single best predictor of a good first trip.
The trick to fishing with kids is catching fish in the first twenty minutes, and in Utah the way to guarantee that is a community pond a few days after the stocking truck. The DWR keeps well over a hundred city ponds stocked — rainbows in the cool months, catfish and bluegill in summer — and publishes every plant. The lists below pull the ponds within 25 miles of each city and put the most recently stocked on top; tap through for directions, the stocking history, and what’s in it. Bring a bobber, a worm, and snacks.
Near Salt Lake City all waters →
Near Ogden all waters →
Near Provo all waters →
Near Orem all waters →
Near Sandy all waters →
Near West Jordan all waters →
Near St. George all waters →
Near Layton all waters →
Near Logan all waters →
Near Lehi all waters →
Near Draper all waters →
Near Herriman all waters →
Near Bountiful all waters →
Near Spanish Fork all waters →
Easy lakes worth the drive
Drive-up, stocked, shore-friendly, and pretty — the ones that turn a fishing trip into a day out.
- Mirror Lake
- Tibble Fork Reservoir
- Silver Lake Flat Reservoir
- Lily Lake
- Navajo Lake
- Panguitch Lake
- Hyrum Reservoir
- Mantua Reservoir
- Salem Pond
- Spring Lake
Frequently asked
No. Everyone under 12 fishes free in Utah with no license at all. From 12 up, a youth license is $5 (ages 12–13) or $16 (ages 14–17) for residents — see the fishing license page.
A DWR community pond within a few days of a stocking. The ponds are stocked with catchable rainbow trout in spring and fall and catfish or bluegill in summer, have shore access and short walks, and the fish bite for a week or two after the truck. This page sorts the ponds near each city by the most recent stocking.
Utah holds a Free Fishing Day each year, usually the first Saturday in June, when anyone can fish without a license. The DWR announces the exact date each spring and often runs kids' events at community ponds that day.
A light spinning rod, 4–6 lb line, a small bobber, size 10–12 bait hooks, a few split shot, and a jar of PowerBait or a container of nightcrawlers. For stocked trout, a worm or PowerBait 2–3 feet under a bobber near the inlet or the deepest corner is the whole strategy.
See also: every community pond in Utah · license rules and fees · this week’s stocking report